L5 Vertebra Sacralisation Case Studies

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A CASE REPORT OF A VARIANT OF LUMBOSACRAL TRANSITION VERTEBRAE : CASTELLVI TYPE IIA SACRALISATION

Dr Subhendu Pandit*, Dr Monalisa**, Dr Samrat Sapkota**, Dr Sushil Kumar***
* Associate Professor, Dept of Anatomy, AFMC Pune
** Resident, Dept of Anatomy, AFMC Pune
*** Professor and Head, Dept of Anatomy, AFMC Pune

ABSTRACT

Lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV) are congenital anomalies of the lumbosacral spine causing sacralisation or lumbarisation. Sacralisation has been defined as an abnormality where one of the transverse processes of L5 vertebra may articulate or fuse with the sacrum. The sacralisation has been studied for almost a century for its association with low back pain as “Bertolotti Syndrome”, but there are studies for and …show more content…

This controversy is due to an incomplete understanding of the variations in the lumbosacral anatomy and an absence of a comprehensive classification system.[6] The dysplastic transverse processes in the Type I is generally considered to be of no clinical significance, but the etiologies behind the low back pain associated with type II sacralisation maybe due to nerveroot compression between the hypertrophic TP of L5 and the sacral ala, may arise from an abnormal articulation between the TP and the sacral ala or may present in the opposite side of the lower back as a facetogenic pain due degenerative changes in the joint.[2] Type IIA sacralisation exhibits an accelerated disc degeneration and disc protrusion above the transitional vertebra due to an abnormal torque and hypermobility, with a protective action on the disc below due to restriction in the rotational and bending movements as a result of stabilization provided by the anomalous articulation.[1,2,5,14,15,16] Castellvi in his observations had associated the Type II with presence of disc herniation at the level of transition with a greater incidence at a level just above the transition vertebra.[5] Extraforaminal stenosis is more often observed in type I. Vergauven has observed that the abnormal vertebra is in itself not a risk factor for spinal degenerative changes but if it does occur, it is at the suprajacent level of the transition vertebra.[16] Significant association have also been found with presence of cervical ribs in the presence of sacralisation suggesting developmental anomalies.[17] Recent studies have hypothesized presence of mutations in the HOX genes which are involved with the

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