09 Feb Hip vs Lumbar Spine Pain Can Be Difficult to Differentiate
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Afshin Razi
Afshin E. Razi MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
New York, N.Y. 10016
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: We did an extensive literature search and through our two previous seminars on this topic we were able to gather information to aid our colleagues on best ways of differentiating causes of hip and back pain. As an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in spine surgery I encounter many patients who present with concomitant back and hip pain. Many of these patients are also referred to me by surgeons who solely take care of hip problems such as total hip replacement or sport medicine specialist who treat younger patients with hip pain. It can be very difficult to properly diagnose the main issue and as such some patients go on to have unnecessary treatments, including surgery, because of their persistent symptoms. It was our goal to try to educate physicians, including orthopaedic surgeons, on the common differential diagnoses, appropriate clinical history and physical examination, diagnostic tools and their evaluations appropriately, as well as treatment options and priorities of which one to be treated first. More recently, it has been noted that some patients who have undergone total hip replacement with significant curvature of the spine had postoperative dislocation of the hip after reconstruction of the spinal malalignment. This article also talks about this newly seen problem.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: There is a major need for obtaining a thorough clinical history, performing a complete physical examination, and ordering with analyzing appropriate diagnostic tests followed by diagnostic and therapeutic injections can differentiate between hip problems versus back related pathologies.
MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Response: There also should be patient education with regard to complex hip-spine problems to make sure they’re aware that despite addressing one problem the other problem may also need to be addressed at some point.
MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.
Citation:
Differentiating Hip Pathology From Lumbar Spine Pathology: Key Points of Evaluation and Management
Buckland, Aaron J. MBBS, FRACS; Miyamoto, Ryan MD; Patel, Rakesh D. MD; Slover, James MS, MD; Razi, Afshin E. MD
Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
February 2017 – Volume 25 – Issue 2 – p e23–e34
doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-15-00740
Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.
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Last Updated on February 9, 2017 by Marie Benz MD FAAD