腰椎小关节不对称与椎间盘及小关节退变的关系

背景：腰椎小关节不对称与椎间盘退变程度之间的关系一直存在争议,并且国内在下腰痛患者中对小关节不对称与小关节退变程度之间关系的研究较少.目的：调查分析腰椎小关节不对称在腰椎间盘退变与小关节退变过程中的作用.方法：测量312例下腰痛患者共936个脊柱功能单位的小关节角度差值,差值〈7°定义为小关节对称,差值≥7°定义为小关节不对称.对936个脊柱节段的椎间盘退变程度及小关节退变程度进行分级.结果与结论：①小关节是否对称在年龄及性别上差异无显著性（P 〉 0.05）.②小关节不对称与椎间盘退变程度之间无显著关联（P 〉 0.05）.③在L4～L5节段小关节不对称组比小关节对称组的小关节退变程度更重（P 〈 0.01）.提示小关节不对称与椎间盘退变无明显影响,但在腰椎活动度最大的L4～L5节段,小关节不对称可能会引起小关节的退变.     

急性和亚急性下腰痛患者腰椎MRI影像学特征分析

目的:探讨急性和亚急性下腰痛患者腰椎MRI影像学特征及临床意义。方法:回顾性连续收集因下腰痛至本院就诊并行腰椎MRI检查患者177例。根据病程时间将患者分为亚急性下腰痛组(n=103)和急性下腰痛组(n=74例),另招募42例无下腰痛志愿者作为正常对照组。采用视觉模拟评分(visual anologue scale,VAS)评定患者腰痛程度。观察各组研究对象腰椎MRI影像学特征,包括:椎间盘退变、椎间盘突出、椎间盘膨出、纤维环后方高信号、Schmorl结节、椎体终板炎、小关节退变、小关节积液、棘间韧带高信号、皮下或椎后旁肌肉水肿、小关节退变等,对不同组间腰椎MRI影像学特征分布进行统计学比较分析。结果:与正常对照组相比,急性、亚急性下腰痛组研究对象椎间盘退变、椎间盘突出发生率较高(P0.05)。3组间椎间盘膨出、Schmorl结节、腰椎终板Modic改变发生情况差异无统计学意义。急性下腰痛组患者腰椎MRI纤维环后方高信号、棘间韧带高信号、皮下或椎后旁软组织肿胀发生率均高于亚急性下腰痛组和正常对照组(P0.05);亚急性下腰痛组患者中小关节退变和小关节积液发生率均高于急性下腰痛组和正常对照组(P0.05)。结论:椎间盘退变、突出是腰痛症状持续存在的原因;腰椎间盘局限性高信号、棘间韧带高信号和皮下或椎后旁软组织肿胀与急性下腰痛相关;小关节退变、小关节积液与亚急性下腰痛有关。     

腰椎节段不稳的影响因素

目的：探讨腰椎节段不稳定的影响因素。方法选择57例L4～5节段不稳患者作为疾病组，22例L4～5节段手术患者作为术后对照组，19例健康检查者作为正常对照组。所有患者均拍摄正、侧位和过屈、过伸位X线片，CT扫描测量关节突形态，36例腰椎节段不稳患者行MRI检查，评价椎间盘退变情况。结果：前屈移位不稳患者关节突关节角方向偏向矢状，旋转不稳患者的椎间盘退变程度较轻，关节突全切患者存在前移不稳。结论：关节突矢状方向排列和椎间盘退变与前移不稳有关，可能是腰椎滑脱的原因，而韧带损害与旋转不稳有关。     

人工椎间盘置换对腰椎小关节应力影响的三维有限元分析

背景:近年来随着对脊柱生物力学研究的深入,人工椎间盘被认为是治疗腰椎退行性变较理想的方法,但目前对人工腰椎间盘的生物力学研究还非常有限.目的:建立腰椎运动节段人工椎间盘置换的三维有限元模型并进行生物力学分析,观察人工椎间盘置换对腰椎小关节应力的影响.方法:在已建立的正常腰椎运动节段三维有限元模型的基础上去除L4～5椎间盘、上下终板的有限元单元,加入SB-Chaite Ⅲ型人工椎间盘的有限元模型,保留L4～5椎间隙的纤维环及相关韧带,形成L4～5运动节段人工椎间盘置换的三维有限元模型.对三维有限元模型在垂直压缩、前屈、后伸、侧弯等不同载荷下进行生物力学分析,记录小关节的应力,并与正常运动节段三维有限元模型相应部位的应力进行对比.结果与结论:生物力学分析结果显示,人工椎间盘置换后:①垂直压缩时上下椎体、双侧小关节内应力与正常节段相比差异无显著性意义(P > 0.01).②前屈、后伸时上下椎体前、后方及双侧小关节内应力与正常节段相比差异无显著性意义(P > 0.01).③侧弯时上下椎体左右两侧及双侧小关节内应力与正常节段相比差异无显著性意义(P > 0.01).提示人工腰椎间盘置换后小关节应力可保持在正常运动节段的水平,人工腰椎间盘置换可以达到腰椎生物力学性能重建的目的.     

