Turkish Neurosurgery 2007 , Vol 17 , Num 4
Lumbar Radiculopathy Due to Unilateral Facet Hypertrophy Following Lumbar Disc Hernia Operation: A Case Report
Fatih KÖKEŞ, Ahmet GÜNAYDIN, Ahmet ACIDUMAN, Mehmet KALAN, Halit KOÇAK
S.B. Ankara Etlik İhtisas Hospital, Neurosurgery Department, Ankara, Turkey OBJECTIVE: To present a radiculopathy case due to unilateral facet hypertrophy developing three years after a lumbar disc hernia operation.

CASE REPORT: A fifty two-year-old female patient, who had been operated on for a left L5-S1 herniated lumbar disc three years ago, was hospitalized and re-operated with a diagnosis of unilateral facet hypertrophy. She had complaints of left leg pain and walking restrictions for the last six months. Left Straight Leg Raising test was positive at 40°, left ankle dorsiflexion muscle strength was 4/5, left Extensor Hallucis Longus muscle strength was 3/5, and left Achilles reflex was hypoactive. Lumbar spinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging revealed left L5-S1 facet hypertrophy.

RESULTS and CONCLUSIONS: Lumbar radiculopathy due to lumbar facet hypertrophy is a well-known neurological condition. Radicular pain develops during the late postoperative period following lumbar disc hernia operations that are often related to recurrent disc herniation or to formation of post-operative scar tissue. In addition, it can be speculated that unilateral facet hypertrophy, which may develop after a disc hernia operation, might also be one of the causes of radiculopathy. Keywords : Complication, Lumbar disc hernia, Radiculopathy, Surgery, Treatment, Unilateral facet hypertrophy

Corresponding author : Ahmet Acıduman, ahmetaciduman@yahoo.com