Biomechanical repercussion of sitting posture on lumbar intervertebral discs: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The static sitting position contributes to increased pressure on the lumbar intervertebral disc, which can lead to dehydration and decreased disc height. OBJECTIVE: To systematically investigate the of sitting posture on degeneration of the lumbar intervertebral disc. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One researcher carried out a systematic literature search of articles with no language or time limits. Studies from 2006 to 2018 were found. The searches in all databases were carried out on January 28, 2022, using the following databases: Pubmed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) databases, and for the grey literature: Google scholar, CAPES Thesis and Dissertation Bank, and Open Grey. The acronym PECOS was used to formulate the question focus of this study: P (population) - male and female subjects; E (exposure) - sitting posture; C (comparison) - other posture or sitting posture in different periods; O (outcomes) - height and degeneration of the lumbar intervertebral disc(s), imaging exam; and S (study) - cross-sectional and case control. RESULTS: The risk of bias was in its moderate totality in its outcome: height and degeneration of the lumbar intervertebral disc(s) - imaging. Of the four selected studies, three found a decrease in the height of the disc(s) in sitting posture. CONCLUSION: The individual data from the manuscripts suggest that the sitting posture causes a reduction in the height of the lumbar intervertebral disc. It was also concluded that there is a need for new primary studies with a more in-depth design and sample size.

Posterior Epidural Migration of Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Fragment Mimicking an Epidural Mass.

Acute and chronic lower back pain can be commonly caused by intervertebral disc prolapse. This prolapse usually occurs in the dorsal direction and towards the anterior epidural space. In extremely rare cases, this migration/herniation can be seen approaching the posterior epidural space. One such rare instance has been recorded and described in our patient, a 53-year-old with a history of hypertension who presented with persistent lower back pain, radicular in nature, and recent acute aggravation, leading to mobility impairment. The patient experienced numbness in the lower limbs, urinary incontinence, and irregular bowel movements. Sensory deficits were noted along the L3 dermatome. The patient underwent an L3 laminectomy, revealing extruded disk fragments causing the compression. After surgery, the patient's power in the lower limbs began to improve, with significant recovery by discharge and complete resolution of bowel and bladder incontinence. This case highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of posterior epidural mass-like lesions in the lumbar spine, emphasizing the importance of prompt surgical intervention in restoring neurological function. The successful outcome underscores the significance of early diagnosis and intervention in such cases, ultimately improving the patient's quality of life.

Semiautomatic computer-aided classification of degenerative lumbar spine disease in magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND: Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) methods for detecting and classifying lumbar spine disease in Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI) can assist radiologists to perform their decision-making tasks. In this paper, a CAD software has been developed able to classify and quantify spine disease (disc degeneration, herniation and spinal stenosis) in two-dimensional MRI. METHODS: A set of 52 lumbar discs from 14 patients was used for training and 243 lumbar discs from 53 patients for testing in conventional two-dimensional MRI of the lumbar spine. To classify disc degeneration according to the gold standard, Pfirrmann classification, a method based on the measurement of disc signal intensity and structure was developed. A gradient Vector Flow algorithm was used to extract disc shape features and for detecting contour abnormalities. Also, a signal intensity method was used for segmenting and detecting spinal stenosis. Novel algorithms have also been developed to quantify the severity of these pathologies. Variability was evaluated by kappa (k) and intra-class correlation (ICC) statistics. RESULTS: Segmentation inaccuracy was below 1%. Almost perfect agreement, as measured by the k and ICC statistics, was obtained for all the analyzed pathologies: disc degeneration (k=0.81 with 95% CI=[0.75..0.88]) with a sensitivity of 95.8% and a specificity of 92.6%, disc herniation (k=0.94 with 95% CI=[0.87..1]) with a sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 87.1%, categorical stenosis (k=0.94 with 95% CI=[0.90..0.98]) and quantitative stenosis (ICC=0.98 with 95% CI=[0.97..0.98]) with a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 81.7%. DISCUSSION: The proposed methods are reproducible and should be considered as a possible alternative when compared to reference standards.

Excision of lumbar intervertebral disc through the lateral approach

The lateral approach for the excision of lumbar intervertebral discs is presented and discussed, with special emphasis on the complications that may be encountered. Three cases showing the importance of myelography are presented. (Summary)

Radiological Analysis of Aging Changes of the Lumbar Intervertebral Disc / 체질인류학회지

The present study was carried out to clarify the anatomical changes of lumbar intervertebral discs by aging. Anterior height, posterior height, anteroposterior diameter of intervertebral discs were measured on 512 normal plain lateral radiographs of lumbosacral spine. And the indices of disc wedging and relative disc height were calculated. There was a cephalocaudal gradient of increase in the indices of disc wedging in all age groups. The indices of relative disc height were constant at all lumbar levels. These suggest that the lower disc is more wedge shaped and the height of discs changes in the constant ratio with that of vertebral body.