The absent lumbosacral articular process. A report of three cases and review of the literature.
Three cases of absent lumbar articular processes are presented, with special attention to the symptoms of the lesion, previous literature on this anomaly, and some of the possible embryologic explanations for its occurrence. The symptoms were improved after lumbosacral fusion. The possible role of torsional loading in lumbar disc degeneration is noteworthy in patients with congenital absence of intervertebral joints.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000002:abnormalities*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013131:Spine / Q000196:embryology