Unilateral surgical approach for lumbar disc herniation with contralateral symptoms: Two case reports

Lumbar disc herniation is the most common cause of the lumbar radicular pain and it is usually encountered on the same side with its symptoms. However, lumbar disc herniation with contralateral symptoms is sometimes observed too. This situation may cause a dilemma for spine surgeons. There are no consensus about cause of the pathophysiology of contralateral radiculopathy, and which surgical approach may suitable for these patients. In here, we present two case reports lumbar disc herniation with contralateral symptoms and discuss this phenomenon in the light of the literature.