The lumbar portion of the spine contains the five spinal vertebrae (L1 to L5) of the lower back. An ALIF procedure may also involve the intervertebral disc located between the L5 vertebra and the highest vertebra (S1) of the sacral spine that includes the sacrum and coccyx (tailbone). Minimal retrolisthesis of L1 on L2, L2 on L3, and L3 on L4 is present. Vertebral body heights are maintained. Multilevel degenerative changes, characterized mainly by disc height loss, endplate osteophytes, and facet arthropathy, are most pronounced at L1-L2 and L4-L5. Degenerative scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine that develops in some adults due to degenerative changes of the vertebrae & disks of the spine. A Lumbar Laminectomy is a type of spinal decompression surgery of the lower back, aiming to relieve stenosis or other forms of compression in the lumbar spine.
There are numerous techniques to achieve fusion in the lumbar spine, which fall into three basic categories: posterior and posterolateral fusion (PLF) procedures; lumbar interbody fusion (LIF) procedures; and lumbar corpectomy and vertebral body replacement. Posterior spinal fusion and posterolateral fusion (PLF) are among these categories. Scoliosis can affect any part of the spine, including the cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (chest and upper back region), and the lumbar spine (lower back).
The femoral nerve and plexus are associated with L2 and L3, with implications for the anterior, medial, and lateral upper thigh, including knee extension, which is facilitated by the quadriceps femoris. The patellar reflex (L3, L4) and hamstrings are involved in knee flexion. The sciatic nerve, significant for dorsiflexion of the foot by the tibialis anterior, is associated with L4, L5, and S1. A lumbar fusion made through an incision in the back, known as a posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), involves placing bone grafts around a metal interbody device to fuse the spine and provide stability, while portions of damaged spinal discs are removed to alleviate nerve pressure.
Lumbar spondylosis is an age-related degeneration of the vertebrae and disks of the lower back, often referred to as degenerative disk disease and osteoarthritis. This common condition is marked by the breakdown of one or more of the disks that cushion the vertebrae and can be further explored through an in-depth overview of spine anatomy.
