Management problems in cases with a combination of asymptomatic occult intrasacral meningocele and disc prolapse

Summary Report of two cases who suffered from lumbo-ischialgia and had as well a disc prolapse as an intrasacral meningocele. The actual clinical symptoms seemed to be caused by the disc prolapse and not by the meningocele, which was considered to be asymptomatic. Therefore only operative treatment of the protruded disc was undertaken. The post-operative course confirmed that this decision was correct.Questions of classification and clinical symptoms of intrasacral meningoceles are shortly discusses.     

Caudal epidural injection for L4-5 versus L5-S1 disc prolapse: is there any difference in the outcome?

One hundred seventy-seven patients with radicular pain due to disc prolapse treated with caudal epidural injection were included in our study. All the injections were carried out between January 2000 and December 2004. Inclusion criteria include symptomatic disc prolapse diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging scan, disc prolapse of 1 level only either L4-5 or L5-S1, leg pain for more than 4 wk and age more than 18. Exclusion criteria include multiple disc levels, spondylolithesis, spinal stenosis, cauda equina, and progressive neurologic deficits. Outcome Measures include Oswestry score and patient satisfaction and final outcome patient satisfaction either excellent (complete pain relief), good (minimal symptoms), moderate (some symptoms), no relief (symptoms unchanged), and worse (symptoms deteriorated). The final outcome is excellent (more than 6 mo pain relief), very good (3 to 6 mo pain relief), good (6 wk to 3 mo pain relief), fair (4 to 6 wk pain relief), brief (less than 4 wk pain relief), and no relief postal questionnaire sent and telephone interview done with the nonresponders. Ninety-six answered the postal questionnaire and this number increased to 136 after telephone interview. Forty-nine percent females and 51% males. Eighty-nine with L5-S1 disc prolapse and 47 with L4-5 disc prolapse. Caudal epidural not only relieve leg pain but also relieve back pain. There is no significant difference in the Oswestry disability index nor in the patient satisfaction nor the final outcome after caudal epidural injections for patients with disc prolapse L5-S1 and L4-5 ones. The number of patients who required surgery were much less than the literature figures 3.05%. There is no significant difference in the response after caudal epidural injection considering the sex only. The longest the back pain before injection is associated with the worst Oswestry disability index.     

Do bacteria play an important role in the pathogenesis of low back pain?

Considerable interest has been generated recently regarding an alternative hypothesis for the pathogenesis of low back pain and radiculopathy in the presence of intervertebral disc prolapse. Traditionally, back pain and radicular (sciatic) symptoms have been attributed to mechanical compression of neural tissue by herniated disc material and to inflammation caused by exposure of the nerve roots to disc tissue. Recent research however has suggested that low‐grade infection within the intervertebral disc by anaerobic bacteria may be responsible. The development of Modic changes in the corresponding adjacent vertebral endplates has also been suggested as an indicator of infection. This article is a thorough review of the current literature regarding the hypothesis that low‐grade anaerobic bacterial infection may be the cause of disabling low back pain and radiculopathy.     

Symptoms associated with lysis of the pars interarticularis

Comparisons were made between the symptoms of 131 patients with lysis of the pars interarticularis and 2229 patients without lysis, attending a first referral back pain clinic. The canal diameter measured by ultrasound was compared in the two groups, and the slip ratio measured for those with olisthesis. There were significantly fewer patients who had symptoms associated with disc prolapse and lysis of the pars. It is suggested that an enlarged central spinal canal may protect the patient with a pars defect from disabling root problems in the presence of a disc lesion. The most common symptom in those attending with lytic defects was pain in the back and/or referred pain, occurring with nearly twice the frequency for other attenders at the clinic. The incidence of lysis (5.6%) in patients attending the clinic was probably no greater than its incidence in the general population.     

人工髓核置换术治疗腰椎问盘突出症的近期临床疗效观察

目的探讨人工髓核置换术治疗腰椎间盘突出症的近期临床应用效果。方法自2004年3月~2004年5月,笔者采用人工髓核置换术治疗腰椎间盘突出症25例,23例经标准后侧入路单枚PDN植入,1例经横突间入路单枚PDN植入,1例经腹膜后入路单枚PDN植入。术后随访6~18个月。结果1例术后1周出现剧烈腰痛,摄片示PDN位置好,给予卧床、镇痛、脱水治疗后缓解;1例术后4周出现腰腿痛,摄片示PDN部分移位于椎管,二次手术取出PDN行融合术后症状缓解;1例术后1个月PDN部分塌陷入椎体内,偶有腰痛,对症治疗,症状缓解。X线片复查手术后椎间隙高度平均增加3.34mm。腰椎各方活动基本正常,根据Oswestry下腰痛和功能不利评分,临床成功率84%,无感染等并发症。结论人工髓核置换术治疗腰椎间盘突出症在改善症状的同时能够增加椎间高度,保留腰椎的正常运动功能,为腰椎间盘突出症的手术治疗提供了一种新方法。     

