[Clinico-radiological correlation and treatment of patients with absence of lumbar vertebral arch fusion].

: The authors observed 88 patients (18 women and 70 men) aged 16 to 61 years with lack of lumbar vertebral arch fusion (spina bifid occulta without spinal cord involvement). In 63 cases the clinical symptom complex was that of sciatic pains, in the remaining 25 cases no neurological defect was found. In 63 cases operation was done and 45 of them intervertebral disc prolapse was found. The decision to operate was based on the refractoriness and intensity of pain, presence of neurological defect and radiculography performed in 36 cases. It is stressed that such high proportion (51%) of cases with spina bifida coexistent with lumbar disc prolapse calls for a careful analysis of the cause of pain in patients with spina bifida.