Background: The phenomenon of spontaneous resorption of a herniated disc (HD) is a common occurrence. In literature, there are many studies attempting to explain the mechanism for regression, including imaging techniques and immunohistologic analyses. Nevertheless, the exact mechanism remains uncertain. In addition, the connection between HD regression and general conditions of patients is not concerned yet. Here we report a case of spontaneous resorption of a lumbar disc herniation in a patient with multiple myeloma, which had not reported before.
Case presentation: An illustrative patient, a 42-year-old Chinese man, was admitted to our hospital with a disc herniation at L5-S1, experiencing 2-months history of low back pain and 1-month left leg pain. He was treated conservatively with medication and physical therapy. Then he was symptom-free after 2 months. The low back pain of the patient recurred with the herniated lumbar disc disappearing after 2 years. The disappearance demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). And besides, the patient was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM). The emergence of MM might result in the recurred backache, and the process of HD resorption might be accelerated by the high serum Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) of the MM patient.
Conclusions: For patients who suffering from intervertebral disc herniation together with diseases upregulating VEGF level, such as MM, surgical treatment should be limited and the conservatively treating time can be lengthened.