Discitis and isthmic spondylolisthesis: a case report

Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis are common causes of low back pain in children and adolescents. Disc space infection is less common, but is another cause of severe back pain in this population. The combination of both processes in the same segment is rare. This case report is of a 13-year-old patient with isthmic lumbosacral spondylolisthesis and disc space infection at the same level. A patient who presented with severe low back pain and a radiological picture of isthmic slip with end plate irregularities and anterior bridging osteophyte was diagnosed with disc space infection at the slip level. He was managed with intravenous antibiotics for 6 weeks, followed by oral medication for an additional 2 weeks. At follow-up 28 weeks later, a spontaneous radiological fusion at the slip level was noted with complete relief of his symptoms. The patient was able to resume sports activities. In conclusion, isthmic spondylolisthesis and disc space height infection might coexist. Nonoperative treatment will usually result in spontaneous fusion and the complete relief of symptoms.     

Spontaneous resolution of lumbar pseudomeningocoele

STUDY DESIGN: A case report of spontaneous resolution of a lumbar postdiscectomy pseudomeningocoele. OBJECTIVES: To suggest the role of nonoperative treatment even in symptomatic pseudomeningocoeles. SETTING: Withybush General Hospital, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, South Wales, UK. CASE REPORT: A 65-year-old lady underwent L4/L5 discectomy for lumbar disc prolapse in 1998. As the patient did not have relief of symptoms, an MRI was taken at 1 month following the operation, which showed a residual disc at L4/L5 and a pseudomeningocoele communicating with the subarachnoid space. The patient could not undergo further treatment because of the untimely demise of the surgeon. Over the next 3 months, the symptoms began to improve and the patient was totally asymptomatic and remained so for 3 years. In 2001, she was seen for a recurring leg pain and back pain and an MRI was done, which showed complete disappearance of the pseudomeningocoele but with recurrent disc lesion. CONCLUSION: Although the current medical literature favours re-exploration and repair of the dural defect in symptomatic pseudomeningocoele, the authors are of the opinion that conservative treatment may have a role in the treatment of the above condition as illustrated by the above example.     

Magnetic resonance assessment of the distribution of lumbar spine disc degenerative changes

The lumbar spine magnetic resonance (MR) studies in 246 consecutive patients who suffered from persistent back and leg pain were evaluated for the degree of degenerative disc disease and the presence of disc bulging, prolapse, or herniation. No patient had a history of previous back surgery. In those patients, degenerative disc changes increased with age until the fifth decade of life, after which a relatively similar proportion of patients had degenerative disc disease. Significant dehydration and degeneration occurred in less than 5% of the upper two disc spaces while L4/5 and L5/S1 had marked changes in greater than 20%. Prolapse and herniation progressively increased with each lower interspace, where at L5/S1 it was present in nearly one-third of the patients. Although a few patients had disc prolapse or herniation with a nondegenerated disc, there was a relationship between the presence of disc degeneration and prolapse or herniation.     

Correlation between clinical features and magnetic resonance imaging findings in lumbar disc prolapse

Background:

Lumbar disc prolapse is one of the common causes of low back pain seen in the working population. There are contradictorty reports regarding the clinical significance of various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings observed in these patients. The study was conducted to correlate the abnormalities observed on MRI and clinical features of lumbar disc prolapse.

Materials and Methods:

119 clinically diagnosed patients with lumbar disc prolapse were included in the study. Clinical evaluation included pain distribution, neurological symptoms and signs. MR evaluation included grades of disc degeneration, type of herniation, neural foramen compromise, nerve root compression, and miscellaneous findings. These MRI findings were tested for inter- and intraobserver variability. The MRI findings were then correlated with clinical symptoms and the level of disc prolapse as well as neurological signs and symptoms. Statistical analysis included the Kappa coefficient, Odd’s ratio, and logistic regression analysis.

