STUDY DESIGN: A severe bilateral L5 root lesion associated with spinal stenosis at L1-L2 and L2-L3 is described. OBJECTIVE: To describe clinical findings and the difficulty in obtaining a correct diagnosis of L5 Root Compression. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The disorder reported in this study has not been reported previously. Only one similar case has been described in the literature: an L5 root compression at L1-L2 caused by disc herniation. METHODS: Diagnosis was obtained by using computed tomography scanning, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography myelography. The findings at L5-S1 were minimal to justify the patient's clinical symptoms, but a detailed study of the upper levels revealed spinal stenosis at L1-L2 and L2-L3, which could have been causing L5 and S1 root compression. A decompressive laminectomy and partial facetectomy in both levels were performed. RESULTS: The patient's pain and claudication disappeared, and clinical symptoms associated with the right L5 root improved. The left L5 root deficit remained stable. CONCLUSION: An unusual case of L5 root compression caused by degenerative stenosis of L1-L2 and L2-L3 is described.
STUDY DESIGN: A severe bilateral L5 root lesion associated with spinal stenosis at L1-L2 and L2-L3 is described. OBJECTIVE: To describe clinical findings and the difficulty in obtaining a correct diagnosis of L5 Root Compression. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The disorder reported in this study has not been reported previously. Only one similar case has been described in the literature: an L5 root compression at L1-L2 caused by disc herniation. METHODS: Diagnosis was obtained by using computed tomography scanning, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography myelography. The findings at L5-S1 were minimal to justify the patient's clinical symptoms, but a detailed study of the upper levels revealed spinal stenosis at L1-L2 and L2-L3, which could have been causing L5 and S1 root compression. A decompressive laminectomy and partial facetectomy in both levels were performed. RESULTS: The patient's pain and claudication disappeared, and clinical symptoms associated with the right L5 root improved. The left L5 root deficit remained stable. CONCLUSION: An unusual case of L5 root compression caused by degenerative stenosis of L1-L2 and L2-L3 is described.