J Korean Orthop Assoc.  1979 Jun;14(2):301-307. 10.4055/jkoa.1979.14.2.301.

Mechanism of the Residual Pain in the Stable Fractures of the Dorso-lumbar Vertebral Bodies

• Kim DE
• Kim TS

• KMID: 2460631
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4055/jkoa.1979.14.2.301

Abstract

Residual pain is the crucial factor that incapacitates the victims of stable fractures of the dorsolumbar vertebral bodies. This paper was designed to investigate the incidence and location of the residual pain and to confirm the mechanism of it. Forty-two patients with old, stable fractures of the dorso-lumbar vertebral bodies have been analysed clinically and rediologically. Results obtained were as follows: 1. Thirty-two (76.2%) out of fourty-two patients complained of residual pain. 2. In fracture group of the dorso-lumbar junction, the residual pains appeared at both site of lumbar area. But in fracture group of the lower lumbar spine, the residual pain predominantly localized at the site of fracture. 3. In fracture group of the dorso-lumbar junction, the lordotic curvature of the lumbar spine and Ferguson angle increased. On the contrary, in the fracture group of the lower lumbar spine they decreased. 4. In group complaining of the residual pain, simple oblique view and flexion-extension view of the lumbar spine revealed facet subluxation of one or more than one facet joint. When the subluxation was at the joint between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebra and the first sacral vertebra, the pars interarticularis was impinged by articular processes of the adjacent vertebrae. In addition, the sclerosis and narrowing of the pars interarticularis were noted. 5. It was suggested as the one of possible mechanism of the residual pain that compensatory hyperlordosis of the lumbar spine and subluxation of the facet joint resulted in so-called "facet syndrome" brought about the residual pain.

MeSH Terms

Humans
Incidence
Joints
Sclerosis
Spine
Zygapophyseal Joint