Transcript Document
Evaluation of back pain and
other disorders of the Spine
SANDEEP KONDURU
M.B.B.S, FRCSED
(TR & ORTH)
CONSULTANT ORTHOPAEDIC SPINE
SURGEON
What to refer
When to refer
Where to refer
Recent advances in Spine surgery – Minimally
invasive surgery
Elective cases
Back pain
Spinal stenosis
Neck pain
Lumbar/Cervical disc prolapse
Leg pain
Degenerate disc/facet joint disease
Arm pain
Myelopathy
Neurological
symptoms
Case 1 – 50 year old gentleman
Back pain with bilateral leg pain, heaviness
Leg symptoms get worse on walking, relieved by sitting
Distal pulses and vascular exam
Abnormal
Normal
Spinal stenosis
Vascular referral
Spinal referral
Case 1
Treatment for spinal
stenosis
Non operative
Operative
Limited role for medical therapy
Traditional approach for
treatment of
spondylolisthesis
5-7 days post op stay
Increased post op pain
Longer recovery
Minimally invasive spine
surgery
Small incisions
Less muscle and tissue damage
Decreased blood loss
Less post op pain, early discharge and
recovery, improved early and long term
function
Cost effective
Case 2 - 30 yr old self employed
joiner
Sciatica +/- Back pain
Cauda equina symptoms
No
Yes
Analgesia, exercises, education
Urgent referral to
spine surgeon
Improvement in 4-6 weeks
No
Referral to Spine surgeon
Yes
Discharge
Examination
History
Physical Examination
Nerve root tension signs
Straight leg raise
Bowstring sign
Femoral stretch test
Neurological exam
P.R exam
Lumbar disc prolapse
Lumbar discectomy –
Wait for 12 months before offering surgery
Effectiveness of surgery decreases in patients
with symptoms longer than 12 months
Lumbar microdiscectomy
Early surgery gives better clinical results
Early surgery is cost effective
Decreasing incidence of complications (much
safer than a THR)
Lumbar microdiscectomy –
A day case procedure
Go home the same day of surgery
High patient satisfaction
Quicker recovery
Minimally invasive approach – operating
microscope
Lumbar disc prolapse causing
radiculopathy – my approach
Advice and analgesia for 6 weeks
Persistent pain after 6-8 weeks
Conservative management
Nerve root blocks
Microdiscectomy
Case 3
R/o Red flags
Chronic back pain
Education, analgesia, CBT, Physiotherapy,
Functional rehabilitation programme,
acupuncture, osteopathic manipulations
Address
yellow,
orange flags
Improvement
Yes
Discharge
No
Referral to Spinal surgeon
Degenerative Disc Disease
Identify pain source
Discography
Facet joint injections
MIS treatment of DDD
‘‘No, this
won’t help
your back,
but I’m
getting
great
reception
for the big
game!’’
Case 4
65 year old lady with
back pain following
minor fall
Radiograph
Osteoporotic vertebral
fracture
1 in 2 women above age of 50 years
1 in 4 men above age of 50 years
Vast majority unrecognised
Persistent pain in a third of cases
Clinical consequences of
vertebral compression fractures
Acute and chronic pain
Impairment in activities of daily living
Loss of mobility
Depression
Progressive kyphosis
Shortness of breath
Increased mortality
Case 4
65 year old lady with back pain following minor fall
Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
Analgesia, +/brace, treatment for
osteoporosis
Improvement in 6 weeks
Yes
No
Discharge
Refer to spine surgeon
Vertebroplasty for osteoporotic
vertebral compression fractures
Case 5
Neck pain
Red flags
Yes
Urgent
Spinal referral
No
Arm pain
Myelopathy
Neck pain
Cervical radiculopathy
History
Cervical radiculopathy
Nerve root tension signs
Spurling’s test
Axial compression test
Upper limb tension test
Cervical disc prolapse
Treatment
Conservative
Nerve root block
Surgical (Anterior
cervical discectomy and
fusion)
Cervical myelopathy
High index of suspicion
especially in the elderly
Natural history
Treatment
Observation
Surgery
Cervical myelopathy
Hoffman’s sign
Walking Rhomberg’s
Grip and release
Inverted supinator and inverted biceps
reflexes
Brisk reflexes
Upgoing plantars
Sustained clonus
Neck pain
Second most frequent musculoskeletal cause
for consultation in primary care.
Aetiology
Muscular, postural, stress, depression,
degenerative discs and facets
Neck pain
Neck pain - treatment
Surgery usually ineffective unless for
instability
Conservative treatment
Exercise based therapy
Manual therapy, manipulation
More urgent problems
Trauma
Tumour
Infection
Cauda equina / Spinal cord compression
Red flags
New onset back pain in patients <20 and >55
years old
Mid thoracic back pain
Past history of cancer
Back pain with fever, chills, rigors, weight
loss, etc
Progressive neurology
Bladder / bowel symptoms, perineal
numbness
Summary
Don’t forget the red flags
Summary
Most elective conditions are self limiting
Early surgery efficacious and cost effective
Trend towards minimally invasive techniques
Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
Where to refer?
University Hospital of North Staffordshire
Nuffield Health North Staffordshire Hospital,
Newcastle-under- Lyme
Private referrals
Choose and book (NHS)
www.spineconsultant.co.uk
Sandeep Konduru
Full time Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon
Combined Neurosurgical and Orthopaedic Spine
Fellowship
Consultant Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon – UHNS
Special interests
degenerative pathology of the entire spine
cervical spine surgery
Minimally invasive spine surgery
www.spineconsultant.co.uk
Sandeep Konduru
Non academic pursuits
Travel
Racquet sports
Aasha Charity (www.aasha.org.uk)
www.spineconsultant.co.uk
Charity Cricket match
(for tickets contact Sandeep: 07515379010)
9th September 2011
Okamoor Cricket Club
Cricket and curry
Other entertainment and
activities
Children’s cricket
THANK YOU