Acute lumbar intervertebral disc herniation occurring after somersault in a girl

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Yuceer, Nurullah | Arda, Nuri

Affiliations: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Dokuz Eylul, School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkiye

Note: [] Correspondence: Nurullah Yuceer, MD, University of Dokuz Eylul, School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Izmir, Turkiye. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

Abstract: Lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (LIDH), although common in adults, is rare in childhood and adolescents and especially in patients less than 16 years of age. The most common cause of LIDH in this age group is trauma. Also, sports-related traumas may be a cause of LIDH in children. We report a 12-year-old girl of acute LIDH presenting with low-back pain and muscle weakness after somersault in her school. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a herniated nucleus pulposus at L4-L5 level. Herniated nucleus pulposus was removed. After the surgery, pain ceased. The patient returned to the school life 20-day after the operation.

Keywords: Childhood, magnetic resonance imaging, trauma, lumbar disc herniation, surgery

Journal: Journal of Pediatric Neurology, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 375-376, 2008