Computed tomography examination of the influence of autotraction on herniation of the lumbar disc

✍ Scribed by P. Gillström; K. Ericson; T. Hindmarsh

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1985
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 413 KB
• Volume: 104
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1434-3916
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00435944

✦ Synopsis

The effect of autotraction on the configuration of herniated discs was studied by computed tomography Twenty-five patients with lumbago and sciatic pain were studied by means of GE CT/T 8800 scans of the lumbar spine (two lower levels), before and after autotraction Four patients had CT scans of the L 4-L 5 and L 5-51 levels during the actual autotraction For this part of the study a special table was designed to be fitted into the CT scanner In this way it was possible to study the configuration of the herniated disc during the time the traction force was applied The results were uniform In none of the patients could we register any difference in the disc, which retained its herniation Despite this, good clinical results were obtained after autotraction Consequently, the effect of autotraction is not connected with any marked change in the configuration of the herniated disc.

Degenerative diseases of the spine are considered of major etiologic importance in lower back pain. Examples are herniated disc, spondylosis, osteoarthritis, and spondylolisthesis Protrusion or prolapse of the intervertebral disc may cause impingement on a nerve root or roots, and the patient usually experiences pain radiating down the leg and loss of some sensory and motor function It remains unclear exactly what the influence of a disc prolapse is on the production of pain, as a prolapse can be verified in only a minority of patients suffering from sciatica. Wyke l 7 l has stated that only 5 % of patients with Offprint requests to: Per Gillstr 6 m, M D (see address above)