Lumbar Disc Herniation with Contralateral Symptoms: A Case-Series of 11 Patients and Literature Review

OBJECTIVE

Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common pathology that typically causes unilateral radiculopathy on the same side as herniation, while patients may occasionally present with contralateral symptoms. Owing to the rare incidence of LDH with contralateral symptoms, the pathological mechanism remains unclear and the optimal surgical strategy is a subject of debate. This study aimed to provide new insights into the pathological mechanism of contralateral symptoms and assess the efficacy of ipsilateral hemilaminectomy and discectomy surgery in this population.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective, single-center, clinical case series, including 11 LDH cases with exclusive contralateral symptoms. We searched for LDH cases that were presented at our institution between January 2011 and December 2020. Adult LDH Patients with contralateral radicular pains were included, while those with ipsilateral radiculopathy, lumbar stenosis, foraminal stenosis on the symptomatic side, multilevel disc herniations, scoliosis, and lumbar operation history were excluded. Visual Analog Scale (VAS), clinical features, radiographic images, and other data were collected from the study cohort of 11 cases for further analysis. We also reviewed LDH cases in English literature from 1978 to 2023 to analyze their clinical characteristics and treatment.

RESULTS

The incidence rate of LDH with contralateral symptoms in single-level LDH cases was 0.32%. The average age of our 11 cases was 49.3 years old, and five of them were female (45.5%). All individuals had single-level lateral LDH, with six cases (54.5%) located at L4-5 and five cases (45.5%) located at L5-S1. Upon admission, patients presented with lower back pain (seven cases, 63.6%), radicular pain (seven cases, 63.6%), hypoesthesia (seven cases, 63.6%), and muscle weakness (one case, 9.1%) on the contralateral side alone. Each case experienced ipsilateral hemilaminectomy and discectomy, and no lateral recess stenosis, hypertrophy of facets or ligaments, and sequestrated discs were found during surgery. All of them have good pain relief with two cases reporting no pain and nine cases reporting only mild pain at the last follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the surgical findings of our 11 LDH cases with contralateral symptoms, we hypothesized that the contralateral symptoms might be produced when the nerve root on the contralateral symptomatic side was tightly pulled by the herniated disc via the dural mater. Ipsilateral hemilaminectomy and discectomy surgery effectively and efficiently relieve the symptoms without postoperative complications for these patients.

Diagnosis of cauda equina syndrome in the emergency department

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a spinal emergency that can be challenging to identify from among the many patients presenting to EDs with low back and/or radicular leg pain. This article presents a practical guide to the assessment and early management of patients with suspected CES as well as an up-to-date review of the most important studies in this area that should inform clinical practice in the ED.

The Reoperation, Readmission, and Complication Rates at 30 Days Following Lumbar Decompression for Cauda Equina Syndrome

Background and objective Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is considered a surgical emergency, and its primary treatment involves decompression of the nerve roots, typically in the form of discectomy or laminectomy. The primary aim of this study was to determine the complication, reoperation, and readmission rates within 30 days of surgical treatment of CES secondary to disc herniation by using the PearlDiver database (PearlDiver Technologies, Colorado Springs, CO). The secondary aim was to assess preoperative risk factors for a higher likelihood of complication occurrence within 30 days of surgery for CES. Methods A total of 524 patients who had undergone lumbar discectomy or laminectomy for CES were identified. The outcome measures were 30-day reoperation rate for revision decompression or lumbar fusion, and 30-day readmissions related to surgery. The patient data collected included medical history and surgical data including the number of levels of discectomy and laminectomy. Results Based on our findings, intraoperative dural tears, valvular heart disease, and fluid and electrolyte abnormalities were significant risk factors for readmission to the hospital within 30 days following surgery for CES. The most common postoperative complications were as follows: visits to the emergency department (63 patients, 12%), surgical site infection (21 patients, 4%), urinary tract infection (14 patients, 3%), and postoperative anemia (11 patients, 2%). Conclusions In the 30-day period following lumbar decompression for cauda equina syndrome, our findings demonstrated an 8% reoperation rate and 17% readmission rate. Although CES is considered an indication for urgent surgery, gaining awareness about reoperation, readmission, and complication rates in the immediate postoperative period may help calibrate expectations and inform medical decision-making.

Cauda Equina Syndrome: Poor Recovery Prognosis Despite Early Treatment

STUDY DESIGN

A prospective patient's database operated on a cauda equina syndrome (CES).

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our study was to identify prognosis factors for favorable functional recovery after CES.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

CES is a neurologic impairment of variable symptoms associating urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunctions with or without motor or sensitive deficits caused by nerve root compression of the cauda equina. The definition of CES remains debated, as well as the prognosis factors for favorable functional recovery and the benefit of early surgery.

