Correlation of Chronic Back Pain and Hyperuricemia, Our Hospital Experience

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of hyperuricemia in individuals with chronic low back pain. Methodology: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study performed between January 2021 to June 2021 in Medicine department of Bilawal Medical College LUMHS Jamshoro Pakistan. Patients between the age of 18 to 65 years have been investigated. Data was collected using a designed questionnaire. X-rays and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the lumbosacral spine were used to evaluate any discrepancies associated with low back pain. The levels of uric acid in the blood were measured and documented. Results: Out of 88 patients with chronic low back pain, 22 (25%) reported hyperuricemia. There was no significant difference in uric acid levels between men and women (P>0.05). We observed that 86.36 %t (n=19) patients with elevated serum uric acid levels also experienced joint pain. Further radiological examination revealed lumbar disc prolapse in 72.7 % (n=16). We found that in 95.45% of the patients, disc space narrowing was present. Conclusion: Regardless of gender, one in four people with low back pain had hyperuricemia. Patients with low back pain have varying occupational and co-morbidities. Hypouricemia appears to be associated with lumbar disc prolapse and lumbar vertebral joint space constriction. This reveals that hyperuricemia aggravates degenerative spondylolisthesis.

Spontaneous Regression of Disc Prolapse – An Underlooked Phenomena: A Case Report and Literature Review

Introduction: Intervertebral disc prolapse is a very common abnormality found in the population, that can manifest in a variety of complaints like back pain, radiculopathy, and even to the extent that it might lead to more adverse neurological deficits. Symptoms improve in majority of patients only with conservative treatment. However, some patients may require surgical intervention. In some cases, spontaneous regression of herniated disc can be seen. Thus, the interest in the phenomenon of spontaneous resorption of the herniated discs has increased, which raised the controversy regarding managing such patients. Here, we report a case of a huge lumbosacral spontaneous disc resolution at the level of L5-S1 in which clinical improvement was associated with a significant decrease in the size of a huge, herniated disc. In addition, we performed a comprehensive review of literature of all reported cases of spontaneous disc resolution to provide an updated discussion of such an underlooked phenomena. Case Report: A 53-year-old female not known to have any medical illness presented at the Neurosurgery Clinic with complaints of chronic back pain for six years which was progressing and radiating to both of her lower extremities (right more than left) and had become more intense in the last year. It was slightly relieved by simple analgesics and aggravated by sitting or lying down. There was no history of trauma, weaknesses, or sphincteric disturbances. Upon evaluation in our clinic, local exam revealed lower back midline tenderness at the level of L5-S1 vertebrae. No tenderness was observed in the paravertebral area or facets. Straight leg raising test was positive at 70º in the right side and 90º in the left, normal power, intact sensation, normal tone, and reflexes. Negative Babinski and clonus was noted in both limbs. MRI lumbar spine showed significant right paracentral L5-S1 disk prolapse indenting the thecal sac compressing the root. A full-course and effective medical treatment was initiated as the patient was never treated properly before for her back pain, along with physical therapy and regular OPD follow-ups. A follow-up MRI a year later revealed significant reduction in the size of the disk prolapse as compared to the initial imaging study. Overall, patient’s symptoms significantly improved, and she was kept on conservative management. Conclusion: To conclude, the case presented here shows the efficacy and validity of conservative management for patients who are diagnosed with a herniated disc in the absence of neurological deficits. This shows the importance of not pushing surgical treatment for patient with lumbar disc herniation without neurological deficits, each patient should receive a trial of conservative therapy and close OPD follow-ups and repeated MRI scans for further assessment of any advancement or improvement, because herniated discs can regress spontaneously. Radiological changes alone should not be the main target for assessing improvement, what matters more is clinical and symptomatic improvement. Surgical management remains an important therapeutic option for patients who failed conservative management and patients who have severe neurological deficits.

