STUDY DESIGN Case report. OBJECTIVE To report an extremely rare case of hematoma derived from the ligamentum flavum within the thoracic spine. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Only one previous case has been reported of a hematoma derived from the ligamentum flavum in the thoracic spine. METHODS.: A 61-year-old man presented with gait disturbance and numbness below the navel. Magnetic resonance i...

Nerve root compression due to ligamentum flavum hematoma is extremely rare, with less than 70 cases reported in the literature. The clinical presentation and images were similar to those of spinal epidural tumors. Herein, we reported a previously healthy 64-year-old female who presented with right radicular leg pain. Neurological examination was consistent with right L5 root compression. The ma...

BACKGROUND Up to 10% of epidurals fail due to incorrect catheter placement. We describe a novel optical method to assist epidural catheter insertion in a porcine model. METHODS Optical emissions were tested on ex vivo tissues from porcine paravertebral tissues to identify optical reflective spectra. The wavelengths of 650 and 532 nm differentiated epidural space from the ligamentum flavum. We...

which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Although there have been debates and different practice guidelines on the indication of epidural blocks for pain management [1], there remain patients for whom few alternative options are available, including painless delivery and some postoperative patients...

Background Minimally invasive laminectomy is a very effective surgical method for treating lumbar stenosis. However, this technique can be technically difficult, especially in patients suffering from severe stenosis. The contralateral decompression from a unilateral approach can result in durotomy during removal of the hypertrophied ligamentum flavum. This complication can be difficult to treat...

Here we report a unique case of bilateral ganglion cysts originating from the ligamentum flavum in the cervical spine. Degenerative cysts of the ligamentum flavum are rare lesions, and most had been reported in the lumbar spine. Its occurrence in the cervical spine is extremely rare: only eight have been reported. A 66-year-old male patient presented with progressive paraparesis, pain, and pare...

Ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) is a pathology almost only reported in East Asian countries. The leading cause of OLF is thoracic spinal canal stenosis and myelopathy. In this study, the role of miR-199b-5p and jagged 1 (JAG1) in primary ligamentum flavum cell osteogenesis was examined. MiR-199b-5p was found to be down-regulated during osteogenic differentiation in ligamentum flavum...

Thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum (TOLF) is characterized by ectopic bone formation in the ligamentum flavum and is considered to be a leading cause of thoracic spinal canal stenosis and myelopathy. However, the underlying etiology is not well understood. An iTRAQ proteomics was used to reveal the involvement of inflammation factors in TOLF. TNF-α is a pro-inflammatory cytokine imp...

Objective To explore the relationship between cellular apoptosis and hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum in the lumbar region. Methods Thirty patients with lumbar spinal stenosis were evaluated. Hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum was present in 15 patients and absent in 15. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) immunohistochemical testing were applied to comp...

BACKGROUND Hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum (LF) has been considered as a major cause of lumbar central spinal stenosis (LCSS). Previous studies have found that ligamentum flavum thickness (LFT) is correlated with aging, disc degeneration, and lumbar spinal stenosis. However, hypertrophy is different from thickness. Thus, to evaluate hypertrophy of the whole LF, we devised a new morphologic...