Natural history of paediatric intervertebral disc calcification

Abstract

This case report concerns a 5-year-old boy who had intervertebral disc calcification with involvement of two disc spaces and herniation of nucleus pulposus in one. The patient’s symptoms resolved completely in a week with conservative measures. At the 4-year follow-up, the child was symptom-free and in full health, the herniation of nucleus pulposus had resolved completely, and calcification had disappeared in one of the disc spaces. Although the cause of this disorder is uncertain, the course is benign and self-limiting, it seldom requires surgical intervention, and the natural history is one of resolution and complete resorption of the calcification.