Spinal stenosis indicates a pathological condition causing the compression of the contents of the canal, especially neural structures. The term stenosis means a narrowing of the caliber of an orifice or a tube. Spinal stenosis, therefore, defines a narrowing of the bone channel occupied by the spinal nerves or the spinal cord. This is usually […]
Spine
Bertolotti Syndrome – Causes and Treatment
Bertolotti syndrome is the presence of a variation of the fifth lumbar vertebra with a large transverse process, either articulated or fused with the sacral basis or iliac crest, producing a chronic, persistent lower back pain. It may also cause isolated L4/5 disc disease. Bertolotti described a unilateral and bilateral enlargement of the transverse process […]
What is Spinal Tumor Syndrome?
Spinal tumor syndrome is not a condition in itself. It is a clinical label for the patient’s condition with many differentials in the offering. Most often, the term is used in cases of spine tuberculosis where there is no apparent osseous lesion. To understand spinal tumor syndrome one must first know about the typical presentation […]
Do Backpacks Cause Back Pain in Children?
Back pain in children is not that common and often may be associated with underlying disorders. However, recent evidence has suggested backpacks in school going children to be a cause of back pain. The school going does involve carrying backpacks filled with books and materials and is continuing to be so in future time, it […]
Pyogenic Vertebral osteomyelitis Presentation and Treatment
Pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis is a type of spinal infection which may result from direct trauma, the spread of infection from adjacent structures or hematogenous spread from the distant focus of infection. It can have devastating complications if untreated which could be a pathological fracture, epidural infection, and compression of the neural structures. Vertebral osteomyelitis is […]
IDSA 2015 Clinical Practice Guidelines for Native Vertebral Osteomyelitis in Adults
The guidelines are published by the Infectious Disease Society of America. These guidelines include evidence and opinion-based recommendations for the diagnosis and management of patients with native vertebral osteomyelitis treated with antimicrobial therapy, with or without surgical intervention. Native vertebral osteomyelitis in adults is often the result of hematogenous seeding of the adjacent disc space […]
Back Pain in Children
Back pain in children, as compared to an adult is more likely to have a serious underlying disorder. Back pain in children is often due to organic causes, especially if it persists longer than two months. Up to 85% of children with back pain could have a detectable pathology. Therefore, a careful history and a […]
Pott’s Paraplegia or Spinal Tuberculosis with Neural Involvement
Spinal tuberculosis with neural deficit can occur in the lesions when disease comrpresses the cord. Potts paraplegia is term for this deficit in TB spine Spinal tuberculosis is the most common form of skeletal tuberculosis accounting for 50 percent of osteoarticular tuberculosis. Neural compression in spinal tuberculosis may lead to tetraparesis-tetraplegia or paraparesis-paraplegia. Pathology of […]
Kyphotic Deformity of Spine in Tuberculosis
Neurological complications (paraplegia or quadriplegia) and spinal deformity especially kyphotic deformity are the most dreaded complications of tuberculosis of the spine. The sequelae of these two complications affect the quality and span of life. Almost all tuberculosis of the spine, even if they are treated well, leave behind some amount of kyphosis in different segments […]
Imaging in Spinal Disorders
In modern spine practice, imaging has a pivotal role in the diagnosis and treatment of the lesion. In this article, we discuss various modalities of imaging of spine disorders. X-rays Conventional plain film radiography initiates the investigation of any suspected spinal pathology. X-ray is the basic investigation, not that sensitive albeit. X-ray has a very […]