Lumbar Disc Herniation in Heavy Manual Workers: Conventional Microdiscectomy versus (MIS) TLIF with Unilateral Fixation

Introduction: Conventional discectomy is a common surgical method for treating lumbar disc prolapse. The situation may differ in heavy manual workers who may have more pronounced degenerative spine disease, broad-based disc herniations, and are expected to be exposed postoperatively to the same preoperative manual stress. This study was aimed at comparing the clinical outcomes in patients operated for conventional discectomy versus those operated for TLIF with unilateral spinal fixation. Methodology: Sixty patients underwent surgeries for lumbar disc herniation. They were divided into two groups; the microscopic conventional discectomy group and the fusion (TLIF and unilateral TPF) group. They were operated between 2017 and 2019. Participants were evaluated pre- and postoperatively at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months’ intervals. Pain was scored by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for both lower limb and back pain. The clinical outcomes were compared using the Prolo economic and functional rating scale and a new outcome score. Result: The two groups of patients were fairly homogeneous and comparable. Workload exposure to repetitive vibration was the biggest risk for disc prolapse and surgery (28.3%). Fusion group showed better clinical outcomes parameter including better VAS for back pain, better Prolo economic and functional rating scale, and better new clinical outcome score. In comparison, the discectomy group showed significantly higher recurrence rate and reoperation during the follow-up period. During the 12 months’ follow-up visit, when the patients were asked if, under the same circumstances, they would undergo the procedure again, 71.6% of the patients (43 patients) answered affirmatively and this reflects their satisfaction with the results of their surgeries. This satisfaction was reported in 27 patients (90%) in the fusion group and 16 patients (53.4%) in the discectomy group. Conclusion: Heavy manual workers treated with unilateral transforaminal interbody fusion reported less pain and lower disability scores all over the follow-up period. This technique is preferable to conventional discectomy because it reduces back and leg pain while avoiding the possibility of recurrence by heavy duties and maintains stability of the lumbar spine. We proposed a new clinical outcome score to monitor the clinical outcomes of spine surgery in heavy manual workers. It relates the outcomes to the hours of work, sick leaves, and patient satisfaction with surgery. In our group of patients, it showed significant improvement in the fusion group in comparison to the discectomy group.

Evaluation of Lumbar Fusion in Recurrent Disc Prolapse

Background Recurrent disc herniation is the most common cause of reoperation after the primary disc surgery, The management of recurrent disc herniation remains somewhat controversial. Surgical treatment for recurrent disk herniation can be broadly categorized as revision discectomy alone or revision discectomy and fusion or percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar discectomy. Aim of the work to evaluate and compare the therapeutic effect between different modalities of treatment of the recurrent lumbar disc protrusion (RLDP) through 3 groups: (1) First group treated by conventional discectomy. (2) Second group treated by discectomy and lumbar fusion either by PLF, PLIF or TLIF. (3) Third group treated by percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar discectomy. Patients and methods It is a prospective cohort study performed between January 2012 and April 2017 on 150 patients complained of recurrent lumbar disc herniation. They were surgically treated at the Department of Neurosurgery, Ain Shams University Hospitals. All patients are evaluated clinically by VAS, JOA and Oswestry disability index (ODI) through follow up period of 2 years (one month, 6 months, 1 yr, 2 yrs). They were divided into 3 groups (I&II and III) each group was a fifty patients Results the mean overall recovery rate is 89%, comparison between the three groups showed significant improvement of the endoscopic group and fixation group than simple discectomy group in term of VAS LBP, leg pain , JOA and ODI. Intraoperative blood loss, length of operation and hospital stay were significant less in endoscopic group than fixation and simple discectomy group CONCLUSION Recurrent lumbar disc prolapse management is a controversial issue, there are different surgical modalities (either by open discectomy, discectomy and fixation or Percutaneous interlaminar lumbar discectomy PEILD) although those surgical modalities are successful the PEILD is the optional choice that offers less tissue trauma, rapid recovery, less cost effect and early return to work

Cadaveric Thoracic Disc Herniation: Fine Architecture of the Prolapse and Relationship with the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament

Prolapse of a lower intervertebral thoracic disc (T10-11) was noticed in a cadaver following examination of serial plastinated sections of the spine. A number of structures were associated with the posteriorly herniated nucleus pulposus, including the posterior longitudinal ligament, fibrous meshworks, venous plexuses and a delicate surrounding capsule. Dimensions of the herniation suggest that the lesion was asymptomatic in life. Thoracic disc prolapse is a rare phenomenon in vivo and is even more infrequently seen in cadavers. This study adds to the minute body of literature on post-mortem thoracic disc herniation and provides insights into detailed pathological changes in the anatomy of surrounding structures following disc prolapse.