These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: A case of Bertolotti's syndrome as a cause of sciatica.
    Author: Kawtharani S, Bsat SA, El Housheimy M, Moussalem C, Halaoui A, Sunna T.
    Journal: Surg Neurol Int; 2021; 12():516. PubMed ID: 34754566.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Bertolotti's syndrome (i.e., varying extent of fusion between the last lumbar vertebra and the first sacral segment) or lumbosacral transitional vertebrae is a rare cause of back pain. Notably, this syndrome is one of the differential diagnoses for patients with refractory back pain/sciatica. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 71-year-old male presented with low back pain of 3 years duration that radiated into the right lower extremity resulting in numbness in the L5 distribution. He then underwent a minimally invasive approach to resect the L5 "wide" transverse process following the CT diagnosis of Bertolotti's syndrome. Prior to surgery, patient reported pain that was exacerbated by ambulation that resolved post-operative. CONCLUSION: Bertolotti's syndrome is one of the rare causes of sciatica that often goes undiagnosed. Nevertheless, it should be ruled out for patients with back pain without disc herniations or other focal pathology diagnosed on lumbar MR scans.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]