Magnetic resonance imaging,computed tomography,and myelography in the diagnosis of recurrent lumbar disc herniation

Summary Thirteen patients with recurrent symptoms after lumbar discectomy were evaluated. All the patients were enrolled in the study on the basis of clinical symptoms and signs only. The patients were examined with MRI, CT, and myelography in order to compare a) the clinical findings with the imaging investigations, b) the predictive value of the different investigations, and c) the clinical and investigative results with the operative findings. All patients were operated upon according to the clinical findings, and the surgical results were used as the final diagnosis. In six patients a new disc herniation was detected. In the remaining cases surgery revealed either scar tissue or nothing to explain the recurrence of the symptoms. The three imaging modalities were analysed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The areas under the ROC curves were 0.68 for MRI, 0.83 for CT, and 0.43 for myelography. The difference in areas between CT and myelography was significant (p<0.05). The results indicate that CT has the highest predictive value for demonstrating the recurrence of a lumbar disc herniation.     

经椎问孔选择性神经根阻滞在复杂腰椎间盘突出症责任节段确定的应用

目的探讨经椎间孔选择性神经根阻滞技术应用于腰椎间盘突出症,以明确诊断及责任节段,为进一步手术治疗提供依据。方法42例复杂的腰椎间盘突出症患者进行47次选择性神经根阻滞,对可疑责任节段进行经椎间孔选择性神经根阻滞,根据患者症状改善情况明确腰腿痛的责任节段,并以此为依据进行手术治疗。结果93％（39／42）的患者结果为阳性,1例假阳性为隐匿性股骨颈骨折。神经根阻滞前下肢放射痛VAS评分为8．12＋1．43,选择性阻滞后下肢放射痛VAS评分改善为2．31±1．63。而后36例进行手术治疗。结论对于诊断复杂的腰椎间盘突出症,在常规诊断依据的基础上进行经椎问孔选择性神经根阻滞,能够明确诊断,为进一步手术治疗方案的确定提供了明确可靠的依据。     

Treatment of lumbar disc herniation in the second decade of life

Lumbar disc herniation is rare in patients under the age of 20 years. In the department of orthopaedic surgery of the University Hospital of Frankfurt, 33 patients below the age of 20 with lumbar disc herniation were treated over a period of 10 years. Eighteen were managed conservatively and 15 surgically. The purpose of this study is to report on the long-term outcome of these patients and to compare the results of conservative and surgical treatment. We analysed information obtained from the medical records, and for the long-term follow-up we prepared a questionnaire. The questionnaire was composed of general questions about the patients' lifestyle and their ability to return to a normal life and activity after treatment, together with a request for them to score their pain level and remaining symptoms. We found that the longest duration of symptoms before diagnosis was 72 months, with a mean duration of 11.1 months. Low back pain and monoradicular sciatica were the main complaints, but findings of neurological deficits were rare. Lasegue's sign and tight hamstrings seemed to be strong diagnostic signs in this age group. On the day of discharge, 94% of patients reported excellent or good results. The outcomes after a mean follow-up period of 5.4 years were similar in both treatment groups. Almost all patients were able to attain a normal activity level and few reported restrictions on their daily life. Only 14% complained of permanent pain and 7% reported poor results regarding their activity capabilities. In conclusion, we believe that in all cases of lumbar disc herniation in the second decade of life, conservative treatment should be pursued as a mainstay of treatment. Only after a certain time, if conservative treatment is ineffective, should surgical treatment be considered.     

MRI在腰椎间盘突出症中的应用与临床价值

本文对122例腰椎间盘突出症的MRI成像,结合临床进行了分析。通过手术摘除的45个椎间盘证实,结果突出符合率为96.9％,纤维破裂及髓核脱出符合率为92.3％;讨论了MRI成像在腰椎间盘突出症应用中具有定位,定性的准确性及鉴别诊断的价值。对于手术后症状复发的病例,可指导再手术及准确地避免了再手术,有着目前所不可取代的优越性。同时,提出MRI在对伴有神经通道狭窄方面的诊断,往往结果不尽人意,以及临床弥补的方法。     