Results:

There were no significant inter- or intraobserver variations for most of MRI findings (Kappa value more than 0.5) except for type of disc herniation which showed a interobserver variation of 0.46 (Kappa value). The clinical level of pain distribution correlated well with the MRI level (Kappa 0.8), but not all disc bulges produced symptoms. Central bulges and disc protrusions with thecal sac compression were mostly asymptomatic, while centrolateral protrusions and extrusions with neural foramen compromise correlated well with the dermatomal distribution of pain. Root compression observed in MRI did not produce neurological symptoms or deficits in all patients but when deficits were present, they correlated well with the presence of root compression in MRI. Multiple level disc herniations with foramen compromise were strongly associated with the presence of neurological signs.

Conclusions:

The presence of centrolateral protrusion or extrusion with gross foramen compromise correlates with clinical signs and symptoms very well, while central bulges and disc protrusions correlate poorly with clinical signs and symptoms. The presence of neural foramen compromise is more important in determining the clinical signs and symptoms while type of disc herniation (bulge, protrusion, or extrusion) correlates poorly with clinical signs and symptoms.     

Occult, bilateral anterior sacral and intrasacral meningeal and perineurial cysts: case report and review of the literature

None of the more than 180 cases of anterior sacral meningocele reported in the past 150 years has been bilateral, and only two have been associated with occult intrasacral meningocele. We report a unique case of bilateral anterior sacral cysts, communicating with the subarachnoid space, associated with occult intrasacral meningeal and perineurial (Tarlov's) cysts, in an asymptomatic woman. The pertinent clinical and diagnostic imaging literature is reviewed.     

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.     

Sacral perineural cyst--report of a case

The presence of cysts within the sacral spinal canal, so-called sacral cysts, is described in literature. These include 'sacral perineural cyst', 'sacral extradural cyst', 'occult intrasacral meningocele' and 'anterior sacral meningocele'. Sacral perineural cyst in these cystic disorders was first described as an incidental autopsy finding by Tarlov in 1938. Since then, several reports have been made describing the sign and symptom, neurological findings, roentgenographic diagnosis and cause and origin of the sacral perineural cysts, although many problems are not yet solved satisfactorily. This cyst occurs on the extradural components of sacral or coccygeal nerve roots. Although most are asymptomatic, these occasionally cause low back pain, sciatic and sacrococcygeal pain, sensory and motor disturbance in the lower extremities, and urinary dysfunction, which symptoms are similar to those brought on by lumbar disc herniation. In 1948, Tarlov reported a case of sciatic pain due to a perineural cyst, the removal of which relieved the symptoms. Symptoms occur because adjacent nerve roots are impinged upon by the thin-walled, fluid-filled cysts, which are formed in a space between the endoneurium and the perineurium. Microscopically, the cyst walls consist of peripheral nerve fibers or ganglionic cells covered with meningeal epithelium. Communication of the cyst with subarachnoid cerebrospinal fluid may be poor, but myelogram and CT myelogram demonstrate the cysts filling with contrast media. With the advent of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), imaging of the sacral perineural cysts has improved. Recently we had the opportunity to evaluate a patient in whom perineural cysts had caused considerable erosion of the sacrum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Intervertebral disc a source of pain? Low back pain: problems and future directions--case reports

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to provide evidence supporting the idea that intervertebral disc is a source of low back pain. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Diagnostic tests currently available for diagnosis of a painful disc are inadequate. Treatment protocols for low back pain generally ignore the presence of a painful disc. Pathological processes that may be responsible for discogenic pain are incompletely understood. Without diagnosis and treatment, disc disruption evolves to advanced stages of spinal dysfunction. New treatment modalities are becoming available which if applied early may stop disc disruption. CASE REPORTS: We describe here two case reports where discogenic nature of patients' symptoms was suspected based on patients' history, MRI findings and discography. We highlight the inadequacies of spinal imaging and discography in detecting at painful disc. A treatment (Intradiscal electrothermal therapy) was then directed exclusively to the intervertebral discs. We provide arguments that link discal therapy to resolution of patients' symptoms. Resolution of patients' symptoms after the discal treatment raised our suspicion that pain emanated from the intervertebral discs. CONCLUSIONS: Intervertebral disc is a source of low back pain that is often ignored. No diagnostic test currently exists that can reliably confirm presence of a painful disc. Early diagnosis and treatment of a painful disc may reduce enormous pain and suffering from low back pain.     

Conservative management of a 31 year old male with left sided low back and leg pain: a case report

Objective:

This case study reported the conservative management of a patient presenting with left sided low back and leg pain diagnosed as a left sided L5-S1 disc prolapse/herniation.

Clinical features:

A 31-year-old male recreational worker presented with left sided low back and leg pain for the previous 3–4 months that was exacerbated by prolonged sitting.

