Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Asian Spine J 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.

Study Design: Case control study.

Purpose: To determine the prevalence and degree of asymptomatic cervical and lumbar facet joint arthritis. We retrospectively reviewed 500 computed tomography (CT) scans of cervical facet joints obtained from 50 subjects. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2019 Jan 3. Epub 2019 Jan 3.

Department of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.

Background: Tumoral calcinosis has been defined as a pathological condition which presents as calcified masses around juxta-articular structures. The etiology of this pathology is still not well understood but degenerative spine diseases seem to play a role. The diagnosis of tumoral calcinosis preoperatively can prevent intraoperative confusion from unexpected findings, especially in cases where removal of the calcified mass is essential to treating the patient's symptoms, i. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2018 Dec 20. Epub 2018 Dec 20.

Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.

Spinal synovial cysts (SSC) are a rare but important differential diagnosis for degenerative or space-occupying spinal lesions. There is controversy about the most beneficial treatment, which can be conservative or surgical. We provide a review of our surgical data for purposes of quality assessment and improvement. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2018 Nov 13. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan.

Charcot spinal arthropathy (CSA) is a rare spinal disorder presenting neuropathic osteoarthropathy of facet joints leading to progressive destruction. After L4-5 PLIF, a 63-year-old woman with Parkinson's disease (PD) underwent L3-4 and L5-S1 PLIF for primary adjacent segment disease caused by degenerative change, which was found as facet joint osteophytes and a vacuum disc phenomenon with endplate sclerosis. However, her postural disorder from PD deteriorated, and strong opioid analgesics were administered for severe recurring low back pain. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Feb 9;122:e1059-e1068. Epub 2018 Nov 9.

Spinal Column Biomechanics and Surgical Outcomes Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Electronic address:

Background: The pathogenesis of synovial cysts is largely unknown; however, they have been increasingly thought of as markers of spinal facet instability and typically associated with degenerative spondylosis. We specifically investigated the incidence of concomitant synovial cysts with underlying degenerative spondylolisthesis.

Methods: A literature search was performed using 4 online databases to assess the association between lumbar synovial cysts and degenerative spinal pathological features. Read More

Zh Vopr Neirokhir Im N N Burdenko 2018 ;82(5):55-61

Nikiforov All-Russian Center of Emergency and Radiation Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Postoperative pain accompanies up to 20% of interventions for degenerative spine diseases (DSDs). The epidemiologic data are contradictory; clinical and radiological diagnostics is often low efficient; capabilities of interventional diagnosis and treatment techniques are poorly understood.

Purpose: The study purpose was to investigate the structure of pain syndromes after surgery for DSDs of the lumbar spine, based on complex diagnostics, as well as to evaluate the capabilities of interventional treatment. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Feb 1;122:e790-e794. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Electronic address:

Objective: Lumbar spondylolisthesis can be related to facet arthropathy and disc degeneration or to a fracture of the pars interarticularis, but the mechanistic underpinnings of spondylolisthesis remain unclear. We posit that high sacral slope and body weight increase sacral inclination vector forces, which leads to pars fractures and exacerbates risk for spondylolisthesis.

Methods: To investigate this hypothesis, we measured the sacral slope, body weight, and S1 endplate vector forces for patients who underwent L5-S1 fusion for grade I spondylolisthesis. Read More

Case Rep Orthop 2018 20;2018:1091932. Epub 2018 Sep 20.

Rockford Pain Center, Rockford, USA.

Salmonella vertebral discitis/osteomyelitis is a rare manifestation of Salmonella infection. Here, we report a case of a 54-year-old Caucasian male who presented with five weeks of progressively worsening bilateral low back, buttock, and lower extremity pain following an 8-foot fall onto concrete from a ladder. Initial workup following the fall included hip X-ray and MRI of the lumbar spine and revealed only mild lumbar facet arthropathy and moderate left neural foraminal stenosis at L3-L4 without any concomitant hip or spine fracture. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Sep;97(38):e12483

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul.

