Thoracic Disc Disease
Situation
Mr. C.E. is a 43-year-old building contractor from Reno, Nevada who developed chest pain and weakness in his legs after lifting a heavy crate at work. Over the next several days the patient lost control of his urine and was unable to walk. An MRI of the thoracic spine indicated a disc rupture that was compressing the spinal cord. The patient was told by his local doctor that he would require a thoracotomy or "have his chest cracked" in order to take care of the problem. These operations are painful and require a long recovery.