Intervention and Outcome:

The plan of management included interferential current, soft tissue trigger point and myofascial therapy, lateral recumbent manual low velocity, low amplitude traction mobilizations and pelvic blocking as necessary. Home care included heat, icing, neural mobilizations, repeated extension exercises, stretching, core muscle strengthening, as well as the avoidance of prolonged sitting and using a low back support in his work chair. The patient responded well after the first visit and his leg and back pain were almost completely resolved by the third visit.

Summary:

Conservative chiropractic care appears to reduce pain and improve mobility in this case of a L5-S1 disc herniation. Active rehabilitative treatment strategies are recommended before surgical referral.     

Cauda equina compression post lumbar discography

Discography is used as an aid in the diagnosis of back pain related to intervertebral disc pathology. It involves attempting to elicit the patient's pain symptoms by injecting contrast into the suspected pathological disc. The overall complication rate of discography is low, with discitis being the most common complication and acute disc herniation post lumbar discography being reported in a small number of cases. We describe the case of a patient who developed cauda equina compression post lumbar discography.     

Lumbar diskectomy without or with spondylodesis? Revival of an old dilemma

Indications for spine fusion in combination with removal of a lumbar intervertebral disc are not as well defined or as widely accepted. Extreme opinions have been expressed on both side of this issue, but it seems unreasonable that every segment should be fused after removal of a disc or that none should be. The indication for fusion or for no fusion is often based on the specialist to whom the patient is referred. Orthopedists perform often fusion, neurosurgeons rarely. The problem is not the superiority of combined operation or simple disc excision, but the right indication for one or other procedure. It is clear that for the patient with acute disc displacement with leg-pain as the predominant symptom, simple laminectomy and disc excision will yield good results in most cases. Basically the are two indications for combined operation: the first of this is a strong history of instability troubles prior to the disc prolapse; second indication is the bilateral hemilaminectomy and discectomy, which can lead the spine quite instable. Indication for secondary spinal fusion are: 1) the presence after disc excision of complain of pain in the back with relatively little sciatic radiation, sometimes as intermittent claudication; 2) the overproduction of scar tissue is seen very often in instable segment after disc excision and partial or complete facetectomy. Decompression of the nerve root and fusion may result in a great benefit. Finally we recall the possibility to perform simple fusion in flexion without excision of the disc and without laminectomy in cases with median protrusion of the disc, seen in CT in patients with chronic low back pain and inconstant radicular pain radiation. We describe our own technic of combined operation.     

Intrasacral meningocele. Case report and review of the literature

We have presented a case of a 28-year-old woman with an intrasacral meningocele. Diagnosis of this case was aided by the use of MRI. The literature regarding this problem has been reviewed.     

人工髓核置换术治疗腰椎间盘突出症的临床初步报告

目的 介绍人工髓核置换术治疗腰椎间盘突出症的手术方法并评价其近期临床疗效。方法 自2002年3～4月采用人工髓核置换术治疗腰椎间盘突出症患者9例，男6例，女3例；年龄22～48岁，平均33.4岁；病史8个月～3．6年，平均18.4个月。均为单间隙病变，以单纯腰痛为主者2例，腰痛伴一侧下肢放射痛或双侧下肢放射痛以一侧为主者7例。手术节段为L4.5 6例，LsS1 3例；后侧入路8例，经腹膜后侧前方入路1例。随访12～13个月．平均12.3个月。根据症状改善情况和影像学资料评价手术效果。结果 手术时间45～120min，平均60min；术中出血50～150ml，平均120ml。术后4～5d戴腰围下地活动，术后6周去腰围恢复正常活动。根据Oswestry下腰痛和功能不利评分,临床成功率88.9％；复查X线片示术后和术前椎间隙高度百分比为128％。1例患者术后腰痛缓解不明显，第4d出现健侧下肢放射痛，经卧床、脱水治疗后缓解。2例随访时摄正侧位X线片示植入物轻度移位，未见腰椎生理弧度异常改变．腰椎活动度正常。未见植入髓核脱出、感染等并发症。结论 人工髓核置换术在改善症状的同时能够增加椎间高度，维持腰椎的正常运动功能，近期临床疗效满意。     

Conservative care of low back pain with emphasis on isokinetic exercise

Twenty patients with complaints of low back pain were treated using a sports medicine approach to rehabilitation with isokinetic back exercises for therapy and testing. Nineteen of the 20 patients were returned to regular work, and the remaining patient was able to resume light work. Physical therapy averaged 5.4 weeks in patients without a disc problem. As extensor strength increased in concurrent testing, pain symptoms decreased. A suggestion of an end point to physical therapy was noted, i.e., no further increase in extensor strength on concurrent testing.