Full-endoscopic interlaminar discectomy for the treatment of a dorsal migrated thoracic disc herniation

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Rationale:</jats:title> <jats:p>Thoracic disc herniation (TDH) is an infrequent spinal disease and difficult to treat well. Various surgical approaches and procedures were introduced in many literatures. The authors report a patient with dorsal migrated TDH compressing the spinal cord at T10-11 level.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Patient concerns:</jats:title> <jats:p>A 65-year-old male patient presented with complaints of severe paresthesia of both legs and progressive motor weakness for 1 week.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Diagnoses:</jats:title> <jats:p>Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the thoracic and lumbar spine revealed TDH and migration of dorsal side on spinal cord at T10-11 level.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Interventions:</jats:title> <jats:p>Successful decompressive surgery was performed through a posterior interlaminar approach using only endoscopic instruments.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Outcomes:</jats:title> <jats:p>After the operation, patient's symptoms, paraparesis and paresthesia, immediately improved.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Lessons:</jats:title> <jats:p>The successful results of this case suggest that full endoscopic laminotomy and discectomy may be an attractive minimally invasive surgical technique for treating TDH with dorsal migrated fragments.</jats:p> </jats:sec>