Research Article | Open Access
Volume 2025 - 4 | Article ID 275 | https://dx.doi.org/10.51521/IJMCCR.2025.e4-1-111
Academic Editor: John Bose
Seyed Hossein Assaee1,
Seyedeh Haniyeh Mortazavi2
1Shiraz
University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
2Kermanshah
University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
Corresponding
Author: Seyedeh Haniyeh Mortazavi, Kermanshah
University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
Citation: Seyed
Hossein Assaee, Seyedeh Haniyeh Mortazavi, (2025) Spontaneous Regression of a
Ruptured Lumbar Disc: A Case Report and Review of Literature. Int J Med Clin
Case Rep, 4(1), 1-4.
Copyright: © 2025, Seyed
Hossein Assaee, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the
terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which
permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided
the original author and source are credited.
Abstract:
Lumbar disc rupture,
particularly when associated with extrusion or sequestration, is often
considered a surgical emergency due to the potential for persistent or
progressive neurological deficits. However, recent studies have shown that
spontaneous regression of ruptured discs is possible in carefully selected
patients. We present the case of a 35-year-old male with a 6-month history of
worsening low back pain radiating to the right leg, accompanied by numbness and
tingling, who demonstrated significant improvement with conservative
management. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a large ruptured disc at
the L4-L5 level, with extrusion of the nucleus pulposus into the spinal canal,
causing compression of the adjacent nerve root, as shown in Figure 1. Despite
the severity of the MRI findings, the patient opted for non-surgical
management, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), physical
therapy, and activity modification. Over the following months, the patient’s
symptoms gradually improved, with a follow-up MRI showing a significant
decrease in the size of the extruded disc fragment and near-complete resolution
of nerve root compression, as seen in Figure 2. This case highlights the
potential for spontaneous regression of a ruptured lumbar disc and supports the
use of conservative therapy in patients without progressive neurological
deficits. The growing body of literature suggests that surgical intervention
may not be necessary in all cases of lumbar disc rupture, and appropriate selection
of candidates for conservative management could reduce healthcare costs and
avoid surgical risks. Further studies are needed to identify predictive factors
for successful non-surgical outcomes in disc rupture cases and refine treatment
guidelines for this condition.
Keywords:
lumbar disc rupture, spontaneous regression, conservative management, MRI,
non-surgical treatment, neurological deficits, extrusion, sequestration.
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