scholarly journals Is the History of a Surgical Discectomy Related to the Source of Chronic Low Back Pain?

2012 ◽  
Vol 1;15 (1;1) ◽  
pp. E53-E58
Author(s):  
Michael J. DePalma

Background: Recurrent or persistent low back pain (LBP) after surgical discectomy (SD) for intervertebral disc herniation has been well documented. The source of low back pain in these patients has not been examined. Objective: To compare the distribution of the source of chronic LBP between patients with and without a history of SD. Study Design: Retrospective chart review. Setting: Academic spine center. Patients: Charts from 358 consecutive patients were reviewed. Charts noting the absence/ presence of SD in patients who subsequently underwent diagnostic injections to determine the source of chronic LBP were included resulting in 158 unique cases for analysis. Methods: Patients underwent either dual diagnostic facet joint blocks, intra-articular diagnostic sacroiliac joint injections, provocation lumbar discography, or anesthetic injection into putatively painful interspinous ligaments/opposing spinous processes/posterior fusion hardware. If the initial diagnostic procedure was negative, the next most likely structure in the diagnostic algorithm was interrogated. Subsequent diagnostic procedures were not performed after the source of chronic LBP was identified. Outcome: The source of chronic LBP was diagnosed as discogenic pain (DP), facet joint pain (FJP), sacroiliac joint pain (SIJP), or other sources of chronic LBP. Results: Based on a Fisher’s exact test, there was marginal evidence the distribution of the source of chronic LBP differed for those with and without a history of SD (P = 0.080). Posthoc comparisons suggested that patients with a history of SD have a higher probability of DP compared to those without a history of SD (82% versus 41%; P = 0.011). Differences in the probability of FJP, SIJP, or other sources between the SD history groups were not significant. Limitations: Small sample size, restrospective design, and possible false-positive results. Conclusions: This is the first published investigation of the tissue source of chronic LBP after SD. It appears that DP is the most common reason for chronic LBP after SD. If more rigorous study confirms our findings, future biologic treatments may hold value in repairing symptomatic annular fissures after SD. Key words: surgical discectomy, chornic low back pain, discogenic pain, facet joint, sacroiliac joint, low back pain, diagnostic injections, medial branch block, lumbar provcation discography

2021 ◽  
pp. E521-E528

BACKGROUND: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is an extremely prevalent disease, whose etiology is often multifactorial. Facet joint arthropathy is one of the most common causes of CLBP. Facet joints are innervated by the medial branches of the primary and adjacent level dorsal rami and are, therefore, key potential targets for the symptomatic management of CLBP. A lumbar medial branch nerve block (MBB) procedure is often used to assist in the diagnosis of facet mediated CLBP. For unclear reasons, some patients experience protracted relief of CLBP after diagnostic MBBs alone. OBJECTIVE: To describe the phenomenon of protracted relief of CLBP after diagnostic MBBs and search for predictors of this response. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent MBB procedures by a single practitioner, over a 2 year period, was conducted. SETTING: All patients were seen at the Montefiore Multidisciplinary Pain Program, Bronx, NY. METHODS: Data from follow up visits was used to categorize patient’s response to MBBs as having no relief (NR), transient relief (TR) or protracted relief (PR). Patient demographics and characteristics were collected, and a multivariate analysis investigating associations with PR was conducted. RESULTS: 146 patients met inclusion criteria. 41 patients (28%) had NR, 54 (37%) had TR, and 51 (35%) had PR. CLBP symptom duration of < 6 months (P = 0.013) and unilateral back pain symptoms (P = 0.0253) were significantly associated with PR after MBB. LIMITATION: This is a retrospective study with a relatively small sample size conducted on patients belonging to a single practitioner. Outcomes were based largely on subjective patient satisfaction scores. CONCLUSIONS: In select patients, MBB may produce protracted relief of CLBP symptoms. The authors present distinct hypotheses which may help explain the therapeutic effects of diagnostic MBB procedures. KEY WORDS: Chronic low back pain, facet joint, medial branch nerve block


