[Electromyographic and neurologic findings in radiologically demonstrated numerical variations in the lumbosacral...

Discussions have been going on since the publications of Bertolotti (1917) and Blumensaat and Clasing (1932) as to whether variations in the lumbosacral region and vertebral anomalies, which may alter the statics of the vertebral column, result in typical neurological disorders. Lange and Hipp (1962) found prolapses of lumbar disks localised in the segment above a unilateral or complete assimilation. As they lacked the possibility of an electromyographical examination, they had difficulties in correlating clinical and radiological findings. Neurological, electromyographical and radiological analysis of 20 patients (2 sacralisations, 6 unilateral assimilations, and 12 cases of lumbalisation) revealed: good correlation between clinical and electromyographical findings. In six cases only clinical and electromyographical findings were on the same side and at the same height as the myelographically identified prolapses. Clinical and electromyographical findings did not show significant differences as to the kind of variation, or to the side of the assimilation In sacralisations the prolapses were localised in the 4th lumbar segment, that is, immediately above the variation. In unilateral assimilated vertebrae, disk prolapses were found in two cases in the 4th segment and in 4 cases in the 5th lumbar segment. In three cases prolapse and assimilation were on the same side, in three cases the localisation was median. Patients with lumbalisations had prolapses in seven cases in the 4th, and in four cases in the 5th lumbar segment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)