Ligamentum flavum hypertrophy
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Yuranga Weerakkody had no recorded disclosures.
View Yuranga Weerakkody's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Tariq Walizai had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Tariq Walizai's current disclosures- Hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum
- Ligamentum flavum thickening
- Hypertrophied ligamentum flavum
Ligamentum flavum hypertrophy refers to abnormal thickening of the ligamentum flavum. If severe, it can be associated with spinal canal stenosis.
Pathology
It is thought to be mostly from fibrosis caused by the accumulation of mechanical stress with the aging process, especially along the dorsal aspect of the ligamentum flavum.
The thickness of the ligamentum flavum increases with age and this increase is thought to the most pronounced at the lower lumbar levels 3. Ligamentum flavum is considered thickened when it is more than 4 mm in lumbar spine 3 and more than 1.7 mm in cervical spine 7.
See also
References
- 1. Sairyo K, Biyani A, Goel V, Leaman D, Booth R, Thomas J, Gehling D, Vishnubhotla L, Long R, Ebraheim N. Pathomechanism of ligamentum flavum hypertrophy: a multidisciplinary investigation based on clinical, biomechanical, histologic, and biologic assessments. (2005) Spine. 30 (23): 2649-56. Pubmed
- 2. Sairyo K, Biyani A, Goel VK, Leaman DW, Booth R, Thomas J, Ebraheim NA, Cowgill IA, Mohan SE. Lumbar ligamentum flavum hypertrophy is due to accumulation of inflammation-related scar tissue. (2007) Spine. 32 (11): E340-7. doi:10.1097/01.brs.0000263407.25009.6e - Pubmed
- 3. Kolte VS, Khambatta S, Ambiye MV. Thickness of the ligamentum flavum: correlation with age and its asymmetry-an magnetic resonance imaging study. (2015) Asian spine journal. 9 (2): 245-53. doi:10.4184/asj.2015.9.2.245 - Pubmed
- 4. Mamisch N, Brumann M, Hodler J, Held U, Brunner F, Steurer J. Radiologic criteria for the diagnosis of spinal stenosis: results of a Delphi survey. (2012) Radiology. 264 (1): 174-9. doi:10.1148/radiol.12111930 - Pubmed
- 5. F.H. Chokshi, R.M. Quencer, W.R.K. Smoker. The “Thickened” Ligamentum Flavum: Is It Buckling or Enlargement?. (2010) American Journal of Neuroradiology. 31 (10): 1813. doi:10.3174/ajnr.A2241 - Pubmed
- 6. Chelladurai A, Balasubramaniam S, Anbazhagan SP, Gnanasihamani S, Ramaswami S. Dorsal Spinal Ligamentum Flavum Thickening: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. (2018) Asian spine journal. 12 (1): 47-51. doi:10.4184/asj.2018.12.1.47 - Pubmed
- 7. Jeong H, Yi J, Lee S et al. Prognostic Value of Cervical Ligamentum Flavum Thickness as a Morphological Parameter to Predict Cervical Stenosis. Medicine. 2021;100(34):e27084. doi:10.1097/md.0000000000027084 - Pubmed
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