Degenerative disc disease

Degenerative disc disease, abbreviated DDD, is a common ditzel, typically generated in the course of a discectomy operation.

Degenerative disc disease
Diagnosis in short
Degenerative disc disease. HPS stain.
LM	benign fibrous tissue, nests of chondrocytes
LM DDx	chondrocalcinosis, synovial cyst, malignancy (primary or metastasis)
Site	vertebral disc - see spine
Symptoms	back pain
Prevalence	common
Radiology	disc herniation
Prognosis	benign
Treatment	surgical (e.g. discectomy)

Sciatica, vertebral disc and discectomy redirect here.

General

• Herniated disc - causes back pain.
• May result in cauda equina syndrome.
• Composed of fibrous cartilage.

Microscopic

Features:

• Benign fibrous tissue.
• Nests of chondrocytes (as in immature cartilage).
• +/-Synovium with or without proliferation.
• +/-Neovascularization of disc material.
• Hemosiderin deposits (trauma or previous surgery).

DDx:

• Chondrocalcinosis (CPPD).
• Synovial cyst.
• Malignancy - very rare if not suspected.
  • Not reported in a series of 985 specimens.
  • Unexpected malignancy in 2 of 2177 specimens.

Images

• 

  Degenerative disc disease - intermed. mag. (WC)

• 

  Degenerative disc disease - high mag. (WC)

• 

  DDD - intermed. mag. (WC)

• 

  DDD - high mag. (WC)

• 

  DDD - very high mag. (WC)

www:

• Degenerative disk disease (rsna.org).
• Normal vertebral disc (edu.ag).

Sign out

Disc Material (L4-L5 Disc), Excision:
- Consistent with disc material (gross only).

Disc Material (Left L5-S1 Disc), Excision:
- Consistent with disc material (gross only).

Note:

• May be gross only specimens; a minority of institutions handle these specimens this way.
  • It is suggested that gross only specimens should have no history or suspicion of malignancy - based on the surgical note, available pathology and imaging.

Block letters

CERVICAL DISC, DISCECTOMY:
- DISC WITH DEGENERATIVE CHANGES.
- NO EVIDENCE OF MALIGNANCY.

LUMBAR DISC, DECOMPRESSION:
- DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE.

See also

• Spine.