A Case of the Narrow Lumbar Spinal Canal Coexisted with Lumbar Disc Herniation

ABSTRACT

A case of the narrow lumbar spinal canal was reported in which a lumbar disc herniation was coexisted at L3-L4 interspace. The patient was a 58-year-old male whose chief complaint was pain in the low back and in both legs which was intermittent in occurrence and alternative from side to side. The symptoms lated for about 7 years prior to this admission to hospital and it was initiated and aggravated by standing for minutes or walking and especially by extention of low back. No significant neurological deficits were detected in neurological examination except for signs of single nerve root compression from which L3-L4 disc herniation was suspected. Findings of simple lumbar spine radiograms and myelograms were compatible with those of narrowed spinal canal. Complete bilateral laminectomy of lumbar spine sparing articular facets were performed to get freedom of neural element or structure in the spinal canal from pressure. Hypertrophied ligamentum flavum, thickened laminae and protrusion of disc at L3-L4 interspace were the findings observed in the surgical operation. The patient became asymptomatic after the surgery.