Rationale: Traumatic bilateral facet dislocation in the lumbar (L) spine has rarely been reported. All reported cases were presented with acute facet dislocation. However, we present the first case of delayed bilateral facet dislocation at L4-5. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Dec 30;120:e745-e751. Epub 2018 Aug 30.

Department of Spine Surgery, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing, China.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare the accuracy and safety of TiRobot system-assisted with those of fluoroscopy-assisted cortical bone trajectory screw placement in lumbar spinal surgery.

Methods: We included 58 patients who required instrumentation in a retrospective matched-cohort study. The primary outcome measures were the accuracy of screw placement using the modified Gertzbein-Robbins scale and the incidence of proximal facet joint violation. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Nov 31;119:103-107. Epub 2018 Jul 31.

Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Facet dislocations, or jumped facets, are part of a spectrum of flexion-distraction spine injuries. Bilateral and unilateral facet dislocations are commonly seen in the cervical spine. Traumatic jumped facets in the lumbar spine are rare injuries, and most involve the lumbosacral junction. Read More

Eur J Clin Invest 2018 Sep 13;48(9):e12991. Epub 2018 Jul 13.

AP-HP, Service de Rhumatologie, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Paris, France.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of lumbar spondylolisthesis (SPL) in patients suffering from low back pain (LBP) with or without rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to identify potential factors associated with SPL in patients with RA.

Methods: We performed a case-control study. Cases and control patients had chronic LBP (more than 4 weeks). Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Oct 23;118:e72-e78. Epub 2018 Jun 23.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China. Electronic address:

Objective: To correlate interpedicular distance (IPD) with radiographic parameters, neurologic deficit, and posterior structures injury in patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures.

Methods: A total of 103 patients with a thoracolumbar burst fracture retrospectively reviewed. IPD was measured from the medial sclerotic areas of the pedicles on anteroposterior plain radiographs. Read More

Surg Radiol Anat 2018 Jun 16. Epub 2018 Jun 16.

Department of Anatomy, Selcuk University, Medical Faculty, 42131, Konya, Turkey.

Purpose: We aimed to research in detail the morphology of the facet orientation (FO) and tropism (FT) in degenerative diseases.

Method: This study consisted of patients with disc degeneration (DD) and with lumbar spondylolisthesis (LS) as well as a control group without these two diseases. The group of patients with DD was separated by DD grades. Read More

Asian Spine J 2018 Jun 4;12(3):569-573. Epub 2018 Jun 4.

Spine Center, Barun Hospital, Jinju, Korea.

The stenosing foramen of L5-S1 by several degenerative diseases is one of the challenging areas on surgical approaching because of the deeper depth and steep slope in the lumbosacral junction. The floating view using unilateral biportal endoscopic spine surgery rather than docking into the Kambin's zone can make the foraminal structures seen panoramically and permit dynamic handling of various instruments without destroying the facet joint and causing iatrogenic instability. Fine discrimination of structural margins in helps of the higher magnification and gentle manipulation of neural structures just as in open spine surgery could be guaranteed using floating technique from the target structures. Read More

Tohoku J Exp Med 2018 05;245(1):69-77

Department of Spine Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University.

Facet joint osteoarthritis is common lumbar osteoarthritis characterized by facet joint cartilage degeneration. However, the molecular basis of facet joint osteoarthritis remains largely undetermined. In the current study, we collected facet joint tissue samples from 10 control patients and 48 patients with facet joint osteoarthritis (20 patients with moderate degeneration and 28 with severe degeneration). Read More

Int J Comput Assist Radiol Surg 2018 Jun 18;13(6):895-904. Epub 2018 Apr 18.

Technical University of Munich, Garching bei München, Germany.

Purpose: Facet joint insertion is a common treatment of chronic pain in the back and spine. This procedure is often performed under fluoroscopic guidance, where the staff's repetitive radiation exposure remains an unsolved problem. Robotic ultrasound (rUS) has the potential to reduce or even eliminate the use of radiation by using ultrasound with a robotic-guided needle insertion. Read More

Arthritis Res Ther 2018 04 18;20(1):76. Epub 2018 Apr 18.

