ArticleJournal of spine surgery (Hong Kong)2026
A hybrid posterior microsurgical and lateral full-endoscopic approach for a large calcified thoracic disc herniation: the "hammock technique"-a case report.
Article in Journal of spine surgery (Hong Kong), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Symptomatic thoracic disc herniations (TDHs) are uncommon but may result in significant neurological deficits. Established surgical approaches exhibit considerable complication rates, especially in the context of large, calcified, or central lesions. Minimally invasive options, including full-endoscopic transforaminal procedures, offer potential advantages but remain technically demanding and carry intrinsic risks. Case Description: A 36-year-old male presented with progressive myelopathy secondary to a large calcified herniation at T8-9. Due to suspected adhesion between the disc and dura mater-suggested by the absence of posterior spinal cord displacement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) despite a large ventral lesion-a hybrid surgical approach was employed, combining posterior microsurgical decompression and dural release (the "hammock technique") with transforaminal full-endoscopic disc removal. Controlled dural traction facilitated the safe dissection of adhesions, allowing for the effective removal of the herniation. The patient achieved substantial neurological recovery, with the modified Thoracic Japanese Orthopedic Association score (T-JOA) improving from 6 to 11 and restoration of motor, sensory, and bladder function within one month postoperatively, without complications. Conclusions: This case highlights the feasibility of a novel hybrid open-endoscopic approach, utilizing controlled dural traction and mobilization, for treating complex TDHs with suspected ventral dural adhesion. The patient showed remarkable early neurological improvement, with the modified T-JOA score increasing from 6 to 11 within one month and no early complications. This hybrid technique shows promise in reducing neural manipulation and improving outcomes in challenging cases. However, longer-term follow-up is required to confirm sustained neurological outcomes and spinal stability. Further prospective studies with larger cohorts are needed to validate its efficacy and define its role in clinical practice.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.