METHODS

One hundred forty patients were included between January 2010 and 2019. Univariate and multivariate cox proportional hazard regression models were conducted.

RESULTS

The patients were young with a median age of 46.8 years (range 18-86 yrs). At presentation, 60% were affected by a motor deficit, 42.8% a sensitive deficit, 70% urinary dysfunctions, and 44% bowel dysfunctions. The mean follow-up was 15.5 months. Bilateral motor deficit (P = 0.017) and an initial deficit severity of 0 to 2 (P = 0.001) represented prognosis factors of poor motor recovery. Initial anal incontinence (P = 0.007) was associated with poor bowel recovery. Only 32.8% of the patients went back to work. Initial motor deficit (P = 0.015), motor sequelae (P = 0.001), sphincter dysfunctions sequelae (P = 0.02), and long LOS (P = 0.02) were poor return-to-work prognosis factors. Time to surgery within an early timing < 24 or 48 hours or later did not represent a prognosis factor of recovery in CES. Incomplete versus complete CES did not show better recovery.

CONCLUSION

CES remains a profound disabling syndrome with poor functional prognosis: in the long run, few patients go back to work. The main prognosis factors established in our series regarded the initial severity of deficits whether motor or sphincteral. Early or later surgical cauda equina decompression did not show to represent a prognosis factor for functional recovery.Level of Evidence: 4.

Evaluation of the role of anal tone and perianal sensation examination in the assessment of suspected cauda equina syndrome

PURPOSE

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) can present with a varied constellation of clinical signs and symptoms, which together with the time-sensitive nature of the condition and risk of catastrophic clinical outcome, presents a significant challenge to those assessing patients with this suspected diagnosis. Anal tone is commonly tested during initial assessment using a digital rectal examination (DRE). This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic value of anal tone and perianal sensation assessment in patients with suspected CES and report modern prevalence data on CES within a neurosciences centre.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Consecutive patients with suspected CES presenting over three years to the Emergency Department (ED) of a busy tertiary centre were included in the study. History and examination findings, documented in the ED notes, were assessed and these variables were correlated with the presence or absence of cauda equina compression on subsequent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

RESULTS

Out of 1005 patients with suspected CES, 117 (11.6%) had MRI confirmed cauda equina compression (MRI + ve CES). 35% of MRI + ve patients and 31% of MRI -ve patients had reduced anal tone. Using univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses, no associations were found between abnormal anal tone and MRI + ve CES for patients of all ages. The univariate logistic regression analysis identified altered perianal sensation to be significantly associated with MRI + ve CES in patients ≤42 years old. This association was no longer present when an adjusted multivariable logistic regression was performed.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of MRI + ve CES was 11.6%. Our findings suggest that the clinical finding of reduced anal tone has no demonstrable diagnostic value for those with suspected CES, either in itself or in combination with other clinical findings. Further studies are needed to confirm the diagnostic efficacy of assessing perianal sensation in this context.

Limited sequence MRI to improve standards of care for suspected cauda equina syndrome

AIMS

Early cases of cauda equina syndrome (CES) often present with nonspecific symptoms and signs, and it is recommended that patients undergo emergency MRI regardless of the time since presentation. This creates substantial pressure on resources, with many scans performed to rule out cauda equina rather than confirm it. We propose that compression of the cauda equina should be apparent with a limited sequence (LS) scan that takes significantly less time to perform.

METHODS

In all, 188 patients with suspected CES underwent a LS lumbosacral MRI between the beginning of September 2017 and the end of July 2018. These images were read by a consultant musculoskeletal radiologist. All images took place on a 3T or 1.5T MRI scanner at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury, UK, and Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, UK.

RESULTS

The 188 patients, all under the age of 55 years, underwent 196 LS lumbosacral MRI scans for suspected CES. Of these patients, 14 had cauda equina compression and underwent emergency decompression. No cases of CES were missed. Patients spent a mean 9.9 minutes (8 to 10) in the MRI scanner.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that a LS lumbosacral MRI could be used to diagnose CES safely in patients under the age of 55 years, but that further research is needed to assess safety and efficacy of this technique before changes to existing protocols can be recommended. In addition, work is needed to assess if LS MRIs can be used throughout the spine and if alternative pathology is being considered. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(4):501-505.

Evaluation and management of cauda equina syndrome in the emergency department

BACKGROUND

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) may be a devastating disease with the potential for significant patient morbidity. It is essential for emergency clinicians to be aware of how to effectively diagnose and manage this condition.

OBJECTIVE

This article provides a narrative review of the diagnosis and management of CES for the emergency clinician.

