Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2011, Vol. 15 ›› Issue (48): 9044-9047.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2011.48.028

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Relationship of lumbar facet joint tropism with degeneration of the intervertebral disc and the facet joint

Duan Wen1, Zhang Jian-xiang1, Liu Jin-rui1, Bo Ran1, Song Wen2   

  1. 1Department of Spinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei  230022, Anhui Province, China; 2MRI Room, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei  230022, Anhui Province, China
  • Received:2011-08-06 Revised:2011-09-18 Online:2011-11-26 Published:2011-11-26
  • About author:Duan Wen★, Studying for master’s degree, Department of Spinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China duanwenspine@gmail.com

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The relationship between lumbar facet joint tropism and degeneration degree of the intervertebral disc and the facet joint is in dispute, and there are few studies about this in China.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of lumbar facet joint tropism in the degeneration of the intervertebral disc and the facet joint.
METHODS: The differences of facet joint angles of 936 functional spinal units from 312 patients with low back pain were measured, which were < 7° defined as lumbar facet symmetry ≥ 7° as tropism. The degeneration degrees of the intervertebral disc and the facet joint were classified.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: ①There were no significant differences in facet tropism between different ages and genders (P > 0.05). ②No significant relation was found between intervertebral disc degeneration and facet tropism (P > 0.05). ③Facet tropism was associated with a higher incidence of facet joint degeneration at L4-5 when compared with facet symmetry (P < 0.01). There was no significant correlation between lumbar facet tropism and disc degeneration. But at L4-L5, the active sites of segmental motion, facet tropism may result in facet joint degeneration.

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