Extreme lateral lumbar disc herniation: Clinical presentation in 178 patients

Summary A retrospective analysis of clinical characteristics of 178 consecutive patients with extreme lateral lumbar disk herniation, amongst 3047 patients operated on for herniated lumbar disc, is presented. The level specific incidence of extreme lateral disc herniation (ELLDH) ranged from a low of 4.5% at L 4–5 to peak of 17.4% at L 3–4 although the largest number of ELLDH occurred at L 4–5 and L5-S1 for a total number of 139 cases (78.1%). 43.6% of all L3 radiculopathies were caused by an L 3–4 ELLDH, whereas only 4.4% of all L 5 radiculopathies were caused by an L 5-S 1 ELLDH.Leg pain, either of the sciatic or the femoral type, was the first and dominant clinical symptom of radiculopathy, but pain radiation occurred not always in the appropriate dermatomal segment. ELLDH at upper levels (L 2–3 and L 3–4) caused usually none or only minor low back signs (76.2%), whereas ELLDH at lower levels more often caused moderate or major lumbar symptoms and signs (59.6%). Positive femoral nerve traction test with upper ELLDH showed a high frequency (84.4%) and reliability and is therefore an important clinical parameter in this situation. Motor deficits occurred more often (78.8%) than sensory deficits (46.6%), were usually of the monoradicular type and were therefore a more reliable clinical sign than sensory disturbances.     

Posterior and anterior epidural and intradural migration of the sequestered intervertebral disc: Three cases and review of the literature

Context: Dorsal migration of the sequestered lumbar intervertebral disc is an unusual and underrecognized pattern of lumbar disc herniation associated with pain and neurological deficit.Findings: Three patients presented with lower limb- and low back pain. MR imaging showed intracanalicular mass lesions with compression of the spinal cord and allowed precise localization of lesions in the extradural or intradural space. Diagnosis was straightforward for the patients with the posterior and anterior epidural disc fragments, whereas various differential diagnostic considerations were entertained for the patient with the intradural mass lesion. All patients underwent surgical removal of the sequestered disc fragments, and recovered full motosensory function. Surgical repair of the dura mater due to CSF leak was required for the patient with intradural disc herniation.Conclusion/clinical relevance: Posterior and anterior epidural, and intradural disc migration may manifest with clinical symptoms indistinguishable from those associated with non-sequestered lumbar disc hernias. Missed, migrated disc fragments can be implicated as a cause of low back pain, radiculopathy or cauda equina syndrome, especially in the absence of visible disc herniation. A high index of suspicion needs to be maintained in those cases with unexplained and persistent symptoms and/or no obvious disc herniation on MR images.     

动态脊髓造影诊断腰椎间盘突出症

目的：探讨动态脊髓造影对于腰椎间盘突出症的诊断价值。方法：对186例腰椎间盘突出症患者进行脊髓造影，动态观察，拍摄不同体位的X线片。186例均经CT检查，110例经CTM检查，106例经手术治疗。结果：186例中213个椎间隙诊断为腰椎间盘突出，96个椎间隙诊断为腰椎间盘膨出，动念脊髓造影检查结果与手术诊断符合率为93．62％，CT检查结果与手术诊断符合率为86．74％，CTM检查结果与手术诊断符合率为96．88％。结论：动态脊髓造影检查克服了传统脊髓造影、CT、MRI检查静态观察的缺陷，降低了假阳性率和假阴性率，对L5／S1间盘突出诊断效果更为明显，并可鉴别诊断腰椎问盘突出和膨出。     

Painful internal disc derangements of the lumbosacral spine: discographic diagnosis and treatment by posterior lumbar interbody fusion.

Results of surgical or non-surgical treatment of patients with chronic persistent low back pain, but without clearly demonstrable diagnosis of disc herniation, spinal stenosis, or spinal instability, range between 50% to 80% of success rates in the literature. Between 1984 and 1988, the authors reviewed 25 consecutive cases of internal derangements of the lumbar disc treated by subtotal disc excision and interbody fusion. All patients had chronic, persistent, or frequently recurring low back pain resistant to active nonoperative treatments for a minimum of 3 months (mean: 16); no evidence of disc herniation, stenosis, or instability; no previous operation; single level of the pathologic condition in L-S spine; and diagnosis made by clinical information, CT, MRI, and/or discography. Ages ranged from 25 to 51 (mean: 38 to 40). Average follow up was 2 years (range: 13 to 57 months). In addition, 20 patients (32 discographics) who had available information of discography, MRI, and CT scan of the L-S spine, were reviewed for the relationship between disc morphology, pressure, volume, and pain response during discography. Overall clinical results for the 25 patients were: 58% excellent (15 of 26), 31% good (8 of 26), and 11% fair (3 of 26). No patients were in the "poor" category. The successful fusion rate was 95%.     

