An Experimental Study Of Mechanisms That Degenerative Lumbar Facet Joints Cause Low Back Pain

Objective: To observe the pathological and chemical features of the degenerative lumbar facet joints, and the distributions of substance P (SP) immunoreactive and calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP) immunoreactive nerve fibers in the normal and degenerative lumbar facet joints. To investigate the relation between the pathological and chemical features of the degenerative lumbar facet joints and low back pain and the possible mechanism underlying. Method: Collect the lumbar facet joints that were harvested from the patients during surgery,contrast studying the pathological features by the means of pathological and the medical imaging characteristics, using immunohistochemical method to study the distributions of nerve fibers, using ELISA method to measure the contents of IL-1βand PGE-2 in the lumbar facet joints. Result:According to the features of pathological and the medical imaging characteristics some degenerative changes can be recognized in the degenerative lumbar facet jionts,this degenerative changes demonstrated by the medical imaging included:asymmetry of articular surface, calcification of articular capsule,joint interpace narrowing.the main abnormality demonstrated by pathological study included:chondrocyte proliferation,unsmooth of articular surface, the contents of IL-1βand PGE-2 is higher in the degenerative lumbar facet joints than in the normal, substance P (SP) immunoreactive and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactive nerve fibers can be find in the degenerative and normal lumbar facet joints by immunohistochemical method.Conclusion : Some pathological and chemical changes have occured in the degenerative lumbar facet jionts ,The observation provided an explanation for degenerative lumbar facet joints cause low back pain, mechanical stimulation and cytokine excitation nerver fibers are the possible mechanism underlying.