CT诊断腰椎小关节退行性变分析

目的讨论CT诊断腰椎小关节退变的可行性。方法对河南省胸科医院影像科227例腰椎小关节退变患者的临床资料进行收集、整理,并加以分析。结果经CT扫描证实,全部患者有347个腰椎小关节发生改变。结论 CT扫描可准确显示腰椎小关节的形态结构及其异常改变,能为临床早期诊断腰椎小关节退变提供可靠依据。     

关节突关节形态与退变性腰椎滑脱的关系

目的 探讨关节突关节形态与退变性腰椎滑脱的方法。方法 首先对41例60岁以下（平均年龄55岁）有L4－5退变性滑脱的患者和32例（平均年龄53岁）正常人进行对照检查。用CT轴向扫描关节突关节，测量L3－4，L4－5，L5－S1关节突关节的角度，关节横向，关节面的深度和观察关节面形态。第二部分研究分别测量40例40岁以下和40例60岁以肯要痛患者的关节突关节角度，观察其关节。结果 退变笥滑脱患者与对照组相比，L4－5节段关节角度方向明显偏向矢状面，关节角度不对称和关节面深度比也有显著差异。第二部分2组下腰痛患者的关节突关节角度无统计学差异。结论 60岁以下的退变性腰椎滑脱患者存在着关节突关节形态异常，L4－5节段关节或矢状排列和／或同时伴有关节角不对称是腰椎早期滑脱的危险因素。     

关节突关节形态对腰椎退变性疾病的影响

腰椎关节突关节（FJ）是椎体后的一对小关节,是腰椎节段的重要组成部分之一,具有引导、控制脊柱的运动方向、活动范围并承受脊柱一定负荷的作用。目前,FJ结构的异常如关节面角度改变、双侧角度不对称、纵向关节的形态移行变化等产生的原因及其对腰椎退变性疾病的影响,还不十分明确。有研究表明,关节形态的改变可来自先天或关节炎症后的重塑,且关节的异常形态可通过影响应力-应变关系和瞬时旋转轴,而造成FJ以及椎间盘的损伤和炎症,并致使腰椎发生退变性疾病。本文对FJ解剖结构异常的原因,及其生物力学机制和退行性变的过程进行综述,旨在为临床上FJ对腰椎退变性疾病影响的研究提供参考。     

关节突关节不对称与腰椎间盘突出位置的关系

目的:评估关节突关节不对称与腰椎间盘突出的关系。方法:96例单节段腰椎间盘突出患者,用CT测量关节突关节形态,与没有椎间盘突出的自身临近节段对照,比较两者之间的相关性。同时观察腰椎间盘突出位置与关节突关节方向的关系。结果:椎间盘突出在L4/5节段是56个(58.33%),在L5/S1节段是40个(41.66%)。59例突向左侧(61.46%),37例突出右侧(38.54%)。L4/5椎间盘突出节段存在关节不对称的为8/56,对照节段存在关节不对称的为2/40(P>0.05),L5/S1椎间盘突出节段存在关节不对称的为12/40,对照节段为4/56(P>0.05)。关节突关节不对称与腰椎间盘突出总体存在相关性(P<0.01)。关节突关节不对称与腰椎间盘突出在L5/S1节段存在相关(P<0.05),而在L4/5节段无相关(P>0.05)。腰椎间盘突出在哪一侧与关节突关节角度形态无关(P>0.05)。结论:关节突关节不对称与腰椎间盘突出存在相关,但突出的位置与关节角度无关。     

