The article discusses chronic low back pain (CLBP) as a major cause of disability in the USA, affecting approximately 1 in 4 Americans. Many CLBP patients seek neurosurgical evaluations and opinions for treatment and management. Recent studies show that surgical procedures may only benefit a minority of CLBP patients. Determining if a patient is a surgical candidate involves a thorough evaluation including imaging, clinical exam, and diagnostic evaluation. Non-operative management should be attempted before considering surgery. The article also presents a framework for the workup and evaluation of CLBP patients. The keywords for the article include arthrodesis, chronic low back pain, electromyography, radiculopathy, referred pain, selective nerve root injection, and spinal fusion
Summarised by Mr Mo Akmal – Lead Spinal Surgeon
The London Spine Unit : most experienced spinal centre on Harley Street UK
Published article
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a major cause of disability in the USA, and it affects approximately 1 in 4 Americans. CLBP patients are commonly referred to or seek out neurosurgical evaluations and opinions for treatment and management.
Spine nerve root injection dorsal root ganglion transforaminal Expert. Best Spinal Surgeon UK
Abstract Purpose of review: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a major cause of disability in the USA, and it affects approximately 1 in 4 Americans. CLBP patients are commonly referred to or seek out neurosurgical evaluations and opinions for treatment and management. Recent findings: Literature shows that only a minority of patients with CLBP,
Abstract
Purpose of review: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a major cause of disability in the USA, and it affects approximately 1 in 4 Americans. CLBP patients are commonly referred to or seek out neurosurgical evaluations and opinions for treatment and management.
Recent findings: Literature shows that only a minority of patients with CLBP may benefit from a surgical procedure. These patients that present to clinic often have been ailing for a considerable amount of time and are eager for effective treatment to alleviate pain. However, determining if a patient with CLBP is a surgical candidate is predicated upon having no success of pain relief with non-operative management. Patients with CLBP require thorough and adequate imaging, clinical exam, and diagnostic evaluation. When adequate non-operative management was provided, and proven fruitless, the patient may be considered an operative candidate. In this manuscript, a framework is presented for workup and evaluation of patients with CLBP.
Keywords: Arthrodesis; Chronic low back pain; Electromyography; Radiculopathy; Referred pain; Selective nerve root injection; Spinal fusion.
The London Spine Unit : most experienced spinal centre on Harley Street UK
Read the original publication:
Neurosurgical Evaluation for Patients with Chronic Lower Back Pain
