[Lumbar facet joint disease : Classification, clinical diagnostics, and minimally invasive treatment].

BACKGROUND: The degeneration of the lumbar facet joint is a multi-factorial process that is closely linked to degeneration of the intervertebral discs and has been implicated as one of the causes of low-back pain of elderly patients in about 15 up to 40% of cases. Moreover, emerging data suggest that increased inflammatory features play an important role in the progression of lumbar facet joint disease and may serve as a link to the afferent pain nerve fibers. OPERATIVE TECHNIQUES: Since the first description in 1975 of minimally invasive treatment of lumbar facet joint disease, different techniques have been developed and used with varying results. Today, the major techniques are thermorhizotomy, cryorhizotomy, and endoscopic or percutaneous facet debridement with different anatomical targets, such as the medial branch of the dorsal ramus or facet joint capsule.