Open AccessFactors in the development of the spinal stenosis syndrome
Author(s) -
A. Naylor
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of bone and joint surgery. british volume/the journal of bone and joint surgery. british volume
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 0968-7300
pISSN - 0301-620X
DOI - 10.1302/0301-620x.61b3.479253
Subject(s) - facetectomy , lateral recess , medicine , nerve root , lumbar spinal stenosis , spinal canal stenosis , spinal stenosis , stenosis , enucleation , anatomy , decompression , annulus (botany) , spinal canal , lumbar , intervertebral disc , surgery , radiology , laminectomy , spinal cord , botany , psychiatry , biology
The spinal stenosis syndrome is a potential hazard when congenital or developmental narrowing of the bony canal, particularly in its lateral recesses where it can be demonstrated by axial tomography, places the emergent nerve root and its blood supply at risk to further small compressive elements. When lumbar disc degeneration allows rotatory and lateral instability, posterolateral bulging of the annulus fibrosus into the root canal occurs when weight is taken on the ipsilateral lower limb. Symptoms of the spinal stenosis syndrome do not arise until the development of this instability. To relieve the symptoms, the nerve root must be freely mobilised and decompressed by full lateral decompression, with partial or total facetectomy if necessary, by enucleation of the intervertebral disc and by removal of the posterolateral portions of the annuli fibrosi.