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Clin Anat 2022 Jun 14. Epub 2022 Jun 14.

Department of Neurosurgery, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv.

The relationship between degenerative zygapophysial joint (facet) arthropathy and multifidus muscle atrophy has not been rigorously evaluated. The purpose of this study was to determine if specific morphological features of degenerative facet arthropathy are correlated with multifidus muscle atrophy. We retrospectively reviewed medical records and imaging studies of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Read More

BMC Med Imaging 2022 Jun 4;22(1):108. Epub 2022 Jun 4.

Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Background: Studies on MRI findings among patients with LBP have been conducted; especially among adolescents and young adult population in developed countries. However, MRI lumbar spine evaluation findings in young adult patients with low back pain in Uganda is not known. The purpose of this study was to determine the MRI findings and their correlation to clinical features in young adult patients with low back pain in Nsambya hospital. Read More

Spine J 2022 May 7. Epub 2022 May 7.

Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation Robert T. Stafford Hall, University of Vermont Medical Center, 4th Floor, 95 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405, USA; The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at The University of Vermont Given Medical Building, E-126, 89 Beaumont Ave, Burlington, VT 05405, USA. Electronic address:

Background Context: Previous studies have reported that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) do not predict response to facet blocks. However, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) uptake within facet joints has been shown to correlate with pain relief after intervention in the lumbar spine. There is minimal data regarding the predictive value of single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) for neck pain. Read More

Ann Transl Med 2022 Apr;10(7):415

Department of Spine Surgery, Tianjin Hospital of Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.

Background: Orientation of the lumbar facet joints (FJs) in the transverse plane is associated with degenerative lumbar spine disease. However, there is a lack of measurements of the sagittal and coronal facet angles, and the effect of 3D facet angles on joint motion in the sitting position is unknown. The present study was to investigate the 3D orientation and motion characteristics of the FJ in the sitting position. Read More

Global Spine J 2022 May 2:21925682221099471. Epub 2022 May 2.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, 21611Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.

Study Design: Cadaveric specimens.

Objective: To perform a pathomorphological analysis of the degree of facet joint (FJ) degeneration utilizing fresh cadaveric models and correlating these structural changes with imaging findings.

Methods: L1-L5 FSU including all tissue between the anterior longitudinal ligament to the posterior spinal structures were obtained on 28 patients at a mean of 5. Read More

World Neurosurg 2022 Jul 12;163:e565-e572. Epub 2022 Apr 12.

Department of Orthopedics, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Electronic address:

Objective: Different sagittal morphologies are associated with various lumbar degenerative diseases. In this paper, we aim to investigate the association between Roussouly classification and the characteristics of lumbar degeneration.

Methods: A total of 273 patients with lumbar degeneration diseases were included in this cross-sectional study. Read More

PLoS One 2022 7;17(4):e0265926. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea (South Korea).

Interspinous spacer devices used in interspinous fixation surgery remove soft tissues in the lumbar spine, such as ligaments and muscles and may cause degenerative diseases in adjacent segments its stiffness is higher than that of the lumbar spine. Therefore, this study aimed to structurally and kinematically optimize a lumbar interspinous fixation device (LIFD) using a full lumbar finite element model that allows for minimally invasive surgery, after which the normal behavior of the lumbar spine is not affected. The proposed healthy and degenerative lumbar spine models reflect the physiological characteristics of the lumbar spine in the human body. Read More

Pain Physician 2022 03;25(2):E299-E308

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taiwan (R.O.C.); Spine Center, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taiwan (R.O.C.); Department of Sport Medicine, College of Health Care, China Medical University, Taiwan (R.O.C.).

Background: Infective spondylodiscitis has been treated solely with antibiotics based on the pathogen identified. Surgical intervention was used in cases of unidentified pathogens, failed antibiotic treatment, neurological deficit, or instability. The standard surgical procedure was debridement and interbody fusion with a bone graft through the anterior approach, followed by posterior instrumentation. Read More

Pain Physician 2022 03;25(2):171-178

Pain Management Centers of America, Paducah, KY and Evansville, IN; LSU Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA.

