Incidence of ligamentum flavum hypertrophy in patients with spinal stenosis | ||
| The Egyptian Orthopaedic Journal | ||
| Volume 52, Issue 2, April 2017, Pages 150-152 PDF (69.61 K) | ||
| DOI: 10.4103/eoj.eoj_35_17 | ||
| Author | ||
| Munir Saadeddin | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Background Spinal stenosis is most common in the cervical and lumbar regions. It is often a consequence of multifactorial acquired degenerative changes. Ligamentum flavum hypertrophy (LFH) is an important known cause, although its actual incidence is less well established. This study was therefore undertaken to evaluate its incidence at a tertiary referral center. Patients and methods A retrospective review of 98 patients with a radiological diagnosis of spinal stenosis was performed. Demographic data were also collected. Results Totally, 24 (24.5%) cases of LFH were identified. The majority of these (17 cases; 70.8%) were at the level of L4/L5 and six (25%) cases involved multiple levels. The incidence of LFH was greater in those patients with spinal stenosis who were aged 60 or older. LFH was also found in patients with other spinal pathologies, such as disc herniation, degenerative changes, and spondylolisthesis. Conclusion LFH was diagnosed in 24.5% of patients with spinal stenosis in this series. It predominantly occurs at the L4/L5 level and is more common in those aged 60 and above. These findings should be considered when selecting the type of management of spinal stenosis. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| ligamentum flavum hypertrophy; spinal stenosis; spine | ||
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