Spinal Stenosis Causes
The three major causes of spinal stenosis are:
Aging - With age, the body's ligaments (tough connective tissues between the bones in the spine) can thicken. Spurs (small growths) may develop on the bones and into the spinal canal. The cushioning discs between the vertebrae may begin to deteriorate. The facet joints (flat surfaces on each vertebra that form the spinal column) also may begin to thicken. Aging, coupled with secondary changes, is the most common cause of spinal stenosis. Heredity - if the spinal canal is too small at birth, symptoms of spinal stenosis may show in a relatively young person. Structural deformities of the involved vertebrae can cause narrowing of the spinal canal.
Tumors of the spine - Abnormal growths of soft tissue that may affect the spinal canal directly by inflammation or by growth of tissue into the canal. Tissue growth may lead to bone resorption (bone loss due to over activity of certain bone cells) or displacement of bone and the eventual collapse of the supporting framework of the spinal column.
Trauma - accidents and injuries may either dislocate the spine and the spinal canal or cause burst fractures that produce fragments of bone that penetrate the canal.
Paget's disease of bone - This chronic (long-term) disorder usually results in enlarged and deformed bones. The disease can affect any bone of the body, but is often found in the spine.
Click Here to see how you can get your life back in 5 daysBlood supply - The blood supply that feeds healthy nerve tissue may be diverted to the area of involved bone.
Fluorosis - An excessive level of fluoride in the body. It may result from chronic inhalation of industrial dusts or gases contaminated with fluorides, prolonged ingestion of water containing large amounts of fluorides, or accidental ingestion of fluoride-containing insecticides. The condition may lead to calcified spinal ligaments or softened bones and to degenerative conditions like spinal stenosis.
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Bony spurs in neck, colored X-ray. Bony spurs (osteophytes, left) grow from the vertebrae as a normal part of the aging process. They stabilize the spine when the discs of cartilage (red) between the vertebrae shrink and become less flexible. Spur growth is called cervical spondylosis. It is found in 25-50% of 50-year-olds and at least 70% of 75-year-olds. It may not cause any problem at all. However, it can lead to various conditions including stiffness of the neck, painful trapped nerves (radiculopathy), and cervical spondylitic myelopathy, where the spinal cord is compressed, leading to a loss of sensation and muscle control in the limbs.
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Answer
The endoscope and arthroscope are the exact same instrument. They are small tubes through which surgery is performed. When the tube is placed into a joint, it is referred to as an arthroscopic procedure (arthro meaning joint). When the tube is placed into an area other than a joint, it is called an endoscope. At LSI, we perform endoscopic procedures.