Thurston Arthritis Research Center, University of North Carolina, 3300 Doc J. Thurston Bldg, CB#7280, Chapel Hill, 27599-7280, NC, USA.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) prevalence differs by race. General joint hypermobility (GJH) may be associated with OA, but differences by race are not known. This community-based study examined the frequency of GJH and its relationship with knee, hip, and lumbar spine OA by race (African American vs. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Jun 26;114:e959-e968. Epub 2018 Mar 26.

Scientific Center of Reconstructive and Restorative Surgery, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia; Department of Neurosurgery, Irkutsk State Medical University, Irkutsk, Russia; Irkutsk Railway Clinical Hospital, Irkutsk, Russia. Electronic address:

Background: Anterior, direct lateral, and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusions (ALIF, DLIF, and TLIF) are usually combined with posterior fixation to treat degenerative spinal diseases. Outcomes of ALIF, TLIF, or DLIF combined with a new wedge-shaped interfacet cage plate have not been reported. We assessed early clinical outcomes of patients treated with interbody fusion and facet fixation using a titanium wedge-shaped cage plate. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2018 Mar 14;19(3). Epub 2018 Mar 14.

Department of Spine Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.

Facet joint osteoarthritis is a prominent feature of degenerative spine disorders, highly prevalent in ageing populations, and considered a major cause for chronic lower back pain. Since there is no targeted pharmacological therapy, clinical management of disease includes analgesic or surgical treatment. The specific cellular, molecular, and structural changes underpinning facet joint osteoarthritis remain largely elusive. Read More

BMC Surg 2018 Mar 13;18(1):16. Epub 2018 Mar 13.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.

Background: Here we report a rare case of lumbar spine epidural abscess and facet joint septic arthritis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae, which had spread to the iliopsoas muscles, leading to urine retention.

Case Presentation: A 68-year-old woman with low back pain experienced a sudden onset of bilateral lower limb weakness, it was followed 14 days later by urine retention. At consultation, magnetic resonance imaging and identification of serum β-hemolytic streptococci provided a diagnosis of Streptococcus agalactiae infection. Read More

Eur Spine J 2018 07 31;27(Suppl 3):472-476. Epub 2018 Jan 31.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, 3737 Market Street, 6th Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.

Background: Pseudomeningoceles most commonly occur due to prior trauma or surgery and are often located in the posterior paraspinous tissues. Here, we report a case of an intraosseous pseudomeningocele that mimicked an intra-osseous T2 hyperintense lesion in the L1 vertebral body.

Case Description: A 64-year-old male presented with back, left lateral thigh and left knee pain lasting several months. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 May 31;113:e45-e50. Epub 2018 Jan 31.

Department of Neurosurgery, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Pharmacology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Background: The nonfusion pedicle-screw system Dynesys stabilization (DS) for lumbar degenerative disease aims to better preserve range of motion (ROM) than fixation and fusion systems. However, decreased ROM and unexpected facet fusion at the index level were observed after DS was applied with unknown etiology. The aim of this study is using radiologic parameters to explain the phenomenon of facet arthrodesis. Read More

Radiography (Lond) 2018 02 1;24(1):52-56. Epub 2017 Sep 1.

Neurosurgical Service, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Pastor Hospital, Bam University of Medical Sciences, Bam, Iran. Electronic address:

Introduction: Nerve root block (NRB) and facet block (FB) are viable options for pain arising from facet and lumbar disc herniation (LDH) not responding to conservative therapy but still not suitable for surgery. Classically, they are performed under fluoroscopy and computed tomography (CT) guidance, which have the disadvantages of radiation exposure and limited accessibility. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of US guided FB and NRB in patients suffering from facet arthropathy and LDH. Read More

Eur J Radiol 2018 Jan 2;98:193-199. Epub 2017 Dec 2.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States. Electronic address:

The objective of the study is to identified the correlation between Modic changes (MCs), disc degeneration, motions (translation and angulation) and facet osteoarthritis in lumbar spine. 425 patients who underwent multi-positional lumbar MRI were reviewed. A total of 2250 lumbar spinal segments in neutral position were evaluated for MCs, disc degeneration grading, translation and angulation motion, and facet osteoarthritis. Read More

Eur Spine J 2018 05 27;27(5):1127-1135. Epub 2017 Nov 27.

