Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Asad Ullah M, Knipe H, Bell D, et al. Sinuvertebral nerve. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 27 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-80031
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Henry Knipe had the following disclosures:
- Radiopaedia Events Pty Ltd, Speaker fees (past)
- Integral Diagnostics, Shareholder (ongoing)
- Micro-X Ltd, Shareholder (ongoing)
These were assessed during peer review and were determined to
not be relevant to the changes that were made.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
The sinuvertebral nerve, also known as the recurrent meningeal nerve, or the recurrent nerve of Luschka, is a branch of the primary ventral ramus and grey ramus communicans in the intervertebral foramen. It enters the spinal canal and supplies the posterior portion of the annulus of the intervertebral disc, the posterior longitudinal ligament and the periosteum of the vertebral body 1.
It has been touted that the recurrent meningeal nerve has a role in discogenic pain, and may contribute up to 39% of low back pain. It has been reported that irritation of the C1-3 nerves is the most common cause of cervicogenic headaches and also occipital neuralgia ref.
History and etymology
The German anatomist Hubert von Luschka (1820-1875) first described this nerve in 1850. He was one of the first anatomists to research normal, as well as diseased, cadavers. He has lent his eponym to quite an impressive range of structures, at least 23 by one reckoning 5!
NB: the "nerve of Luschka" is a different structure, being a historical name for the posterior ethmoidal nerve 5
- chronic low back pain can be caused by structures innervated by the sinuvertebral nerve
- diagnosis can be made through discography
- treatment involves sinuvertebral nerve blockade performed via an interlaminar approach 2,3
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1. Kim H, Paudel B, Chung S, Jang J, Oh S, Jang I. Transforaminal Epiduroscopic Laser Ablation of Sinuvertebral Nerve in Patients with Chronic Diskogenic Back Pain: Technical Note and Preliminary Result. J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg. 2017;78(6):529-34. doi:10.1055/s-0037-1604361 - Pubmed
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2. Schliessbach J, Siegenthaler A, Heini P, Bogduk N, Curatolo M. Blockade of the Sinuvertebral Nerve for the Diagnosis of Lumbar Diskogenic Pain: An Exploratory Study. Anesth Analg. 2010;111(1):204-6. doi:10.1213/ANE.0b013e3181e19d03 - Pubmed
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3. Raoul S, Faure A, Robert R et al. Role of the Sinu-Vertebral Nerve in Low Back Pain and Anatomical Basis of Therapeutic Implications. Surg Radiol Anat. 2003;24(6):366-71. doi:10.1007/s00276-002-0084-8 - Pubmed
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4. Allegri M, Montella S, Salici F et al. Mechanisms of Low Back Pain: A Guide for Diagnosis and Therapy. F1000Res. 2016;5:1530. doi:10.12688/f1000research.8105.2 - Pubmed
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5. Tubbs R, Vahedi P, Loukas M, Shoja M, Cohen-Gadol A. Hubert Von Luschka (1820-1875): His Life, Discoveries, and Contributions to Our Understanding of the Nervous System. J Neurosurg. 2011;114(1):268-72. doi:10.3171/2010.8.JNS10683 - Pubmed
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