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (22;6) ◽  
pp. E615-E625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels Hammer

Background: The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) is a common source of low back pain. SIJ pain has shown to have negative impact on patients’ quality of life. Although clinically there is an increasing interest to treat SIJ-related pain both conservatively and surgically, the underlying mechanisms related to pathology in that region are poorly understood. One hypothesis is that the SIJ ligaments are structurally altered in SIJ pain. Objectives: The given study investigated patient cases with different pain durations undergoing posterior distraction arthrodesis of the SIJ, with subsequent micro- and ultrastructural assessment of the interosseous and posterior SIJ ligaments compared with autopsy controls without known history of low back pain. Study Design: Case–control study. Morphologic-pathological analysis of tissue samples obtained during surgery with controls from legal medicine. Setting: Rural hospital setting in Halberstadt, Germany. Methods: SIJ ligaments were removed from 6 patients undergoing SIJ arthrodesis for histological and ultrastructural assessment in scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and compared with 6 controls without known history of SIJ pathology. Results: A number of alterations were observed in the ligaments of patients with SIJ, namely ligament disruption, collagen loosening and coiling, vascularization, and hemorrhage. In some areas, these changes were observed in proximity to healthy (structurally unaltered and intact tissues), indicative of a potential disease progression. Comparison to controls yielded a significant correlation between SIJ pathology and the level of collagen degeneration (φ ≥ 0.82; P < 0.001). Limitations: Small sample size, method of tissue removal from patients may have influenced tissue integrity. Conclusions: The combined clinical, histological, and ultrastructural analysis provided, to our knowledge, first-time evidence of morphologic SIJ ligament alteration of a nontraumatic and noninflammatory cause. Further research is necessary to elucidate these structural changes and to substantiate pain duration and patient-history-dependent changes at the ligaments of the posterior pelvis


2012 ◽  
Vol 2;15 (2;3) ◽  
pp. 171-178
Author(s):  
Michael J. DePalma

Background: Discogenic, facet joint, and sacroiliac joint mediated axial low back pain may be associated with overlapping pain referral patterns into the lower limb. Differences between pain referral patterns for these three structures have not been systematically investigated. Objective: To examine the individual and combined relationship of age, hip/girdle pain, leg pain, and thigh pain and the source of internal disc disruption (IDD), facet joint pain (FJP), or sacroiliac joint pain (SIJP) in consecutive chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients. Design: Retrospective chart review. Setting: Community based interventional spine practice. Patients: 378 cases from 358 consecutive patients were reviewed and 157 independent cases from 153 patients who underwent definitive diagnostic injections were analyzed. Methods: Charts of consecutive low back pain patients who underwent definitive diagnostic spinal procedures were retrospectively reviewed. Patients underwent provocation lumbar discography, dual diagnostic medial branch blocks, or intra-articular diagnostic sacroiliac joint injections based on clinical presentation. Some subjects underwent multiple diagnostic injections until the source of their chronic low back pain (CLBP) was identified. Main Outcome Measurements: Based on the results of diagnostic injections, subjects were classified as having IDD, FJP, SIJP, or other. The mean age/standard deviation and the count/percentage of patients reporting hip girdle pain, leg pain, or thigh pain were estimated for each diagnostic group and compared statistically among the IDD, FJP, SIJP, and other source groups. Next, the 4 predictor variables were simultaneously modeled with a single multinomial logistic regression model to explore the adjusted relationship between the predictors and the source of CLBP. Results: The mean age was significantly different among the source groups. IDD cases were significantly younger than FJP, SIJP, and other source groups and FJP cases were significantly younger than other sources. The age by thigh pain interaction effect was statistically significant (P = 0.021), indicating that the effect of age on the source of CLBP depends on thigh pain, and similarly, that the effect of thigh pain on the source of CLBP depends on age. Limitations: Retrospective study design. Conclusions: The presence or absence of thigh pain possesses a significant correlation on the source of CLBP for varying ages, whereas the presence of hip/girdle pain or leg pain did not significantly discriminate among IDD, FJP, or SIJP as the etiology of CLBP. Younger age was predictive of IDD regardless of the presence or absence of thigh pain. Key words: low back pain, intervertebral disc, zygapophyseal joint, sacroiliac joint, pain referral patterns