Spine Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. George & Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Kogarah, Sydney, NSW, 2217, Australia.

Purpose: The relationship between biomechanical instability and degenerative changes in the lumbar spine in chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients remains controversial. The main objective of this retrospective radiographical study was to evaluate changes in kinematics at different lumbar levels (in particular the L5-S1 level) with progressive grades of disc degeneration and facet joint osteoarthritis in CLBP patients.

Methods: Using standing neutral and dynamic flexion/extension (Fx/Ex) radiographs of the lumbar spine, in vivo segmental kinematics at L1-L2 through L5-S1 were evaluated in 72 consecutive CLBP patients. Read More

PM R 2018 Jun 22;10(6):616-622. Epub 2017 Nov 22.

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Montefiore Medical Center, 1250 Waters Place, Tower Two, 8th Floor, Bronx, NY 10461.

Background: Lumbar facet arthropathy is a common cause of low back pain. Literature supports treatment with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of associated nerves that innervate lumbar facets when alternative conservative therapies have failed. Diagnostic local anesthetic blocks precede therapeutic ablation, but have a false-positive rate of 27%-63%, and some authors have questioned their utility in predicting therapeutic response to RFA. Read More

Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am 2018 02;29(1):139-154

Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute, Pond View Professional Park, 301 Professional View Drive, Building 300, Freehold, NJ 07728, USA. Electronic address:

Facet or zygapophysial joint pain is commonly seen in the aging population. Interventional procedures, such as facet joint nerve blocks, facet intraarticular injections, and radiofrequency denervation, are used for the diagnosis and treatment of axial spinal chronic neck and low back pain. The focus of this article is to understand how radiofrequency denervation works in the cervical and lumbar spine and to be able to properly select appropriate patients who might benefit from this safe and effective procedure. Read More

BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2017 Nov 22;18(1):483. Epub 2017 Nov 22.

Department of Orthopedics, Artificial Joints Engineering and Technology Research Center of Jiangxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, People's Republic of China.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between facet tropism and spinal degenerative diseases, such as degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis, degenerative lumbar scoliosis, and lumbar disc herniation.

Methods: This study retrospectively analysed clinical data from the Department of Orthopaedics at The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. Ninety-two patients were diagnosed with lumbar spondylolisthesis, 64 patients with degenerative scoliosis, and 86 patients with lumbar disc herniation between 1 October 2014 and 1 October 2016. Read More

Spine J 2018 04 15;18(4):663-673. Epub 2017 Nov 15.

Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Rd No.87, Changsha, 410008, China; The Key Laboratory of Organ Damage, Aging and Reproductive Medicine of Hunan Province, Xiangya Rd No.87, Changsha, Hunan, China. Electronic address:

Background Context: Low back pain (LBP) is more prevalent among postmenopausal women than men. Ovariectomy (OVX) is an established animal model that mimics the estrogen deficiency of postmenopausal women. Little is known about the three-dimensional (3D) morphologic properties of cartilage and subchondral bone changes in the lumbar facet joint (LFJ) of an OVX mouse model. Read More

Reg Anesth Pain Med 2018 Jan;43(1):68-71

AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2018 Jan 9;39(1):193-198. Epub 2017 Nov 9.

From the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.

Background And Purpose: Lumbar facet synovial cysts are commonly seen in facet degenerative arthropathy and may be symptomatic when narrowing the spinal canal or compressing nerve roots. The purpose of this study was to analyze the safety, effectiveness, and long-term outcomes of direct CT-guided lumbar facet synovial cyst aspiration and fenestration for symptom relief and for obviating an operation.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and imaging studies of 64 consecutive patients between 2006 and 2016 who underwent 85 CT-guided lumbar facet synovial cyst fenestration procedures in our department. Read More

Skeletal Radiol 2018 Apr 6;47(4):491-504. Epub 2017 Nov 6.

Department of Radiology, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, 149 Sangil-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, 134-727, Republic of Korea.