DISCUSSION

Cauda equina syndrome is a rare but emergent condition associated with back pain. It can result in severe morbidity and can be due to a variety of causes, most commonly vertebral disc protrusion. Diagnosis is often delayed, which may result in a poor prognosis. Red flags and findings consistent with CES include bilateral neurogenic sciatica, reduced perineal sensation, altered bladder function leading to painless urinary retention, loss of anal tone, and loss of sexual function. In isolation, history and examination findings demonstrate poor sensitivity. Symptoms may occur either suddenly or gradually, and most patients do not present with all of these symptoms. Postvoid bladder volume assessments can assist in the evaluation, but the diagnosis typically involves magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography myelography if MRI is not available. Treatment relies upon surgical consultation and operative intervention for decompression.

CONCLUSION

Cauda equina syndrome can be a difficult diagnosis. However, knowledge of the history and examination findings, imaging, and treatment can assist the emergency clinician in optimizing management of this condition.

Distal Cauda equina syndrome: A case report of lumbosacral disc pathology and review of literature

BACKGROUND

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is an uncommon entity that presents acutely with all or some of the following symptoms; urinary incontinence from retention, fecal incontinence from loss of sphincter tone, saddle area hypoesthesia or anesthesia, and acute or progressive weakness in one or both lower extremities. The protean symptomatology is often mixed and is vulnerable to confounding comorbidities making the accurate and timely diagnosis of this syndrome uniquely challenging. Here, we present the case of a man who developed isolated sacral nerve dysfunction from CES in the midst of a diabetic crisis.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 53-year-old male with a long history of uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes presented with acute-onset urinary and fecal incontinence, scrotal anesthesia, and a 3-day history of lower back pain with intermittent bilateral leg pain. This patient displayed no objective changes in leg strength, sensation, or reflexes. In addition, the patient tested positive for cocaine and had a blood glucose level of 800 mg/dL which confounded his clinical picture. The patient underwent bilateral laminectomies from L4-S1 with the removal of a large sequestered disc fragment from the S1-S2 disc space within 8 h of presentation with reasonable recovery.

CONCLUSION

Highly variable presentations often confound the accurate and timely diagnosis of CES with severe implications on quality of life. Despite the limited functional recovery seen after surgical decompression, urgent or emergent intervention is paramount for treatment. Our patient's presenting symptomatology and comorbidities highlight the need for practitioners to maintain a high index of suspicion in anyone with incontinence and back pain, regardless of distractors and even in the absence of other anticipated motor or sensory findings.

Incomplete Cauda Equina Syndrome Presenting with Acute Urinary Retention in the Emergency Department

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a rare but serious neurosurgical emergency that can have devastating long-lasting neurologic consequences. CES caused by herniated lumbar discs is rare in the literature. We report an unusual case of incomplete CES due to lumbar disc herniation. The patient presented to our emergency department with acute onset of low back pain, saddle (perineal) anaesthesia, urinary retention and constipation without motor deficit or sciatica. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a large herniated disc originated from the L5-S1 disc space with compression of the cauda equina. This case illustrates that patients with CES accompanying a disc herniation may not have all the characteristic features of CES such as pain radiating to the legs or muscle weakness. We recommend that urgent MRI assessment should be performed in all patients who present with sudden onset of urinary symptoms in the context of lumbar back pain or loss of perineal sensation.

Predictive Score Card in Lumbar Disc Herniation: Is It Reflective of Patient Surgical Success after Discectomy?

Does the Finneson-Cooper score reflect the true value of predicting surgical success before discectomy? The aim of this study was to identify reliable predictors for surgical success two year after surgery for patients with LDH. Prospective analysis of 154 patients with LDH who underwent single-level lumbar discectomy was performed. Pre- and post-surgical success was assessed by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) over a 2-year period. The Finneson-Cooper score also was used for evaluation of the clinical results. Using the ODI, surgical success was defined as a 30% (or more) improvement on the ODI score from the baseline. The ODI was considered the gold standard in this study. Finally, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive power of the Finneson-Cooper score in predicting surgical success were calculated. The mean age of the patients was 49.6 (SD = 9.3) years and 47.4% were male. Significant improvement from the pre- to post-operative ODI scores was observed (P < 0.001). Post-surgical success was 76.0% (n = 117). The patients' rating on surgical success assessments by the ODI discriminated well between sub-groups of patients who differed with respect to the Finneson-Cooper score. Regarding patients' surgical success, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the Finneson-Cooper ratings correlated with success rate. The findings indicated that the Finneson-Cooper score was reflective of surgical success before discectomy.