Background: Chronic spinal pain is the most prevalent chronic disease, with chronic persistent spinal pain lasting longer than one-year reported in 25% to 60% of the patients. Health care expenditures have been escalating and the financial impact on the US economy is growing. Among multiple modalities of treatments available, facet joint interventions and epidural interventions are the most common ones, in addition to surgical interventions and numerous other conservative modalities of treatments. Read More

Front Immunol 2022 1;13:783076. Epub 2022 Mar 1.

Rheumatology, Department of Musculoskeletal Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Purpose: Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) is a pivotal mediator of chronic pain and plays a role in bone remodelling. Through its high affinity receptor TrkA, NGF induces substance P (SP) as key downstream mediator of pain and local inflammation. Here we analysed NGF, TrkA and SP tissue distribution in facet joint osteoarthritis (FJOA), a major cause of chronic low back pain. Read More

Int J Spine Surg 2022 Feb 17;16(1):33-41. Epub 2022 Feb 17.

Department of Spine and Neurosurgery, Rheinmaasklinikum, Würselen, Germany

Background: It was hypothesized that radiofrequency denervation (RFD) of lumbar facet joints is associated with superior pain abolishment and less complications than chemical neurolysis (with ethyl alcohol or glycerol) in patients with chronic facet joint arthropathy.

Methods: For this prospective cohort study, adult patients with chronic lumbar facet joint arthropathy were prospectively enrolled between 2017 and 2019. The following groups were compared before the intervention and 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months after the intervention: RFD, chemical neurolysis with ethyl alcohol 95% (EA-95), or glycerol 20% (Gly-20). Read More

J Bone Joint Surg Am 2022 05 15;104(10):928-940. Epub 2022 Feb 15.

Marc A. Asher, MD, Comprehensive Spine Center and Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.

Background: Facet joint (FJ) osteoarthritis (FJOA) is a widely prevalent spinal disorder but its pathogenesis remains unclear, largely due to the difficulties in conducting longitudinal human studies and lack of spontaneous-FJOA animal models for mechanistic investigations. This study aimed to investigate whether spontaneous FJOA occurs in mice bearing mutant NFAT1 (nuclear factor of activated T cells 1) transcription factor.

Methods: The lumbar FJs of 50 NFAT1-mutant mice and of 50 wild-type control mice, of both sexes, were examined by histopathology, quantitative gene expression analysis, semiquantitative immunohistochemistry, and a novel FJOA scoring system for semiquantitative assessment of the histopathologic changes at 2, 6, 12, and 18 months of age. Read More

BMC Surg 2022 Jan 28;22(1):29. Epub 2022 Jan 28.

Department of Orthopedics, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No.1 Shuaifuyuan Hutong, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, 100730, China.

Objective: To investigate the safety and effectiveness of modified facet joint fusion in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases and compare them with those of posterolateral fusion.

Methods: A total of 77 adult patients with lumbar degenerative disease diagnosed from January 2017 to February 2019 were considered for the present retrospective, nonrandomized, and controlled study. The patients were divided into two groups according to the fusion technique used during the surgery: the posterolateral fusion (PLF) group (n = 42) and the modified facet joint fusion (MFF) group (n = 35). Read More

Eur Spine J 2022 Jun 28;31(6):1479-1486. Epub 2022 Jan 28.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan.

Purposes: To analyze T2 relaxation times of the facet joint by MRI T2-mapping in patients with degenerative lumbar disorders (DLD), and to determine the correlation with lumbar instability in radiographs.

Methods: We conducted a T2-mapping of the lumbar facet joint using a 1.5 T MRI system. Read More

Pain Physician 2022 01;25(1):E15-E26

Department of Pain, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.

