Incidence of lumbosacral anomalies of segmentation, spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis in low back pain

ABSTRACT

The material consisted of 100 subjects not complaining of low back pain and acting as controls, and 100 patients suffering from low back pain without history of trauma or distal neurological deficit. They were examined radiologically for lumbosacral anomalies of segmentation, spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis. Their age was 20-50 years and 50% of each group were males. They were examined clinically and radiologically by anteroposterior, lateral, two oblique and st and ing lateral views. The lumbosacral and sacrovertical angles were measured. Lumbar myelography was done in 20 patients. Thirty-eight patients had 51 anomalies; 14 sacralization, 3 lumbarization, 25 spondylolysis and 9 spondylolisthesis. Four control cases had 14 anomalies; 9 sacralization and 5 lumbarization. Spondylolysis affected the fifth lumbar vertebra in 72% and spondylolisthesis the L5/S1 level in 67%. Lumbarization and spondylolysis were significantly more common in males. The lumbosacral angle was significantly increased in lumbarization and sacralization as compared with other anomalies. In ten cases of lumbarization and sacralization not associated with spondylolysis, a complete improvement of low back pain was obtained by physiotherapy