1Department of Pathology, MGMC & RI, Pillaiyarkuppam, Puducherry– 607402, Pondicherry, India
2Department of Pathology, JJM Medical College, Davangere-577001, Karnataka, India
3Department of Pathology, Srinivas Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Mukka, Mangalore-574146, Karnataka, India
*Email: mangalaanaghaa@gmail.com
Online published on 30 May, 2012.
Even though, low backache due to disc prolapse is posing a significant health problem, there is paucity of information regarding its histopathologic basis and several studies have yielded conflicting results.
To study the histopathology of intervertebral disc material in disc prolapse and to correlate the findings with clinical variables.
Discs from the clinically and radiologically confirmed cases of disc prolapse, undergoing surgery from September 2002 to September 2004 were included for the study. Ten adult cadaveric intervertebral discs were used as controls.
‘Z’ test and ‘÷2’ test were used for analysing categorised data. ‘P’ value of <0.05 was considered for statistical significance.
Forty intervertebral discs obtained during the study period were fixed in 10% formalin for 12–24 hours, processed, stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin, examined for edge neovascularization, chondrocyte cloning, fibrillation and granular change.
Neovascularization was present in 80% of prolapsed discs and in none of the controls which was statistically significant.
Edge neovascularization was the most consistent finding raising the possibility that in disc material submitted without clinical information, edge neovascularization could be considered diagnostic of disc prolapse.
Edge neovascularization, Disc prolapse, Histopathology