2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 207-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Chakraverty ◽  
Richard Dias

The work of a chronic back pain service in secondary care in the West Midlands is reported. The service offers acupuncture, spinal injection procedures, osteopathy and a range of other interventions for patients whose back pain has not responded to conservative management. This section of the report focuses on injection procedures for lumbar facet joint and sacroiliac joint pain, which have been shown to be the cause of chronic low back pain in 16–40% and 13–19% of patients respectively. Diagnosis relies on the use of intra-articular or sensory nerve block injections with local anaesthetic. Possible treatments following diagnosis include intra-articular corticosteroid, radiofrequency denervation (for facet joint pain) or ligament prolotherapy injections (for sacroiliac joint pain). The results of several hospital audits are reported. At six month follow up, 50% of 38 patients undergoing radiofrequency denervation following diagnostic blocks for facet joint pain had improved by more than 50%, compared to 29% of 34 patients treated with intra-articular corticosteroid injection. Sixty three per cent of 19 patients undergoing prolotherapy following diagnostic block injection for sacroiliac joint pain had improved at six months, compared to 33% of 33 who had intra-articular corticosteroid. Both radiofrequency denervation and sacroiliac prolotherapy showed good long-term outcomes at one year.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikram B Patel

Lumbar or lower back pain is a very debilitating condition that affects  almost one fifth of the adult population during a given year. Almost everyone walking on two feet is bound to suffer from some back pain during their lifetime. The health care burden for treating low back pain is enormous, especially if the lost work hours are combined with the amount used in diagnosing and treating low back pain. Lumbar facet (zygapophysial) joints are one of the major components involved in causing lower back pain. Diagnosing the pain generator is more of an art than a science. Combining various parameters in the patient’s history, physical examination, and diagnostic studies is not much different from solving a murder mystery. Although facet joint pain may be accompanied by other pain generators, that is, lumbar intervertebral disks, nerve roots, and vertebral bodies, once treated, the relief in pain is more helpful in performing proper rehabilitation and improving further deterioration in low back pain. Muscles are almost always painful due to myofascial pain syndrome that accompanies the facet joint–related pain. Treating one without addressing the other leads to failure in management and optimization of patient’s pain and function. Several treatments are available for treatment of facet joint–mediated pain, including steroid injections using a miniscule amount and radiofrequency ablation of the nerves supplying the facet joints (medial branches of the dorsal primary ramus of the lumbar nerve root). With proper diagnosis and treatment, a patient’s pain and function can be optimized to a level where it may not impact the day-to-day activities or even resumption of the patient’s routine job function. The following review describes the anatomy, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of lumbar facet joint–mediated pain.   Key words: facet joint pain, facet joint syndrome, low back pain, medial branch radiofrequency, spondylolisthesis


2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Kozera ◽  
Bogdan Ciszek ◽  
Paweł Szaro

Posterior branches of the lumbar spinal nerves are the anatomic substrate of pain in the lower back, sacrum and the gluteal area. Such pain may be associated with various pathologies which cause pain in the posterior branches of the lumbar spinal nerves due to entrapment, mechanical irritation or inflammatory reaction and/or degeneration. The posterior branches are of significant functional importance, which is related to the function of the structures they supply, including facet joints, which are the basic biomechanical units of the spine. Low back pain caused by facet joint pathology may be triggered e.g. by simple activities, such as body rotations, unnatural positions, lifting heavy weights or excessive bending as well as chronic overloading with spinal hyperextension. Pain usually presents at the level of the lumbosacral junction (L 5 -S 1 ) and in the lower lumbar spine (L 4-5 , L 3-4 ). In the absence of specific diagnostic criteria, it is only possible to conclude that patients display tenderness at the level of the affected facet joint and that the pain is triggered by extension. Differential diagnosis for low back pain is difficult, since the pain may originate from various structures. The most reliable method of identifying Lumbar Facet Syndrome has been found to be a positive response to an analgesic procedure in the form of a block of the medial branch or intraarticular injection. There appear to be good grounds for conducting further studies and developing unequivocal diagnostic tests.


