Spontaneous Resorption of Spinal Disk Herniation and Its Adjacent-level Complications: A Case Report

Abstract

Objectives: Symptoms associated with spinal disk herniation may heal without surgery. In some patients, imaging reveals a reduction in hernia size, too. This phenomenon is referred to as spontaneous regression of the herniated disk. It was first reported in 1984 and is widely covered in today’s research papers. Case Presentation: This paper describes a case of spontaneous regression of lumbar disk herniation at L5-S1, where another disk was herniated at L4-L5 after only 8 months. The patient (F) sought help complaining of pain in the lumbar region. An MRI scan revealed a 6.2-mm hernia at L5-S1. The patient was prescribed conservative treatment comprising non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and kinesitherapy, to which she refused to adhere and decided to treat the condition on her own. Eight months later, the patient sought help again, reporting other symptoms of pronounced constant pain in the rear lateral surface of the left leg and lameness. A further MRI scan revealed spontaneous hernia resorption at L5-S1 with an emergent vacuum phenomenon and a different disk herniated at L4-L5 to 9.4 mm. Discussion: Since the symptoms were pronounced and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs did not have a therapeutic effect, the patient required surgery.

Keywords

• spinal disk herniation
• low back pain
• spontaneous resorption