Classification of the Congenital Defect of the Lumbar Facet Joint: Case Report and Literature Review

Shuo Wang,; Gengxiao Lin,; Geng Zhao,; Cheng Qiu,; Lianlei Wang,; Suomao Yuan,; Yonghao Tian,; Xinyu Liu,

doi:10.1111/os.14132

Orthopaedic Surgery ›› 2024, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (8) :2081 -2086. DOI: 10.1111/os.14132

CASE REPORT

Classification of the Congenital Defect of the Lumbar Facet Joint: Case Report and Literature Review

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Abstract

Background: Congenital lumbar facet joint defect is a rare congenital developmental disorder with only a few reported cases in the literature, primarily affecting the L5-S1 segments. This study reports the first case of a defect in the left L3 inferior articular process; and presents a review of the existing literature on the subject, proposes a classification system, and validates the inter-observer and intra-observer reliability of this classification system.

Case Presentation: A 14-year-old boy presented to our orthopedic clinic with persistent lower back pain for 1 month. Imaging analysis, including CT scans, 3D reconstruction, and MRI, revealed a congenital lumbar facet joint defect at the L3 level, which has not been reported. Conservative treatment resulted in a significant improvement in his symptoms, and he is currently under follow-up care.

Conclusion: Congenital defect of the lumbar facet joint is a rare spinal condition. This article reports the first patient with a defect in the left L3 inferior articular process and conducts a comprehensive literature review, proposing a classification of articular process defects into five types. The two most common types are Types B and C. We have demonstrated that this system is reliable and reproducible and have described the treatment of each type.

Keywords

Classification system / Congenital defect / L3 articular process / Low back pain / Lumber facet joint

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Shuo Wang,, Gengxiao Lin,, Geng Zhao,, Cheng Qiu,, Lianlei Wang,, Suomao Yuan,, Yonghao Tian,, Xinyu Liu,. Classification of the Congenital Defect of the Lumbar Facet Joint: Case Report and Literature Review. Orthopaedic Surgery, 2024, 16(8): 2081-2086 DOI:10.1111/os.14132

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