Related Experiment Videos
[Herniated disk and congenital spinal stenosis in the adolescent]
Summary
Adolescents with herniated discs often have congenital spinal stenosis, a condition characterized by a narrow spinal canal. This finding highlights the importance of considering spinal stenosis in pediatric cases of herniated discs.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Neurosurgery
- Radiology
Background:
- Herniated discs are a common cause of back pain.
- Congenital spinal stenosis can predispose individuals to disc herniation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between herniated discs and congenital spinal stenosis in adolescents.
- To compare spinal canal dimensions in adolescents with herniated discs to healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of adolescent patients with herniated discs.
- Computed Tomography (CT) scans used to measure spinal canal diameter.
- Comparison of measurements with a control group of ten normal subjects.
Main Results:
- All twelve adolescent patients with herniated discs were diagnosed with spinal stenosis.
- The mean spinal canal diameter was significantly smaller in patients (8.1 mm) compared to controls (18.1 mm).
Conclusions:
- A strong relationship exists between herniated discs and congenital spinal stenosis in adolescents, exceeding previously reported literature.
- This association may explain the higher incidence of neurological involvement and failure of conservative treatment in this population compared to adults.