Abstract:

BACKGROUND: A majority of clinical studies are focus on morphology and histology of hypertrophic ligamentum flavum. However, there is not unified understanding of the etiological significance of hypertrophic ligamentum flavum on lumbar spinal stenosis, rather than cytokine levels.   
OBJECTIVE: To study the etiology of the degenerative and hypertrophic ligamentum flavum and its relationship to lumbar spinal stenosis on the level of cytokines.
METHODS: Ligamentum flavum specimens were obtained at operation from 25 cases of lumbar spinal stenosis and 25 cases of lumbar disc herniation. These slices were selected for immunohistochemistry staining. The expression of transforming growth factor β1, tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 were observed and compared between two groups.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the lumbar disc herniation group, the positive expression of transforming growth factor β1, tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 were higher in ligamentum flavum of the lumbar spinal stenosis group
(P < 0.01). The findings demonstrated that the expression of transforming growth factor β1, tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 in ligamentum flavum presetned with relative consistency. Sterile inflammatory cytokines also lead to the degeneration, proliferation and hypertrophy of lumbar ligamentum flavum.