The Prostaglandin E2 Receptor, EP2, Is Upregulated in the Dorsal Root Ganglion After Painful Cervical Facet Joint Injury in the Rat

Object. Although facet joints have been implicated in the whiplash injury mechanism, no investigators have determined the degree to which joint motions in whiplash are nonphysiological. The purpose of this investigation was to quantify the correlation between facet joint and segmental motions under physiological and whiplash loading. Methods. Human cadaveric cervical spine specimens were exercise tested under physiological extension loading, and intact human head-neck complexes were exercise tested under whiplash loading to correlate the localized component motions of the C4–5 facet joint with segmental extension. Facet joint shear and distraction kinematics demonstrated a linear correlation with segmental extension under both loading modes. Facet joints responded differently to whiplash and physiological loading, with significantly increased kinematics for the same-segmental angulation. The limitations of this study include removal of superficial musculature and the limited sample size for physiological testing. Conclusions. The presence of increased facet joint motions indicated that synovial joint soft-tissue components (that is, synovial membrane and capsular ligament) sustain increased distortion that may subject these tissues to a greater likelihood of injury. This finding is supported by clinical investigations in which lower cervical facet joint injury resulted in similar pain patterns due to the most commonly reported whiplash symptoms.

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Painful Cervical Facet Joint Injury Is Accompanied by Changes in the Number of Excitatory and Inhibitory Synapses in the Superficial Dorsal Horn That Differentially Relate to Local Tissue Injury Severity

Spine ◽

10.1097/brs.0000000000001934 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 42 (12) ◽

pp. E695-E701 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Meagan E. Ita ◽

Nathan D. Crosby ◽

Ben A. Bulka ◽

Beth A. Winkelstein

Keyword(s):

Dorsal Horn ◽

Injury Severity ◽

Facet Joint ◽

Tissue Injury ◽

Inhibitory Synapses ◽

Superficial Dorsal Horn ◽

Joint Injury ◽

Local Tissue ◽

Cervical Facet ◽

Cervical Facet Joint

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Ultrasound versus fluoroscopy-guided cervical medial branch block for the treatment of chronic cervical facet joint pain: a retrospective comparative study

Skeletal Radiology ◽

10.1007/s00256-016-2516-2 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

pp. 81-91 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ki Deok Park ◽

Dong-Ju Lim ◽

Woo Yong Lee ◽

JaeKi Ahn ◽

Yongbum Park

Keyword(s):

Comparative Study ◽

Joint Pain ◽

Facet Joint ◽

Medial Branch ◽

Medial Branch Block ◽

Facet Joint Pain ◽

Retrospective Comparative Study ◽

Cervical Facet ◽

Cervical Facet Joint

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Upper Cervical Facet Joint and Spinal Rami Blocks for the Treatment of Cervicogenic Headache

Headache The Journal of Head and Face Pain ◽

10.1111/j.1526-4610.2010.01623.x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 50 (4) ◽

pp. 657-663 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Linqiu Zhou ◽

Zarinah Hud-Shakoor ◽

Christopher Hennessey ◽

Avi Ashkenazi

Keyword(s):

Facet Joint ◽

Cervicogenic Headache ◽

Upper Cervical ◽

Cervical Facet ◽

Cervical Facet Joint

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Surgical treatment of traumatic cervical facet dislocation: anterior, posterior or combined approaches?

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria ◽

10.1590/0004-282x20160078 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 74 (9) ◽

pp. 745-749 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Catarina C. Lins ◽

Diego T. Prado ◽

Andrei F. Joaquim

Keyword(s):

Surgical Treatment ◽

Facet Joint ◽

Direct Reduction ◽

Point Of View ◽

Facet Joints ◽

Spine Trauma ◽

Joint Dislocations ◽

Cervical Facet ◽

Cervical Facet Joint ◽

Anterior Posterior

ABSTRACT Surgical treatment is well accepted for patients with traumatic cervical facet joint dislocations (CFD), but there is uncertainty over which approach is better: anterior, posterior or combined. We performed a systematic literature review to evaluate the indications for anterior and posterior approaches in the management of CFD. Anterior approaches can restore cervical lordosis, and cause less postoperative pain and less wound problems. Posterior approaches are useful for direct reduction of locked facet joints and provide stronger fixation from a biomechanical point of view. Combined approaches can be used in more complex cases. Although both anterior and posterior approaches can be used interchangeably, there are some patients who may benefit from one of them over the other, as discussed in this review. Surgeons who treat cervical spine trauma should be able to perform both procedures as well as combined approaches to adequately manage CFD and improve patients’ final outcomes.

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