Facet joint dislocations secondary flexion distraction injury
10%
1. Unifacet subluxation - interspinous process widening
2. Unifacet dislocation - 25% anterolisthesis
3. Bifacet dislocation - 50% anterolisthesis
4. Complete vertebral translation - 100% anterolisthesis
Clinical diagnosis
- based on a sclerotomal distribution of motor &/or sensory symptoms or signs
Caused by impingement of exiting nerve roots
- HNP
- zygo-apophyseal / facet joint hypertrophy
- neuro-central joint hypertrophy
May be acute or chronic
M>F
Peak age 50-54
C7 > C6
Cervical spondylosis
- chronic disc degeneration & associated facet arthropathy
Cervical myelopathy
- spinal cord dysfunction
- secondary to extrinsic compression of cord or its vascular supply
Cervical radiculopathy
- sclerotomal distribution of motor &/or sensory symptoms or signs
- due to compression of nerve root