Factors Predicting Patient Dissatisfaction 2 Years After Discectomy for Lumbar Disc Herniation in a Chinese Older Cohort: A Prospective Study of 843 Cases at a Single Institution

We aim to identify factors predicting patient dissatisfaction 2 years after discectomy for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in a Chinese older cohort. Preoperative and 2-year follow-up data for 843 patients were analyzed. After 2 years of discectomy, the patients rated their satisfaction by Patient Satisfaction Index (PSI), with response of 1 or 2 defining satisfaction and a PSI response of 3 or 4 defining dissatisfaction. Associations between perioperative variables and satisfaction with the results of surgery were examined in univariate and multivariate analysis. Six hundred fifty-seven patients had a PSI of 1 or 2 and were enrolled as satisfied group, 186 patients had a PSI of 3 or 4 and were enrolled as dissatisfied group. At baseline, no significant differences were found between the 2 groups in age, occupation, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS)-leg, and VAS-back. Compared to satisfied group, dissatisfied group had a significantly higher BMI and a higher incidence of depression. Two years after discectomy, no significant differences were found between the 2 groups in decrease of ODI, decrease of VAS-back, decrease of VAS-leg, surgery complications. Compared to satisfied group, dissatisfied group experienced higher incidence of symptom recurrence and depression. Logistic regression analysis showed that obesity, pre- and postoperative depression, symptom recurrence were independently associated with patient dissatisfaction 2 years after discectomy.I n conclusion, more than 70% patients expressed satisfaction with discectomy for LDH. Two factors could predict patient dissatisfaction and be assessed before surgery: obesity and preoperative depression. Symptom recurrence and postoperative depression are also associated with diminished patient satisfaction.

The accuracy of clinical symptoms in detecting cauda equina syndrome in patients undergoing acute MRI of the spine

A large number of patients do not have cauda equina syndrome (CES) on MRI to account for their clinical findings; consequently, the majority of urgent scans requested are normal. We aimed to determine whether any clinical manifestation of CES, as stated in Royal College of Radiology guidelines, could predict the presence of established CES on MRI. We also aimed to support a larger study to develop a more universal assessment tool for acute lower back pain.A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients who warranted urgent MRI was conducted. Seventy-nine patients were eligible for study. The Kendall's tau test was used for statistical analysis of all data. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered to be significant. MRI was performed in 62 patients out of 79.A total of 32.9% of patients had scans within 24 hours of admission. Nine of these patients were referred to neurosurgery for urgent neurosurgical review. Of these, 6.3% of patients had an established CES on MRI scan. One patient who had an out-patient MRI spine (15 days from hospital presentation) was found to have an established CES, was urgently referred to spinal surgery and underwent primary fenestration excision of the lumbar vertebra. No clinical features that were able to predict the presence of an established CES on MRI were elucidated. Findings included decreased anal tone 7.6% (p=0.282), faecal incontinence 3.8% (p=0.648), urinary retention 7.6% (p=0.510), bladder incontinence 8.9% (p=0.474), constipation 2.5% (p=0.011) and saddle anaesthesia 8.9% (p=0.368). Patients who had an abnormal MRI spine for back pain prior to this presentation showed a correlation with a newly diagnosed CES on MRI (p=0.016) with a correlation coefficient of 0.272.

Long-term effects of a lumbosacral ventral root avulsion injury on axotomized motor neurons and avulsed ventral roots in a non-human primate model of cauda equina injury

Here, we have translated from the rat to the non-human primate a unilateral lumbosacral injury as a model for cauda equina injury. In this morphological study, we have investigated retrograde effects of a unilateral L6-S2 ventral root avulsion (VRA) injury as well as the long-term effects of Wallerian degeneration on avulsed ventral roots at 6-10 months post-operatively in four adult male rhesus monkeys. Immunohistochemistry for choline acetyl transferase and glial fibrillary acidic protein demonstrated a significant loss of the majority of the axotomized motoneurons in the affected L6-S2 segments and signs of an associated astrocytic glial response within the ventral horn of the L6 and S1 spinal cord segments. Quantitative analysis of the avulsed ventral roots showed that they exhibited normal size and were populated by a normal number of myelinated axons. However, the myelinated axons in the avulsed ventral roots were markedly smaller in caliber compared to the fibers of the intact contralateral ventral roots, which served as controls. Ultrastructural studies confirmed the presence of small myelinated axons and a population of unmyelinated axons within the avulsed roots. In addition, collagen fibers were readily identified within the endoneurium of the avulsed roots. In summary, a lumbosacral VRA injury resulted in retrograde motoneuron loss and astrocytic glial activation in the ventral horn. Surprisingly, the Wallerian degeneration of motor axons in the avulsed ventral roots was followed by a repopulation of the avulsed roots by small myelinated and unmyelinated fibers. We speculate that the small axons may represent sprouting or axonal regeneration by primary afferents or autonomic fibers.