title: Congenital absence of unilateral lumbar articular process - a case report -.
abstract: A congenital absence of a lumbar articular process is a rare condition with an uncertain etiology. However, an intervertebral instability caused by this anomaly can cause occasional lower back pain. A 20 years old man presented with lower back pain. The physical examination revealed no neurological deficits. Plain radiographs of the lumbar spine revealed an absence of the left inferior articular process at the fourth lumbar vertebra associated with hypoplasia of the left lamina. The patient's symptoms were resolved after conservative treatment. We report a case of a congenital absence of articular process at the fourth lumbar vertebra.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Wonkwang University, School of Medicine, Ik San, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Moo
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Sung Kyun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Oh
references.citation: Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1975 Jan-Feb;(106):151-4
references.pmid: 1126069
references.citation: Am Surg. 1962 Aug;28:501-9
references.pmid: 13870243
references.citation: J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1967 Apr;49(3):523-6
references.pmid: 4225667
references.citation: J Spinal Disord. 1992 Jun;5(2):232-6
references.pmid: 1535007
references.citation: Anat Rec. 1951 Feb;109(2):253-9
references.pmid: 14811060
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1986 Jan-Feb;11(1):78-80
references.pmid: 2939570
references.citation: Anat Rec. 1950 Jun;107(2):171-9
references.pmid: 15419450
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1990 Nov;15(11):1142-7
references.pmid: 2267608