Radicular Pain After Hip Disarticulation: A Clinical Vignette

A 36-yr-old man with a history of industrial accident causing traumatic left hip disarticulation, pubic symphysis, and right sacroiliac joint fractures presented with a 3-yr history of left-sided lower back pain radiating down the amputated limb. Computed tomography lumbar spine showed osteophytes surrounding the sacroiliac joint bilaterally with reduced left L4-L5 foraminal space. A fluoroscopically guided left sacroiliac steroid injection led to mild improvement in low back pain. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine without contrast showed transitional type L5 vertebral body with left-sided flowing osteophytes abutting the extraforaminal L4 and L5 nerves. Ultimately, multilevel left fluoroscopically guided transforaminal epidural steroid injection at L4-L5 and L5-S1 significantly improved symptoms. Although phantom radiculopathy is a rare entity, clinical suspicion of degenerative spine disease or other pathology contributing to nerve impingement in patients with amputations should remain; this unique case discusses bony osteophyte complex as the cause for phantom radiculopathy instead of previously described disc herniation. Magnetic resonance imaging remains a key tool in delineating causes of low back pain among patients with lower limb amputations.