Percutaneous microdecompressive endoscopic thoracic discectomy for herniated thoracic discs.

Spinal surgeons have long sought to find a procedure of choice by which to treat thoracic disc herniations. The threat of cord injury has stimulated many attempted approaches including posterior laminectomy (abandoned currently as too likely to result in neurologic loss), costotransversectomy, trans-thoracic trans-pleural, postero-lateral, trans-pedicular and, more recently, transthoracic endoscopic. Commonly, surgery is not contemplated unless significant cord compression and neurologic deficit is present.