Objective: To compare the image quality, radiation dose, and diagnostic performance between low-dose (LD) and ultra-low-dose (ULD) lumbar-spine (L-spine) CT with iterative reconstruction (IR) for patients with chronic low back pain (LBP).

Methods: In total, 260 patients with chronic LBP who underwent L-spine CT between November 2015 and September 2016 were prospectively enrolled. Of these, 143 underwent LD-CT with IR and 117 underwent ULD-CT with IR. Read More

BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2017 Nov 3;18(1):427. Epub 2017 Nov 3.

Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Nangchang, Jiangxi, 330006, China.

Background: Osteoarthritis research has been most commonly performed in the setting of the articular cartilage of the knee. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have evaluated the role of adiponectin in osteoarthritis of the lumbar facet joint (FJOA). Therefore, in this study, we explored whether adiponectin was expressed in the lumbar facet joints and evaluated the role of adiponectin in FJOA. Read More

Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2018 05;43(10):E557-E564

Sensory & Motor System Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

Study Design: An experimental study to develop a mouse model of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD).

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a mouse lumbar IDD model using surgically induced instability and to compare the findings of this model to those in human IDD.

Summary Of Background Data: Previously, various kinds of inducers have been used to reproduce IDD in experimental animals; however, there is yet no standard mouse lumbar IDD model without direct injury to intervertebral disc. Read More

AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2017 Oct 31;38(10):2028-2031. Epub 2017 Aug 31.

From the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging (N.W.J., J.F.T., V.S., P.P., Y.S., W.P.D., S.M.), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.

Our aim was to prospectively evaluate the relationship between low back pain-related disability and quantitative measures from [F]-sodium fluoride ([F]-NaF) MR imaging. Six patients with facetogenic low back pain underwent dynamic [F]-NaF PET/MR imaging. PET metrics were correlated with clinical measures and MR imaging grading of lumbar facet arthropathy. Read More

World Neurosurg 2017 Nov 25;107:732-738. Epub 2017 Aug 25.

Department of Neurosurgery, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK.

Background: Evidence to support the use of bone hydroxydiphosphonate (HDP) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT/CT) in patients with facetogenic low back pain (LBP) is still limited. In this study we compared the scintigraphic patterns on bone SPECT/CT with the degree of structural facet joint (FJ) degeneration on CT in patients with LBP.

Methods: Ninety-nine consecutive patients with LBP were prospectively evaluated. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2017 31;2017:2964529. Epub 2017 Jul 31.

Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.

Purpose: The goal of this review is to identify criteria indicating implantation of hybrid system into lumbar spine and to evaluate general benefits of use.

Methods: A systematic review of literature was performed using current randomized clinical trials, reviews, and meta-analyses. Data sources included relevant literature of human studies identified through searches of Medline Library until May 2015. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2017 Aug;96(32):e7670

Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing, China.

Rationale: Gout in the spine is very rare. The clinical symptoms of the spinal gout are various and lack of specificity. The authors report a case of spinal gout causing lumbar stenosis. Read More

BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2017 Aug 1;18(1):330. Epub 2017 Aug 1.

School of Health & Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, PO Box 71, Bundoora, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia.

Background: Degenerative joint disease (DJD) in the lumbar spine is a common condition that is associated with chronic low back pain. Excessive loading of lumbar joints is a risk factor for DJD. Changes in lumbar lordosis significantly redistribute the forces of weight-bearing on the facet joints and the intervertebral discs. Read More

J Orthop Surg Res 2017 Jul 20;12(1):117. Epub 2017 Jul 20.

Department of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China.

Background: Conventional open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) using unilateral pedicle screws and a translaminar facet screw has been performed for many years with good results. The outcomes of minimally invasive TLIF (MIS TLIF) are similar to the good outcomes of open TLIF, with the additional benefits of reducing iatrogenic injury, shortening hospital stays, and reducing the recovery duration. Instead of using small cuts on both sides, we performed MIS TLIF through a single cut using unilateral pedicle screws and a translaminar facet screw. Read More

Clin Nucl Med 2017 Sep;42(9):730-732

From the *Department of Nuclear Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia; Departments of †Nuclear Medicine, ‡Orthopaedic Surgery, and §Pathology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.

