Abstract: Objective To study the clinical characteristics of thoracolumbar intervertebral disc protrusion. Methods Clinical characteristics of 59 patients with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc protrusion（T10-L3） undergone operation in our hospital from April 2000 to January 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into T10-T11 group（n=5）,T11-T12 group（n=19）,T12-L1 group（n=12）,L1-L2 group（n=13） and L2-L3 group（n=10）. Results Radiating pain,ambulation disability,numbness and weakness of lower extremity,and back pain occurred in 44,40,37,35 and 29 of the 59 patients respectively,with an incidence of 74.6%,67.8%,62.7%,59.3% and 49.2%,respectively.The main symptoms of T10-T11 and T11-T12 groups were numbness and weakness of lower extremity manifested as injury of upper motor neurons.Sensory disturbance was found in groin and saddle regions of T12-L1 group,manifested as lower motor neuron injury and mixed injury,with an incidence of 50.0% and 33.3%,respectively.The radiculopathy and sensory distrubance mainly involving the anterolateral leg in L1-L2 and L2-L3 groups were manifested as injury of lower motor neurons.The incidence of back pain was significantly different in different groups（P＜0.05）,and much higher in the lower groups than that in the upper ones. Conclusion Upper neuron injury occurs in T10-T11 and T11-T12 groups,sensory disturbance and weakness of lower extremity occur in T12-L1 group,sensory disturbance and dyscinesia of nerve roots occur in L1-L2 and L2-L3 groups.