An Unusual Case of Lumbar Facet Arthropathy presenting with Pain Abdomen

JOURNAL TITLE: Journal on Recent Advances in Pain

Author
1. Ravi S Sharma
ISSN
2454-6607
DOI
10.5005/jp-journals-10046-0088
Volume
3
Issue
3
Publishing Year
2017
Pages
3
  • Article keywords

    Abstract

    Introduction

    Facet joint arthropathy refers to a degenerative disease that affects the joints of the vertebrae. Lumbar facet joints (zygapophyseal joint) were first suggested in the medical literature as a source of low back pain (LBP) and lower extremity pain in 1911. These joints have been implicated as the cause of pain in 15 to 45% of patients with chronic LBP. The majority of published clinical investigations report no correlation between the clinical symptoms of LBP and degenerative spinal changes observed on radiologic imaging studies, including radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), single photon emission CT, and radionuclide bone scanning. Low back pain from the facet joints often radiates down into the buttocks and down the back of the upper leg. Pain is rarely present in the front of the leg or below the knee. Our case report is about a 24-year-old female patient who presented with left-sided paramedian LBP with severe lower abdominal pain, who underwent several investigations for her abdominal pain and was treated for abdominal pain without any significant relief. Careful history and clinical examination revealed lumbar facet joint tenderness involving left L4–L5 and L5–S1 facet joint. Diagnostic block followed by radiofrequency (RF) ablation of medial branch supplying the corresponding facet joint was performed with near-complete pain relief.

    How to cite this article

    Chavda P, Das G, Sharma RS. An Unusual Case of Lumbar Facet Arthropathy presenting with Pain Abdomen. J Recent Adv Pain 2017;3(3):142-144.

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