2007 ◽  
Vol 88 (4) ◽  
pp. 449-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laxmaiah Manchikanti ◽  
Rajeev Manchukonda ◽  
Vidyasagar Pampati ◽  
Kim S. Damron ◽  
Carla D. McManus

2007 ◽  
Vol 1;10 (1;1) ◽  
pp. 213-228
Author(s):  
Nalini Sehgal

Background: A 2-year review of literature from October 2004 to December 2006 was completed to update current scientific evidence on diagnostic utility of facet joint injections. Diagnostic injections are employed to diagnose facet joint pain because available techniques cannot identify the pain generating structure in patients with chronic spinal pain. There is no physical examination technique, laboratory test, or imaging modality that can precisely identify the spinal structure causing pain, distinguish the culprit from a variety of potential targets, and predict response to a therapeutic intervention. Zygapophysial joint injections, commonly called facet injections (intra-articular joint injections and medial branch blocks) are local anesthetic injections of the facet joint or its nerve supply. These are diagnostic procedures used to determine if pain is arising from facet joints, distinguish painful from nonpainful joints and prognosticate response to therapeutic facet joint interventions. Diagnostic injections must meet the cardinal features of a diagnostic test i.e., accuracy, safety, and reproducibility. Accuracy is based on comparison with a “gold standard” to confirm presence or absence of a disease. There is, however, no available gold standard to measure presence or absence of pain. Hence, there is a degree of uncertainty concerning the accuracy of diagnostic facet joint injections. Objectives: Evaluate and update available evidence (2004 to 2006) relating to clinical utility of facet joint injections (intraarticular and medial branch blocks) in diagnosing chronic spinal pain of facet joint origin. Study Design: Review of the literature for clinical studies on efficacy and utility of facet joint/nerve injections in diagnosing facet joint pain according to Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Quality Assessment Studies of Diagnostic Accuracy (QUADAS) criteria. The level of evidence was classified as conclusive (Level I), strong (Level II), moderate (Level III), or limited (Level IV). Methods: Computerized database search (2004 to 2006) of PUBMED, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Knowledge was conducted to identify studies on facet joint pain and diagnostic interventions. Abstracts, reviews, book chapters, case reports, studies based on single blocks or blocks without radiologic control, and studies describing techniques were excluded. Prospective studies were given priority over retrospective studies. Results: There is no change in the strength of evidence for facet joint diagnostic injections. There is strong evidence for controlled comparative local anesthetic facet joint injections or medial branch blocks in the diagnosis of neck and low back pain and moderate evidence in the diagnosis of pain arising from thoracic facet joints. Conclusion: The evidence obtained from literature review suggests that controlled comparative local anesthetic blocks of facet joints (medial branch or dorsal ramus) are reproducible, reasonably accurate and safe. The sensitivity, specificity, false-positive rates, and predictive values of these diagnostic tests for neck and low back pain have been validated and reproduced in multiple studies. Key words: Chronic spinal pain, neck pain, low back pain, cervical facet joint, thoracic facet joint, lumbar facet joint, zygapophyseal joint, medial branch block, intraarticular injection


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Haruka Maehara ◽  
Toshihiro Sano ◽  
Yuki Yanagawa ◽  
Kyuichi Hashimoto ◽  
Nobuaki Tadokoro

