Kirkaldy-Willis et al. examined 50 autopsy lumbar spines and 161 laminectomy specimens to map the full pathologic spectrum of lumbar degenerative disease — from early annular tears through disc internal disruption, resorption, posterior joint destruction, and ultimately lateral recess and central stenosis — and to explain how these changes interact to produce nerve entrapment.
This work explains why patients with developmental stenosis become symptomatic earlier and why successful treatment often requires addressing multilevel disease rather than isolated segments.
Kirkaldy-Willis et al. examined 50 autopsy lumbar spines and 161 laminectomy specimens to map the full pathologic spectrum of lumbar degenerative disease — from early annular tears through disc internal disruption, resorption, posterior joint destruction, and ultimately lateral recess and central stenosis — and to explain how these changes interact to produce nerve entrapment.
This work explains why patients with developmental stenosis become symptomatic earlier and why successful treatment often requires addressing multilevel disease rather than isolated segments.