Background: Lumbar facet joint syndrome (LFJS) has been suggested to be a main source of low back pain. Methylene blue (MB), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis with potential analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, has been widely applied for a variety of pain-related diseases. However, no studies have been conducted on the treatment of LFJS patients using MB. Read More

Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2022 05 15;164(5):1233-1237. Epub 2022 Jan 15.

Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, No 135 Nanhsiao Street, Chuanghua City, 50006, Taiwan.

Background: Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) is a general term for persistent postoperative back pain with or without accompanying radicular pain. FBSS may present as chronic facet joint pain.

Methods: We introduced full endoscopic lumbar rhizotomy for patients suffering from facet joint pain due to FBSS. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2022 Jan;101(1):e28534

Department of Spinal Surgery, The Second People's Hospital of Changshu, The Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Xuzhou Medical Hospital, Jiangsu, China.

Objective: Lumbar segmental instability (LSI) is due to a pathologic movement of the vertebral body on the vertebra below and often causes clinical symptoms. The study was to achieve the research progress of diagnosing methodology for lumbar segmental instability and help clinicians make treatment choices.

Methods: The data for this study were collected from the MEDLINE, Springer, Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Evidence Based Medicine Reviews, VIP, and CNKI. Read More

Spine Deform 2022 05 6;10(3):727-731. Epub 2022 Jan 6.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Washington University Orthopaedics, 4921 Parkview Place, Suite 6B, Campus Box 8605, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.

Case: We report a rare case of a right-sided L4-5 facet osteoid osteoma in a 11-year-old female who presented with lower extremity pain, contractures, and gait disturbance in the setting of failed radiofrequency ablation. After open excision and single-level posterolateral fusion with instrumentation, her symptoms resolved and her spinopelvic parameters normalized.

Conclusions: This case highlights the contracture that may occur as a result of neurogenic pain from an osteoid osteoma in close proximity to neural structures. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2021 Dec;100(52):e28459

Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Management, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York.

Abstract: Cooled-radiofrequency (CRFA) is a newer technique and may have some theoretical advantages over traditional radiofrequency ablation (TRFA). In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of CRFA for the treatment of lumbar facet joint-mediated pain. In this retrospective study, we evaluated 185 CRFA performed on 105 patients. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2021 Dec;100(52):e28379

Pain Management Unit, Hospital de Manises, Valencia, Spain.

Rationale: Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a pain related to pelvic structures that arise from posttraumatic pain, postsurgical pain, or somatic or visceral pain syndromes. Despite the available treatment options, CPP remains mostly untreated, due to difficulties in covering such a large area.

Patient Concerns: A 46-year-old woman presented chronic low back pain and CPP for more than 1 year and 6 months respectively after multiple pelvic fractures. Read More

Diagnostics (Basel) 2021 Dec 9;11(12). Epub 2021 Dec 9.

Department of Anesthesiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.

Neck and back pain is increasingly prevalent, and has increased exponentially in recent years. As more resources are dedicated to the diagnosis of pain conditions, it is increasingly important that the diagnostic techniques used are as precise and accurate as possible. Traditional diagnostic methods rely heavily upon patient history and physical examination to determine the most appropriate treatments and/or imaging studies. Read More

Eur J Med Res 2021 Dec 20;26(1):149. Epub 2021 Dec 20.

Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, No.127 Changle West Road, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China.

Background: Vertebral rotation and facet tropism are very common in various lumbar degenerative diseases. Facet tropism means the presence of asymmetric angles on both sides of the facet joints. Studies have shown that facet tropism contributes to lumbar degenerative disease, and also inevitably leads to the asymmetry of movement and the imbalance of force, which may be possible to rotate the vertebral body. Read More

Spine J 2022 05 27;22(5):769-775. Epub 2021 Nov 27.

Spine Division, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Forchstrasse 340, Zurich 8008, Switzerland.

Background Context: [18F]-sodium fluoride (NaF) PET/MR is a modern diagnostic modality for imaging increased bone turnover. Its merits in detecting painful facet joint osteoarthritis in patients with lumbar back pain are unknown.

