LUMBAR DEGENERATIVE DISK DISEASE

Course overview

BETWEEN EACH VERTEBRAL BODY OF THE SPINE ARE PADS OF FIBROCARTILAGE-BASED STRUCTURES THAT PROVIDE SUPPORT, FLEXIBILITY, AND MINOR LOAD-SHARING KNOWN AS THE INTERVERTEBRAL DISCS. THESE ARE PRIMARILY COMPOSED OF TWO LAYERS: (1) A SOFT, PULPY NUCLEUS PULPOSUS ON THE INSIDE OF THE DISC AND (2) A SURROUNDING FIRM STRUCTURE KNOWN AS THE ANNULUS FIBROSUS. A DISRUPTION OF THE NORMAL ARCHITECTURE OF THESE ROUND DISCS CAN LEAD TO A DISC HERNIATION OR A PROTRUSION OF THE INNER NUCLEUS PULPOSUS, POSSIBLY APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE SPINAL CORD, NERVE ROOT, OR ADJACENT VERTEBRAL BODY WHICH MAY FURTHER RESULT IN RADIATING PAIN AND POSSIBLE WEAKNESS. SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 90% OF HERNIATED DISCS OCCUR AT THE L4-L5 OR THE L5-S1 DISC SPACE, WHICH WILL IMPINGE ON THE L4, L5 OR S1 NERVE ROOT. THIS COMPRESSION PRODUCES RADICULOPATHY INTO THE POSTERIOR LEG AND DORSAL FOOT. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF LUMBAR DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.