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Painful Schmorl's node treated by lumbar interbody fusion.
K Hasegawa1, A Ogose, T Morita
1Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Niigata University Hospital, Niigata Japan.
Spinal Cord
|February 7, 2004
Summary
This case report details a painful Schmorl's node diagnosed via discography. Surgical intervention for persistent pain involving disc eradication and fusion proved effective.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Radiology
- Spine Surgery
Background:
- Schmorl's nodes are intravertebral disc herniations.
- Painful Schmorl's nodes are rare and can cause significant low back pain.
Observation:
- A 55-year-old woman presented with mechanical low back pain.
- Discography revealed contrast leakage into L3, indicating an intravertebral disc herniation.
- Histology confirmed fibrocartilaginous tissue herniation into the vertebral spongiosa.
Findings:
- Discography is a valuable diagnostic tool for painful Schmorl's nodes.
- Surgical treatment, including disc eradication and segmental fusion, effectively relieved disabling back pain.
- Histologic examination confirmed the nature of the herniated tissue.
Implications:
- Early diagnosis and surgical consideration are crucial for managing painful Schmorl's nodes.
- This case highlights the efficacy of surgical intervention for persistent disabling back pain associated with Schmorl's nodes.
- The findings support disc eradication and segmental fusion as a preferred surgical approach.