高位腰椎间盘突出症的诊断及治疗

目的探讨高位腰椎间盘突出症的诊断和治疗方法. 方法综合分析42例高位腰椎间盘突出症患者的临床症状、体征、影像学资料、诊治特点及预后. 结果 42例获1～5年随访,参照改良的Macnab分级标准评定, 优25例(59.5%), 良13例(31.0%), 可4例(9.5%), 优良率达90.5%. 结论临床表现结合MRI和CT检查,是诊断高位腰椎间盘突出症的重要手段,治疗上主张早期手术.     

破裂型腰椎间盘突出症的手术治疗

目的评价破裂型腰椎间盘突出症的手术治疗效果。方法回顾性研究1999年1月至2006年1月手术治疗48例破裂型腰椎间盘突出症患者的临床症状、体征、影像学表现及治疗效果。结果48例术前均明确诊断并及时进行了椎间盘切除术,术后随访1~7年,平均3.1年,按Nakai标准判定,优30例,良15例,可3例,优良率93.7%。结论破裂型腰椎间盘突出症术前即可明确诊断,应尽早手术治疗,疗效满意。     

Neurological examination of the peripheral nervous system to diagnose lumbar spinal disc herniation with suspected radiculopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background contextDisc herniation is a common low back pain (LBP) disorder, and several clinical test procedures are routinely employed in its diagnosis. The neurological examination that assesses sensory neuron and motor responses has historically played a role in the differential diagnosis of disc herniation, particularly when radiculopathy is suspected; however, the diagnostic ability of this examination has not been explicitly investigated.PurposeTo review the scientific literature to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the neurological examination to detect lumbar disc herniation with suspected radiculopathy.Study designA systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature.MethodsSix major electronic databases were searched with no date or language restrictions for relevant articles up until March 2011. All diagnostic studies investigating neurological impairments in LBP patients because of lumbar disc herniation were assessed for possible inclusion. Retrieved studies were individually evaluated and assessed for quality using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool, and where appropriate, a meta-analysis was performed.ResultsA total of 14 studies that investigated three standard neurological examination components, sensory, motor, and reflexes, met the study criteria and were included. Eight distinct meta-analyses were performed that compared the findings of the neurological examination with the reference standard results from surgery, radiology (magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and myelography), and radiological findings at specific lumbar levels of disc herniation. Pooled data for sensory testing demonstrated low diagnostic sensitivity for surgically (0.40) and radiologically (0.32) confirmed disc herniation, and identification of a specific level of disc herniation (0.35), with moderate specificity achieved for all the three reference standards (0.59, 0.72, and 0.64, respectively). Motor testing for paresis demonstrated similarly low pooled diagnostic sensitivities (0.22 and 0.40) and moderate specificity values (0.79 and 0.62) for surgically and radiologically determined disc herniation, whereas motor testing for muscle atrophy resulted in a pooled sensitivity of 0.31 and the specificity was 0.76 for surgically determined disc herniation. For reflex testing, the pooled sensitivities for surgically and radiologically confirmed levels of disc herniation were 0.29 and 0.25, whereas the specificity values were 0.78 and 0.75, respectively. The pooled positive likelihood ratios for all neurological examination components ranged between 1.02 and 1.26.ConclusionsThis systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrate that neurological testing procedures have limited overall diagnostic accuracy in detecting disc herniation with suspected radiculopathy. Pooled diagnostic accuracy values of the tests were poor, whereby all tests demonstrated low sensitivity, moderate specificity, and limited diagnostic accuracy independent of the disc herniation reference standard or the specific level of herniation. The lack of a standardized classification criterion for disc herniation, the variable psychometric properties of the testing procedures, and the complex pathoetiology of lumbar disc herniation with radiculopathy are suggested as possible reasons for these findings.     

