MRI evaluation of the lumbar spine ligamentum flavum & its contribution to degenerative spinal stenosis

Introduction: Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a medical condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal cord and nerves at the level of the lumbar vertebra. Causes of spinal stenosis include: hypertrophy of ligamentum flavum, herniated intervertebral disc and hypertrophy of...

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Main Author: Lian, Teh Hak
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2018
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Online Access:http://eprints.usm.my/48567/1/Dr.%20Teh%20Hak%20Lian-24%20pages.pdf
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spelling my-usm-ep.485672021-03-09T07:28:35Z MRI evaluation of the lumbar spine ligamentum flavum & its contribution to degenerative spinal stenosis 2018 Lian, Teh Hak RC Internal medicine Introduction: Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a medical condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal cord and nerves at the level of the lumbar vertebra. Causes of spinal stenosis include: hypertrophy of ligamentum flavum, herniated intervertebral disc and hypertrophy of facet joint. Ligamentum Flavum (LF) is an anatomical structure, extends from the 2nd cervical vertebra through to the 1st sacral vertebra. It spans the vertebral lamina and forms the dorsal surface of the spinal canal. The objective of this study is to understand the contribution of ligament flavum in the pathoanatomy of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. Methodology : This is a retrospective cross sectional study involving MRI of 50 young patients without spinal stenosis and 50 older patients with spinal stenosis from Jan 2010 to Dec 2016 in Hospital University Sains Malaysia. The young non stenotic patients have no signs and symptoms of spinal stenosis. Meanwhile the older stenotic group of patients have signs and symptoms of spinal stenosis and were operated. Results & discussion : There is a significant strong linear relationship between thickness of LF with age among the young non-stenotic group (P <0.05) whereas in older spinal stenosis group, age has no significant relationship with thickness of LF . The thickness of LF in stenotic group is significantly thickened compared to non stenotic group (P<0.05). There were more cranial extension than caudal extension of LF in both groups and the thickest LF were situated at the sublaminar region. The location of thickest LF is situated at lower 1/3 from the inferior edge of lamina. There is no significant association between thickness of LF with the amount of herniated intervertebral disc but herniated disc mostly occurs in conjunction with thickened ligamentum flavum.Conclusion : Thickening of LF is an age dependent process ,however this increment of thickening was not seen in spinal stenosis group. In LSS group L3/L4 level has the thickest LF and has the most cranial extension. For complete flavectomy/ decompression, at least 12mm of lamina from the inferior edge has to be removed . 2018 Thesis http://eprints.usm.my/48567/ http://eprints.usm.my/48567/1/Dr.%20Teh%20Hak%20Lian-24%20pages.pdf application/pdf en public masters Universiti Sains Malaysia Pusat Pengajian Sains Perubatan
institution Universiti Sains Malaysia
collection USM Institutional Repository
language English
topic RC Internal medicine
spellingShingle RC Internal medicine
Lian, Teh Hak
MRI evaluation of the lumbar spine ligamentum flavum & its contribution to degenerative spinal stenosis
description Introduction: Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a medical condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal cord and nerves at the level of the lumbar vertebra. Causes of spinal stenosis include: hypertrophy of ligamentum flavum, herniated intervertebral disc and hypertrophy of facet joint. Ligamentum Flavum (LF) is an anatomical structure, extends from the 2nd cervical vertebra through to the 1st sacral vertebra. It spans the vertebral lamina and forms the dorsal surface of the spinal canal. The objective of this study is to understand the contribution of ligament flavum in the pathoanatomy of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. Methodology : This is a retrospective cross sectional study involving MRI of 50 young patients without spinal stenosis and 50 older patients with spinal stenosis from Jan 2010 to Dec 2016 in Hospital University Sains Malaysia. The young non stenotic patients have no signs and symptoms of spinal stenosis. Meanwhile the older stenotic group of patients have signs and symptoms of spinal stenosis and were operated. Results & discussion : There is a significant strong linear relationship between thickness of LF with age among the young non-stenotic group (P <0.05) whereas in older spinal stenosis group, age has no significant relationship with thickness of LF . The thickness of LF in stenotic group is significantly thickened compared to non stenotic group (P<0.05). There were more cranial extension than caudal extension of LF in both groups and the thickest LF were situated at the sublaminar region. The location of thickest LF is situated at lower 1/3 from the inferior edge of lamina. There is no significant association between thickness of LF with the amount of herniated intervertebral disc but herniated disc mostly occurs in conjunction with thickened ligamentum flavum.Conclusion : Thickening of LF is an age dependent process ,however this increment of thickening was not seen in spinal stenosis group. In LSS group L3/L4 level has the thickest LF and has the most cranial extension. For complete flavectomy/ decompression, at least 12mm of lamina from the inferior edge has to be removed .
format Thesis
qualification_level Master's degree
author Lian, Teh Hak
author_facet Lian, Teh Hak
author_sort Lian, Teh Hak
title MRI evaluation of the lumbar spine ligamentum flavum & its contribution to degenerative spinal stenosis
title_short MRI evaluation of the lumbar spine ligamentum flavum & its contribution to degenerative spinal stenosis
title_full MRI evaluation of the lumbar spine ligamentum flavum & its contribution to degenerative spinal stenosis
title_fullStr MRI evaluation of the lumbar spine ligamentum flavum & its contribution to degenerative spinal stenosis
title_full_unstemmed MRI evaluation of the lumbar spine ligamentum flavum & its contribution to degenerative spinal stenosis
title_sort mri evaluation of the lumbar spine ligamentum flavum & its contribution to degenerative spinal stenosis
granting_institution Universiti Sains Malaysia
granting_department Pusat Pengajian Sains Perubatan
publishDate 2018
url http://eprints.usm.my/48567/1/Dr.%20Teh%20Hak%20Lian-24%20pages.pdf
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