Lumbar Facet Joint
Lumbar Facet Joint - Related Videos
09:12
Facet-to-facet Linking of Shape-anisotropic Colloidal Cadmium Chalcogenide Nanostructures
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2017
A protocol detailing how shape-anisotropic colloidal cadmium chalcogenide nanocrystals can be covalently linked via their end facets is presented here.
05:05
Laminotomy for Targeted Injection into the Lumbar Dorsal Root Ganglion in a Pig Model
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2025
Source: Unger, M. D., et al., Laminotomy for Lumbar Dorsal Root Ganglion Access and Injection in Swine. J. Vis. Exp. (2017)This video demonstrates a laminotomy procedure in an anesthetized pig to access the lumbar dorsal root ganglion for targeted neurotherapeutic delivery using convection-enhanced delivery.
08:36
Lateral-PLIF for Lumbar Spinal Arthrodesis: A Detailed Step-By-Step Surgical Technique
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2026
Lateral-PLIF is an advanced posterior lumbar interbody fusion technique allowing safer cage insertion with minimal neural manipulation. This article outlines the step-by-step procedure, highlighting the benefits of the bilateral approach, optimal cage orientation, high fusion rates, and low complication risks, offering a promising alternative to traditional PLIF.
09:07
An Anesthesia, Surgery, and Harvest Method for the Evaluation of Transpedicular Screws Using an In Vivo Porcine Lumbar Spine Model
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2017
Here, we introduce a method to evaluate transpedicular screws by using an in vivo porcine lumbar spine model.
01:03
Structural Joints: Fibrous Joints
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2025
Fibrous joints are a type of joint where the bones are connected by fibrous connective tissue. These joints provide stability and minimal to no movement between the articulating bones. There are three types of fibrous joints. Suture All the bones of the skull, except for the mandible, are joined to each other by a fibrous joint called a suture. The fibrous connective tissue found at a suture strongly unites the adjacent skull bones and thus helps to protect the brain and form the face. In...
FAQs
Movement at a lumbar facet joint depends on coordinated behavior of its articular surfaces, capsule, and synovial lining. The cartilage-covered surfaces allow the joint to glide during controlled flexion and extension, while the surrounding fibrous capsule helps contain the joint. This arrangement lets the posterior spine guide motion without permitting excessive rotation.
Facet joints contribute to stability by sharing mechanical loads with intervertebral discs rather than carrying spinal stress alone. Their position at the back of the vertebrae also helps guide movement and limit unwanted rotation. When degeneration or injury changes the joint or its supporting tissues, altered loading may contribute to local pain and irritation near surrounding nerves.
Pain from lumbar facet pathology can remain localized to the low back or extend into the buttocks. This pattern reflects irritation of the joint and nearby tissues, including surrounding nerves, rather than necessarily indicating one uniform lesion. Degeneration, inflammation, and injury are distinct possible contributors, so clinicians combine symptoms with examination and imaging when evaluating the pain source.
Clinical assessment begins with history and examination, while imaging may be used to evaluate the lumbar region. These sources provide complementary information: reported symptoms describe the patient's experience, examination assesses clinical findings, and imaging adds structural information. Together, they help clinicians consider whether the facet joint may be contributing to low-back pain.
Medial branch blocks are targeted procedures used to support diagnosis when clinicians suspect facet-mediated pain. Their value lies in relating a targeted clinical response to the suspected source, rather than treating every case of low-back pain as facet-related. This approach can help place facet involvement within the broader assessment of lumbar and buttock symptoms.
Radiofrequency procedures provide a targeted treatment option in the facet-pain pathway. They are considered within a broader clinical process that includes history, examination, imaging, and, when appropriate, medial branch blocks. Their relevance is practical: they focus treatment on suspected facet-mediated pain rather than applying an undifferentiated intervention to all lumbar pain.