Artificial nucleus replacement: surgical and clinical experience

Objective: To assess long‐term clinical results of prosthetic disc nucleus (PDN) replacement for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation. Methods: Seventy‐two patients with lumbar disc herniation were implanted with a single PDN device from March 2002 to December 2003. Fifty‐eight (80.6%) patients attended clinical, functional, and radiographic follow‐up examinations for more than 48 months. Independent analysis was performed by careful review of the interviews, operative reports, preoperative and postoperative radiographs, and computed tomography scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results: After implantation, a significant proportion of patients experienced pain relief. Improvements were noted in pain intensity, walking distance, neurological weakness, Oswestry and Prolo scores, intervertebral disc height and lumbar mobility. Intervertebral disc height was not well maintained, compared with the preoperative height it decreased 18% (P < 0.001). Several complications were associated with the implantation of PDN, including transient low‐back pain, implant dislocation, malposition of the implant, damage to the end plates and subsidence of implant. Conclusion: The clinical data show that PDN is preferred and can effectively increase the range of lumbar motion in patients with lumbar disc herniation. However, this study only represents cases in our centre.     

误诊为腰椎间盘突出症的椎管内肿瘤

目的：椎管内肿瘤易与腰椎间盘突出症相混淆,探讨主要探讨其鉴别要点。方法：回顾分析４１６例下腰痛病人,对初诊为腰椎间盘突出症,以后确诊为椎管内肿瘤的共６例的临床症状,体征和图像分析。结果：本组病例误诊率约为１．４４％。所有病例均有不同程度的夜间痛,症状和体征平面与影像检查平面不一致。结论;正确诊断强调病史,体验和影像学检查的三结合,对有怀疑者应给予行胸腰段的ＭＲＩ检查或脊碘造影,以排除椎管内肿瘤。     

老年人腰椎管狭窄合并椎间盘突出的临床分析(附42例报告)

目的：分析老年腰椎管狭窄合并椎间盘突出的原因。诊断和手术治疗的方法及效果。方法：回顾分析我科1993-1998年间收治并手术治疗42例的临床资料。结果：随访36例，时间6个月-4年，平均22个月。优良率86.1%。结论：腰椎及周围组织结构有退变和长期的代偿以及可能的外伤是造成本病的主要原因，腰腿痛，间歇性跛行。肢体感觉障碍是本病的三个典型症状，影像学检查具有明确诊断的作用。保留脊柱后结构的髓核除，椎管扩大减压的手术效果是满意的。     

L5 root compression resulting from an L2-L3 disc herniation

We present the rare case of a patient affected by low back pain and bilateral L5 sciatica from an L2-L3 herniation. Only 2 cases of monoradicular L5 compression in the high lumbar spine have been reported. The initial computed tomography study of the L4-L5 and L5-S1 spaces revealed no significant alterations. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a disc herniation at L2-3. The electrophysiological study confirmed clinical suspicions of L5 root involvement. A bilateral laminotomy with discectomy on both sides of the L2-3 space was performed. Pain disappeared completely after surgery. The patient remains asymptomatic 2 years after the operation.     

Is there a clinical correlate to the histological and radiological evidence of inflammation in trans-ligamentous extruded and sequestered lumbar disc herniaton?

The pain of lumbar disc herniation is related to direct compression of the nerve root and to the foreign-body inflammatory response to the herniated disc material. In this study, we attempted to identify disc-related inflammation in trans-ligamentous extruded and sequestered lumbar disc herniation using gadolinium-DPTA-enhanced T1-weighted and short-time inversion recovery (STIR) magnetic resonance imaging. We assessed how these results related to each other, and to patients' clinical status, and to immunohistochemistry findings in disc specimens removed at surgery. Forty-one patients with trans-ligamentous extruded or sequestered disc herniation were investigated clinically and radiologically. Twenty-five patients who did not respond to initial medical treatment or who had progressive neurological deficits underwent discectomy. Specimens of disc material removed during surgery were studied immunohistochemically and inflammatory cell types were identified. The other 16 patients showed good response to treatment, and were given further medical therapy and monitored for a mean of 6.3 months of follow-up. All radiological diagnoses in the operated cases were confirmed at surgery. There were no significant differences among the rates of detection of inflammation by contrast MRI, STIR technique, and immunohistochemistry in the surgical treated cases. In the medically treated cases, the frequency of radiological evidence of inflammation on the initial contrast enhanced T1-weighted and STIR images was similar to the frequency observed on the most recent scans done during follow-up. The study showed that the radiological and immunohistochemical evidence of inflammation in these cases does not correspond with patients' clinical pain profiles over time. It also revealed that STIR and contrast T1W are equally reliable for detecting inflammation in trans-ligamentous extruded or sequestered lumbar disc herniation. In future, studies that focus on physical and chemical mechanisms of pain in lumbar disc herniation in larger series of conservatively and surgically treated patients may clarify the link between inflammation and radicular pain in these types of disc herniation.     