Pyogenic facet joint infection (PFJI) is a relatively rare spinal infection. Clinical suspicion of this condition is a key for diagnosis. We report a case of PFJI which required decompression surgery for severe neurological dysfunction. The patient was a 44-year-old woman who had a previous history of orthotic therapy for idiopathic scoliosis. The patient was admitted to our hospital with a history of two days of high fever and severe low back pain. There was no neurologic deficit, and blood tests revealed high levels of inflammatory markers. There was a slight amount of fluid that had collected at L4/5 facet joint in lumbar MRI. She was admitted for examination and treatment of fever of unknown origin and low back pain. Antibiotic treatment started the day after hospitalization since the first report of the blood culture taken upon admission tested positive to gram-positive cocci. As low back pain and fever persisted, an MRI was taken again on the fifth day of hospitalization. Repeated MRI showed fluid extension from the left facet joint to paravertebral muscles and epidural space. She was diagnosed with PFJI, and facet joint puncture was performed. At this time, it became clear that she had foot drop on the right, the contralateral side of the PFJI. She underwent irrigation, debridement, and partial laminectomy. Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) was detected in blood cultures at the time of hospitalization, in the puncture fluid and tissue collected during surgery. The patient recovered completely from foot drop after the operation and a three-month course of antibiotics. As the imaging findings may be inadequate in the early stages of onset and PFJI potentially causes neurologic deficit such as foot drop, neurological findings need to be carefully observed even after hospitalization and one should reexamine the MRI if symptoms or clinical findings did not improve or were aggravated.


2013 ◽  
Vol 4;16 (4;7) ◽  
pp. E379-E390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laxmaiah Manchikanti

Background: The high prevalence of persistent low back pain and growing number of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities employed to manage chronic low back pain and the subsequent impact on society and the economy continue to hold sway over health care policy. Among the multiple causes responsible for chronic low back pain, the contributions of the sacroiliac joint have been a subject of debate albeit a paucity of research. At present, there are no definitive conservative, interventional or surgical management options for managing sacroiliac joint pain. It has been shown that the increases were highest for facet joint interventions and sacroiliac joint blocks with an increase of 310% per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries from 2000 to 2011. There has not been a systematic assessment of the utilization and growth patterns of sacroiliac joint injections. Study Design: Analysis of the growth patterns of sacroiliac joint injections in Medicare beneficiaries from 2000 to 2011. Objectives: To evaluate the utilization and growth patterns of sacroiliac joint injections. Methods: This assessment was performed utilizing Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary (PSPS) Master data from 2000 to 2011. Results: The findings of this assessment in Medicare beneficiaries from 2000 to 2011 showed a 331% increase per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries with an annual increase of 14.2%, compared to an increase in the Medicare population of 23% or annual increase of 1.9%. The number of procedures increased from 49,554 in 2000 to 252,654 in 2011, or a rate of 125 to 539 per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries. Among the various specialists performing sacroiliac joint injections, physicians specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation have shown the most increase, followed by neurology with 1,568% and 698%, even though many physicians from both specialties have been enrolling in interventional pain management and pain management. Even though the numbers were small for nonphysician providers including certified registered nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, these numbers increased substantially at a rate of 4,526% per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries with 21 procedures performed in 2000 increasing to 4,953 procedures in 2011. The, majority of sacroiliac joint injections were performed in an office setting. The utilization of sacroiliac joint injections by state from 2008 to 2010 showed increases of more than 20% in New Hampshire, Alabama, Minnesota, Vermont, Oregon, Utah, Massachusetts, Kansas, and Maine. Similarly, some states showed significant decreases of 20% or more, including Oklahoma, Louisiana, Maryland, Arkansas, New York, and Hawaii. Overall, there was a 1% increase per 100,000 Medicare population from 2008 to 2010. However, 2011 showed significant increases from 2010. Limitations: The limitations of this study included a lack of inclusion of Medicare participants in Medicare Advantage plans, the availability of an identifiable code for only sacroiliac joint injections, and the possibility that state claims data may include claims from other states. . Conclusions: This study illustrates the explosive growth of sacroiliac joint injections even more than facet joint interventions. Furthermore, certain groups of providers showed substantial increases. Overall, increases from 2008 to 2010 were nominal with 1%, but some states showed over 20% increases whereas some others showed over 20% decreases. Key words: Chronic spinal pain, low back pain, sacroiliac joint arthritis, interventional techniques, interventional pain management, sacroiliac joint injections


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