腰椎小关节方向性与腰椎间盘突出症

背景:腰椎小关节及其对称性与腰椎间盘突出之间是否存在关系,文献报道争议很大。目的:测量分析腰椎小关节方向性与腰椎间盘突出的关系。方法:收集因腰腿痛行CT检查的169例患者,L4/5腰椎间盘突出35例,L5/S1腰椎间盘突出67例,无间盘突出对照组67例。在CT终端机上选取L3～S1椎间隙的远侧椎体上终板层面,测量3个节段的腰椎小关节角。结果与结论:①L4/5和L5/S1腰椎间盘突出组L3/4、L4/5、L5/S1每个节段腰椎小关节角左侧均大于右侧(P<0.05);各组小关节前内侧角和后外侧角两侧相比差异均无显著性意义(P>0.05)。②各节段腰椎小关节角、前内侧角、后外侧角3组之间比较没有显著性差异(P>0.05)。③各组腰椎小关节角、后外侧角自L3/4至L5/S1节段均逐渐增大(P<0.05);而前内侧角L4/5节段最大,L3/4节段最小(P<0.05)。提示腰椎间盘突出与腰椎小关节角左右侧不相等有关;腰椎小关节角和后外侧角自L3/4至L5/S1逐渐更偏向冠状位,而内侧角在L4/5节段更偏冠状位,可能与腰椎管狭窄的发病有关。     

腰椎侧弯患者关节突关节形态及其临床意义

目的：研究下腰痛患者关节突关节形态与腰椎侧弯的关系。方法：37例腰椎侧弯的下腰痛患者，通过X线摄片和CT轴向扫描，测量L3／4、LA／5、L5／S1关节突关节形态。26例正常者作为对照。结果：在腰椎侧弯患者中L4／5节段关节突关节不对称为72％，L5／S1节段为49％。结论：腰椎侧弯与关节突关节不对称有关，可能是侧方不稳、滑脱的原因。     

Robotic ultrasound-guided facet joint insertion

Purpose

Facet joint insertion is a common treatment of chronic pain in the back and spine. This procedure is often performed under fluoroscopic guidance, where the staff’s repetitive radiation exposure remains an unsolved problem. Robotic ultrasound (rUS) has the potential to reduce or even eliminate the use of radiation by using ultrasound with a robotic-guided needle insertion. This work presents first clinical data of rUS-based needle insertions extending previous work of our group.

Methods

Our system implements an automatic US acquisition protocol combined with a calibrated needle targeting system. This approach assists the physician by positioning the needle holder on a trajectory selected in a 3D US volume of the spine.

Results

By the time of submission, nine facets were treated with our approach as first data from an ongoing clinical study. The insertion success rate was shown to be comparable to current clinical practice. Furthermore, US imaging offers additional anatomical context for needle trajectory planning.

Conclusion

This work shows first clinical data for robotic ultrasound-assisted facet joint insertion as a promising solution that can easily be incorporated into the clinical workflow. Presented results show the clinical value of such a system.

     

The provocative lumbar facet joint

Low back pain is the most common pain symptom experienced by American adults and is the second most common reason for primary care physician visits. There are many structures in the lumbar spine that can serve as pain generators and often the etiology of low back pain is multifactorial. However, the facet joint has been increasingly recognized as an important cause of low back pain. Facet joint pain can be diagnosed with local anesthetic blocks of the medial branches or of the facet joints themselves. Subsequent radiofrequency lesioning of the medial branches can provide more long-term pain relief. Despite some of the pitfalls associated with facet joint blocks, they have been shown to be valid, safe, and reliable as a diagnostic tool. Medial branch denervation has shown some promise for the sustained control of lumbar facet joint-mediated pain, but at this time, there is insufficient evidence that it is a wholly efficacious treatment option. Developing a universal algorithm for evaluating facet joint-mediated pain and standard procedural techniques may facilitate the performance of larger outcome studies. This review article provides an overview of the anatomy, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of facet joint-mediated pain.     

Mechanical back pain and the facet joint syndrome

Mechanical back pain is a common disability often associated with the facet joint syndrome. Treatment is based on early, adequate pain relief with simple techniques of regional analgesia. In a few cases this is not enough and more sophisticated methods, such as radiofrequency denervation, cryo-analgesia and possibly intrathecal midazolam, are necessary. However, the main thrust of our approach is to treat the underlying structural disorder with strengthening of the back muscles and correction of postural abnormalities responsible for the mechanical back pain. Our report is based on an analysis of 83 patients who failed to respond to long periods of rest, suitable analgesic and allied drugs and other non-invasive measures. There had been no overriding indication for major surgery. A large number of these patients have been improved by our methods, but further work is in progress to extend the proportion of satisfactory results.     

