Abstracts Posters SICOT-SOF meeting Gothenburg 2010 _2_

Poster
Topic: Spine
Abstract number: 24392
HYDRARTHROSIS OF THE FACET JOINT HAS AN INFLUENCE ON RADICULAR
PAIN INTENSITY IN LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Akira ONDA, Shinichi KIKUCHI, Shoji YABUKI, Koji OTANI, Takuya NIKAIDO,
Shinichi KONNO
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima
(JAPAN)
[Introduction] It still remains unclear that degree of low back pain (LBP) or sciatica
correlates with the diagnostic imaging in lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). The purpose
of this study was to investigate the causality. [Methods] Forty-four patients with LSS,
who underwent the operation due to radicular neurogenic intermittent claudication,
were prospectively assessed in this study. The responsible segment was a single in
each patient. Degenerative spondylolisthesis was present in 20 patients and
spondylosis in 24. The degree of lateral recess was graded by the nerve root
compression and, furthermore, the hydrarthrosis of the facet joint neighboring the
affected nerve root was also graded by size. These MRI findings were compared to
visual analogue scale (VAS) on LBP/ leg pain and Roland-Morris Disability
Questionnaire (RDQ). [Results] The degree of the lateral recess stenosis significantly
related to RDQ (P < 0.05), but not VAS. The nerve roots with hydrarthrosis were
detected in 42% and the average VAS were 3.2 on LBP and 6.9 on leg pain,
respectively. On the other hand, VAS were 4.3 on LBP and 5.5 on leg pain in the
nerve roots without hydrathrosis, indicating the pronounced leg pain on the nerve
roots accompanying hydrathrosis (P