Spine surgery and related research
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Spine Surg Relat Res · Jan 2018
ReviewSensory nerve ingrowth, cytokines, and instability of discogenic low back pain: A review.
Many patients suffer from discogenic low back pain. However, the mechanisms, diagnosistic strategy, and treatment of discogenic low back pain all remain controversial. The purpose of this paper was to review the pathological mechanisms of discogenic low back pain. ⋯ Pathological mechanisms of discogenic low back pain include sensory nerve ingrowth into inner layers of the intervertebral disc, upregulation of neurotrophic factors and cytokines, and instability. Inhibition of these mechanisms is important in the treatment of discogenic low back pain.
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Spine Surg Relat Res · Jan 2018
Case ReportsPyogenic arthritis of a lumbar facet joint, a rare cause of retroperitoneal abscess: a case report.
Pyogenic arthritis in the spinal facet joint is rare, although the wide availability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has increased the detection rate. Pyogenic arthritis of a lumbar facet joint is often combined with abscesses in the paraspinal muscles and epidural space. However, there is no report of pyogenic arthritis of a lumbar facet joint causing a retroperitoneal abscess. We report on a patient with pyogenic lumbar facet arthritis, which caused a huge retroperitoneal abscess. ⋯ Pyogenic arthritis of a lumbar facet joint can cause a retroperitoneal abscess through the vertebral foramen as well as the more common abscesses in the paravertebral muscles and epidural space, and the finding of MRI is characteristic. The clinician should suspect of pyogenic arthritis of a lumbar facet joint in a patient presenting with retroperitoneal abscesses that are not secondary to diseases of kidney or gastrointestinal tract.