A 46-year-old man with over a 10-year history of gout complained of progressive bilateral buttock pain with numbness of legs for 4 months. Serum uric acid level was elevated. Lumbar radiographs showed decreased density of the bilateral L4-L5 facet joints. Read More

Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2017 10 12;25(10):1672-1679. Epub 2017 Jul 12.

Department of Medicine, Thurston Arthritis Research Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA.

Objective: To determine differences in biomarker levels between radiographic phenotypes of facet joint osteoarthritis (FOA) only, spine OA only ((disc space narrowing (DSN) and vertebral osteophytes (OST)) or the combination of FOA and spine OA.

Design: A cross-sectional analysis of data from 555 participants in the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project was performed. Lumbar spine levels were graded by severity (OST and DSN) and presence (FOA) of degeneration. Read More

Anesth Analg 2018 01;126(1):280-288

From the Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Background: Low back pain is the leading cause of years lost to disability with approximately 15%-25% of the chronic back pain population suffering from lumbar facet arthropathy. No large-scale study has sought to systematically identify inciting events for lumbar facet arthropathy. The aim of this study is to quantify the proportion of individuals with lumbar facetogenic pain who report a specific precipitating event(s) and to determine if there is a correlation between these events and treatment outcome. Read More

J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong) 2017 May-Aug;25(2):2309499017718907

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Purpose: To find out the factors suggesting lumbar segmental instability in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: Ninety-four patients with DS who underwent decompression surgery with or without fusion were selected. Patient demographics and findings on simple radiographs and MRI were analyzed. Read More

Med Sante Trop 2017 Jun;27(2):222-224

Université Ouaga, 1 Pr Joseph Ki-Zerbo Ouagadougou Burkina Faso, Service d'imagerie médicale, Centre hospitalier universitaire Yalgado Ouédraogo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Posterior facet arthritis is rarely described. The authors report a case of arthritis of the posterior lumbar facet in a woman consulting for back pain associated with relative functional impairment. Modern imaging, in slices, enables better examination of the posterior arch and better diagnosis of pathologies. Read More

Orthopedics 2017 Sep 6;40(5):e793-e800. Epub 2017 Jun 6.

Facet joint osteoarthritis is considered a consequence of the aging process; however, there is evidence that it may be associated with degenerative changes of other structures. The goal of this study was to investigate the correlation between lumbar multifidus muscle features and facet joint osteoarthritis. This retrospective study included 160 patients who had acute or chronic low back pain and were diagnosed with facet joint osteoarthritis on computed tomography scan. Read More

Adv Gerontol 2017 ;30(1):84-91

Irkutsk State Medical University, Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation;

The aim of the study was to analyze results of using of fasetoplasty method in the treatment of facet-syndrome at lumbar spine in patients with middle and old age groups. The study included 227 patients older than 65 years with degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the lumbosacral spine and the clinical manifestations in the form of a facet syndrome, which in the period from 2010 to 2013 years made fasetoplasty prosthesis of synovial fluid. To assess the clinical effectiveness of using a visual analogue scale of pain (VAS) and a questionnaire for patients with back problems in Oswestry. Read More

Micron 2017 Sep 1;100:50-59. Epub 2017 May 1.

Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS, Department of Biological and Macromolecular Materials, Halle, Germany. Electronic address:

Segmental degeneration in the human lumbar spine affects both the intervertebral discs and facet joints. Facet joint degeneration not only affects the cartilage surface, but also alters the cellular properties of the cartilage tissue and the structure of the subchondral bone. The primary focus of this study is the investigation of these microstructural changes that are caused by facet joint degeneration. Read More

Sci Rep 2017 05 3;7(1):1379. Epub 2017 May 3.

Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, P.R. China.

Dramatic increase in the prevalence of lumbar facet joint (LFJ) arthritis in women around the age of menopause indicates a protective role for estrogen in LFJ arthritis. To date, there is no evidence for this indication and the mechanism of such an effect remains poorly understood. In this study, ovariectomized (OVX) mice were used to mimic the estrogen-deficient status of post-menopausal women. Read More