A study of electrophysiological changes of the lumbar paraspinal muscle after posterior lumbar interbody fusion
HU Yuan
QIAO Ming
TANG Jin-shu
HOU Shu-xun
Abstract：Objective To investigate the differences in the spontaneous potential activity in the multiifdus muscle both in the patients with low back pain after posterior lumbar interbody fusion ( PLIF ) and in the control group.Methods A total of 86 patients who underwent PLIF were divided into the low back pain group and the control group depending on the pain degree. The activity and location of spontaneous potentials in the multifidus muscle were measured by the electromyogrphy ( EMG ). The differences in the spontaneous potential activity were compared between the 2 groups, and the relationship between the distribution of spontaneous potentials and the operative region, internal ifxation area and fenestration discectomy were explored.Results In the low back pain group, the score of abnormal spontaneous activity in the multiifdus muscle was ( 12.87±2.34 ) points, which was obviously larger than ( 2.28±2.84 ) points in the control group (P<0.01 ). All the spontaneous potentials were located in the operative region, and no others were noticed outside. In the low back pain group, the score of spontaneous activity in the multiifdus muscle was ( 8.76±1.95 ) points in the internal ifxation area, which was obviously larger than ( 4.11±1.39 ) points outside (P<0.01 ). The spontaneous potential activity in the laminectomy side ( 2.38±0.70 ) did not present signiifcant differences (P=0.45 ) when compared with that in the contralateral side ( 2.50±0.56 ).Conclusions The spontaneous potential activity in the multiifdus muscle after PLIF is resulted from the operation itself. The score of spontaneous activity in the multiifdus muscle in the low back pain group is signiifcantly larger than that in the control group. It is pointed out that injury of the lumbar medial branch is much severer, which may cause low back pain after the operation.
Keywords：Electrophysiological phenomenaLow back painLumbar vertebraeSpinal fusion
Publication Date：2014-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 705-709 )