Superior Facet Syndrome: Case Report

ABSTRACT

The intense radicular pain of sciatica caused by a herniated disc is familiar. That similar symptoms may result from nerve root entrapment in a stenotic lateral vertebral recess without discal herniation is less well known and its possibility should be considered in the patients with root pain. We recently experienced a case of superior facet syndrome in a 57 years old female with intense sciatic pain. On operation, the right L-5 root was found to be entrapped in a stenotic lateral recess beneath the superior articular facet of the L-5 vertebra. There was no evidence of a herniated disc. The result was clinically excellent with surgical unroofing of the lateral recess with removal of the overhanging horizontal portion of the superior facet, L-5 vertebra of right.