腰椎滑脱患者关节突关节形态的评价

目的文章探讨关节突关节形态对腰椎滑脱的影响。方法L4～5节段退变性滑脱25例(均年龄55岁)、后滑脱12例(均年龄53岁)和峡部裂滑脱11例(均年龄44岁)与32例(均年龄47岁)正常人进行对照检查。CT轴向扫描关节突关节,测量L3～4、L4～5、L5～S1关节突关节角度、关节宽度、关节面的深度和关节面形态。结果由上向下关节角度逐步从矢状向冠状转化。在L4～5节段退变性滑脱患者关节角度方向与对照组相比明显偏向矢状(P<0.01),退变性滑脱组和后滑脱组的关节宽度均大于对照组(P<0.01),退变性滑脱组的关节面深度比也有显著差异。峡部裂滑脱组的唯一差异是关节宽度显著减少(P<0.01)。结论结果提示关节突关节矢状排列可能是生长过程中形成的,某些患者发生腰椎退变时可能会出现滑脱。     

退变性腰小关节疼痛的发病机制

腰椎小关节关节囊及关节组织中有大量神经末梢分布,这些神经纤维来自脊神经后支的内侧分支,解剖学上每个小关节至少接受两个脊柱节段的神经支配.但是患有腰椎小关节损伤的患者有时会有下腰部、大腿前方、腹股沟等部位疼痛,说明腰小关节的神经支配分的复杂性,腰椎小关节的这种支配方式形成了十分复杂的腰腿痛发病机制.腰小关节骨性关节炎同其他关节的骨性关节炎一样,表现为软骨面的病损,软骨下骨的硬化及骨赘形成,关节腔狭窄,关节囊增厚及滑膜增生等改变.细胞因子及其受体的高表达是退行性骨关节炎形成的重要诱因,基中最重要的是白细胞介素1β和肿瘤坏死因子α.     

Cervical facet joint dysfunction: a review

Kirpalani D, Mitra R. Cervical facet joint dysfunction: a review.

Objective

To review the relevant literature on cervical facet joint dysfunction and determine findings regarding its anatomy, etiology, prevalence, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment.

Data Sources

A computer-aided search of several databases was performed, including Medline (1966 to present), Ovid (1966 to present), and the Cochrane database (1993 to present).

Study Selection

Selected articles had the following criteria: (1) all articles analyzed cervical facet joint pain—anatomy, prevalence, etiology, diagnosis, treatment; (2) only full, published articles were studied, not abstracts; and (3) all articles were published in English.

Data Extraction

All articles were critically evaluated and included the following categories: randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, uncontrolled clinical trials, uncontrolled comparison studies, nonquantitative systematic reviews, and literature-based reviews.

Data Synthesis

We examined 45 references that consisted of 44 journal articles and relevant sections from 1 textbook. Cervical facet joints have been well established in the literature as a common nociceptive pain generator, with an estimated prevalence that ranges from 25% to 66% of chronic axial neck pain. No studies have reported clinical examination findings that are diagnostic for cervical facet mediated pain.

Conclusions

Overall the literature provides very limited information regarding the treatment of this condition, with only radiofrequency neurotomy showing evidence of effectively reducing pain from cervical facet joint dysfunction.     

Ultrasound-guided facet joint injection training using Perk Tutor

Purpose

Facet syndrome is a condition that may cause 15–45 % of chronic lower back pain. It is commonly diagnosed and treated using facet joint injections. This needle technique demands high accuracy, and ultrasound (US) is a potentially useful modality to guide the needle. US-guided injections, however, require physicians to interpret 2-D sonographic images while simultaneously manipulating an US probe and needle. Therefore, US-guidance for facet joint injections needs advanced training methodologies that will equip physicians with the requisite skills.

Methods

We used Perk Tutor—an augmented reality training system for US-guided needle insertions—in a configuration for percutaneous procedures of the lumbar spine. In a pilot study of 26 pre-medical undergraduate students, we evaluated the efficacy of Perk Tutor training compared to traditional training.

Results

The Perk Tutor Trained group, which had access to Perk Tutor during training, had a mean success rate of 61.5 %, while the Control group, which received traditional training, had a mean success rate of 38.5 % ( $p = 0.031$ ). No significant differences in procedure times or needle path lengths were observed between the two groups.

Conclusions

The results of this pilot study suggest that Perk Tutor provides an improved training environment for US-guided facet joint injections on a synthetic model.