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Related Experiment Video

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A Mouse Model of Lumbar Spine Instability
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Reference data for interpreting widening between spinous processes in the lumbar spine.

Edward R Jackson1, Ran Lador, Peleg J Ben-Galim

  • 1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, 6620 Main St, 12th Floor, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

The Spine Journal : Official Journal of the North American Spine Society
|April 9, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study defines normal interspinous widening in the lumbar spine using X-rays from 157 volunteers. It establishes reference data to aid in assessing posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) injuries.

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Area of Science:

  • Orthopedics
  • Radiology
  • Biomechanics

Background:

  • Lumbar spine stability assessment is crucial for treating traumatic injuries.
  • Recent classifications emphasize the posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) for stability evaluation.
  • Normal reference data for interspinous widening is lacking for clinical assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To define normal interspinous widening in the lumbar spine.
  • Establish reference data from an asymptomatic population.
  • Develop criteria for clinical practice and future validation.

Main Methods:

  • Lateral lumbar X-rays of 157 asymptomatic volunteers were analyzed.
  • Interspinous distances were measured and normalized to L3 end plate width.
  • Interspinous widening during flexion-extension was calculated and compared to adjacent levels.

Main Results:

  • Interlaminar distances showed no significant difference between levels.
  • Upper limit of normal interlaminar spacing was 85% of L3 end plate width (105% at L5-S1).
  • Upper limit for interlaminar displacement (flexion-extension) was 30% (L1-L4) and 40% (L5-S1) of L3 end plate width.

Conclusions:

  • Normative data and methods are provided for objective interspinous widening assessment.
  • Simple rules can be applied for quick clinical assessment of interspinous widening.
  • Further research is needed for guideline validation; combined with other modalities, it may aid PLC injury screening.