极外侧型腰椎间盘突出症的诊治分析

目的探讨极外侧型腰椎间盘突出症（FLLDH）的诊治特点和术式选择。方法23例FLLDH患者中,其中椎间孔型14例,椎间孔外型9例。23例患者中腰痛8例（占31％）,下肢痛21例（占91％）,直腿抬高试验10例（43％）,CT或MRI可清楚地显示位于椎间孔或孔外缘突出的椎间盘。分别采用经后正中入路椎板扩大开窗术,椎间孔切开和椎弓根内固定植骨融合术,或经肌间隙入路髓核摘除术。疗效按Macnab标准评估。结果22例患者经平均3．6年随访,优15例,良4例,可3例,无差,优良率达86％。在可的3例中,其中1例为经旁正中入路手术,另2例为椎间孔型FLLDH,周缘钙化。结论症状和体征表现常以较高神经节段受损为主,下肢痛是主要症状,CT或MRI是诊断的主要依据。对椎间孔型FLLDH可采用椎板间扩大开窗术;对椎间孔外型FLLDH则需行经椎间孔切开术并辅以经椎弓根内固定植骨融合,亦可采用经肌间隙入路髓核摘除术。     

42例腰椎融合术后难治性下腰痛的治疗体会

目的探讨腰椎融合术后骶髂关节病变的特点及治疗方法与疗效。方法回顾性分析42例因腰椎退变性滑脱、腰椎椎间盘突出、腰椎椎管狭窄曾行后路减压、后外侧或椎体间植骨融合及椎弓根内固定术,术后随访12～72个月(平均42.6个月)出现新的难治性持续性下腰痛症状的病例。本研究运用骶髂关节内封闭进行诊断性治疗。阳性标准:疼痛缓解≥75%,采用疼痛视觉模拟量表(visual analogue scale,VAS)进行定量分析。结果阳性12例(28.57%),是否融合L5/S1、术后疼痛缓解期是否≥3个月与诊断阳性率相关,有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论腰椎融合术后下腰痛部分可能是由骶髂关节病变引起的,L5/S1融合可能促进骶髂关节发生退变。症状以下腰痛症状为主者,手术应慎重。     

以脊柱侧凸为首发症状的青少年不典型腰椎间盘突出症诊治分析

目的 回顾性分析以脊柱侧凸为首诊的青少年不典型腰椎间盘突出症的临床特征及治疗策略.方法 自1998至2007年,共收治以脊柱侧凸为首诊的青少年腰椎间盘突出症患者19例,其中男性10例,女性9例,年龄14～20岁.腰椎间盘突出部位为L4,5> 10例,L5>S1>7例,L4>～S1>2例.脊柱侧凸Cobb角23°～38°,C7>铅垂线到骶骨正中线的距离平均4.7 cm.本组患者均行经后路椎板开窗髓核摘除术,术后骨盆带牵引3周.3周后摄片复查,如脊柱侧凸消失或好转,则逐步恢复日常生活;如侧凸改善不明显,即行牵引下矫形石膏外制动1个月.结果 14例(73.7%)患者的腰椎间盘突出位于腰弯凸侧,5例(26.3%)患者的椎间盘突出位于腰弯凹侧,腰弯方向与腰椎间盘突出侧别之间具有边缘相关性(P=0.07).本组患者术后下肢麻木不适感或放射性疼痛均消失.术后3周摄全脊柱X线片复查,脊柱侧凸Cobb角平均14°,C7>铅垂线到骶骨正中线的距离平均2.2 cm.平均随访21个月,患者均恢复正常学习和生活.无腰痛,无下肢疼痛、麻木等症状复发,脊柱侧凸的自发性纠正均无明显丢失.结论 以脊柱侧凸为首诊的青少年腰椎间盘突出症缺少成人腰椎间盘突出症的典型临床特征,易被误诊.早期诊断、及时正确处理,临床疗效满意.     

极外侧型腰椎间盘突出症15例报告

目的 探讨极外侧型腰椎间盘突出症的临床和CT特征,提高该病的诊断率。方法 对15例经手术证实的患者临床和CT影像进行回顾性分析。结果 腰4／5间隙多发,椎间孔和椎间孔外联合突出多见,临床上常可见单侧两节神经根受损的表现。结论 临床与CT相结合是诊断极外侧型腰椎间盘突出症的关键。