thoractomy corpectomy

Thoracic Disc Disease

Epidemiology

 

0.05% incidence

- rare due to stabilising effect of rib cage

- even more rare to have symptoms

 

Reasoning

1.  Discs are narrower

2.  Foramina larger

3.  Thoracic spine

- facet joints orientated for rotation

- lumbar spine for flexion extension

- flexion is typically the motion which ruptures annulus

 

Anatomy