Purpose: To perform a prospective randomized controlled study investigating [18F]-NaF PET/MR for detecting painful facet joints in comparison to the standard of care (SOC), including clinical examination and conventional MRI. Read More

Acta Bioeng Biomech 2021 ;23(1):15-24

Department of Mechanics, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland.

Purpose: Due to the growing percentage of degenerative spinal diseases among the population, it is extremely important to assess how the orientation of the articular facets affects the changes in the intervertebral disc. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of the orientation of the articular facets on the changes occurring in individual layers of the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc under the influence of the load causing extension.

Methods: Numerical simulations were performed for five configurations of the functional spinal units: physiological, with moderate tropism, severe tropism, and segments in which non-physiological orientation was modelled of both processes with different ranges. Read More

World J Clin Cases 2021 Oct;9(28):8545-8551

Department of Radiology, Jinshan Branch, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 201599, China.

Background: Lumbar facet joint syndrome (LFJS) is a pain condition arising from lumbar facet joint diseases. Treatments of LFJS includes patient education, oral medication, bed rest, physical therapy, and procedural interventions. For some refractory cases that fail conservative therapies, dorsal ramus medial brunch radiofrequency ablation is warranted. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2021 Nov 20;93:141-146. Epub 2021 Sep 20.

Jiangyan TCM Hospital of Taizhou City, PR China. Electronic address:

Purpose: The protection of articular processes (AP) in the transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (TED) was proven to optimise post-operative biomechanical environments. Published studies reported a large grade of nuclectomy leading to poor prognosis, but the underlying biomechanical mechanism was unclearly illustrated. This study aimed to investigate the changes of biomechanical environments after an in-out TED with intact AP and a large grade of nuclectomy and an out-in TED with limited foraminoplasty and a smaller grade of nuclectomy. Read More

Int J Clin Pract 2021 Dec 17;75(12):e14953. Epub 2021 Oct 17.

Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between back pain and thoracic vertebral deformities and arthropathy in patients with COPD who underwent thorax CT scans to screen for lung nodules and cancer.

Materials And Methods: The data of patients who underwent thoracic CT and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) between July 2019 and February 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups: the COPD (n = 64) and control groups (n = 101), according to the PFT results. Read More

Somatosens Mot Res 2021 12 23;38(4):339-346. Epub 2021 Sep 23.

Department of Spine Surgery, Affiliated Hospital 2 of Nantong University, Nantong University, The First People's Hospital of Nantong, Nantong, PR China.

Purpose: Low back pain (LBP) is a long-lasting and chronic symptom without any exact cause. This study attempts to propose a new staging system based on the original grading system combined with pathological results and clinical symptoms to better clarify the dynamic evolution of LBP related to cartilage degeneration during facet joint osteoarthritis (FJOA). To explore a potential target for diagnosis, treatment, and drug intervention of facet joint osteoarthritis related LBP via protecting chondrocytes. Read More

J Neurosurg Spine 2021 Aug 20;35(6):704-709. Epub 2021 Aug 20.

Objective: Numerous studies have reported on synovial facet joint cysts of the spine as a primary lesion. The exact pathogenesis of those cysts is still controversial, but degeneration and destabilization seem to be underlying mechanisms. However, only a few reports have thus far investigated synovial cysts of the spine as postoperative complications of decompression surgery. Read More

Semin Arthritis Rheum 2021 10 24;51(5):1005-1010. Epub 2021 Jul 24.

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul; Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Incheon Saint Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon, South Korea. Electronic address:

Objectives: To investigate the occurrence of facet joint ankylosis in the spine of patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA) using low dose computed tomography (ldCT), and to examine the association between facet joint ankylosis and functional impairment.

Methods: A group of 126 patients with r-axSpA was selected from Incheon Saint Mary's axSpA observational cohort and whole spine ldCT data were examined. Facet joint (right and left, C2-S1) ankylosis was scored from 0-46 (total). Read More