Surgical treatment for idiopathic intervertebral disc calcification in a child: case report and review of the literature.

Objective: Intervertebral disc calcification (IDC) is rare in children. Conservative treatment has been recommended for the majority of cases. We describe surgical treatment of a case of IDC with progressive neurological impairment and review the literature relevant to this rare entity and its management.

Methods: A 16-year-old boy presented with sudden onset of severe neck pain, radiating into his left shoulder. Three months later, he developed neurological symptoms and signs with a progressive motor and sensory loss of his left upper limb.

Results: Anterior cervical corpectomy with fusion and instrumentation was performed. Neurologic deficits completely resolved within 1 week. After 1-year follow-up, radiological images showed solid fusion and no further compression.

Conclusions: Surgical decompression should be recommended for cases with acutely progressive and severe neurological impairments in IDC and a good result can be obtained. When surgery is needed, anterior decompression is usually used in cervical lesion, while in thoracic and lumbar area, posterior approach is suggested.