Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

L5 radiculopathy due to sacral stress fracture

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Skeletal Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We report the case of a 70-year-old man who presented with a history of left buttock pain with radiation into the left leg in an L5 distribution. MRI of the lumbar spine revealed a left sacral stress fracture with periosteal reaction involving the left L5 nerve root anterior to the sacral ala. With spontaneous healing of the fracture, the patient's symptoms resolved completely.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1A, B.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Atwell E, Jackson D. Stress fractures of the sacrum in runners. Two case reports. Am J Sports Med 1984; 19:2117–2121.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Balseiro J, Brower A, Ziessman H. Scintigraphic diagnosis of sacral fractures. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1987; 148:111–113.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Belkin S. Stress fractures in athletes. Orthop Clin North Am 1980; 11:735–742.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Bottomley M. Sacral stress fracture in a runner. Br J Sports Med 1990; 24:243–244.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Buckwalter J, Brandser E. Stress and insufficiency fractures. Am Fam Physician 1997; 56:175–182.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Cooper K, Beabout J, Swee R. Insufficiency fractures of the sacrum. Radiology 1985; 156:15–20.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. De Smet A, Neff J. Pubic and sacral insufficiency fractures: clinical course and radiographic findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1985; 145:601–606.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Fink-Bennett D, Benson M. Unusual exercise-related stress fractures. Two case reports. Clin Nucl Med 1984; 8:430–434.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Gacetta D, Yandow D. Computed tomography of spontaneous osteoporotic sacral fractures. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1984; 8:1190–1191.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Gaucher A, Pere B, Bannworth B. Insufficiency fractures of the pelvis. Clin Nucl Med 1986; 11:518.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Hauge M, Cooper K, Litin S. Insufficiency fractures of the pelvis that simulate metastatic disease. Mayo Clin Proc 1988; 63:807–812.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Johnson A, Weiss C, Stento K, Wheeler DL. Stress fractures of the sacrum. An atypical cause of low back pain in the female athlete. Am J Sports Med 2001; 29:498–508.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Lechavalier D, Magnin J, Eulry F. Truncated sciatica as the first manifestation of a fatigue fracture of the sacrum in a young male. Rev Rheum Engl Ed 1996; 63:505.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Lourie H. Spontaneous osteoporotic fracture of the sacrum. An unrecognized syndrome of the elderly. JAMA 1982; 248:715–717.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Newhouse K, El-Khoury G, Buckwalter J. Occult sacral fractures in osteopenic patients. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1992; 74:1472–1477.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Ries T. Detection of osteoporotic sacral fractures with radionuclides. Radiology 1983; 146:783–785.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Schils J, Hauzeur J. Stress fracture of the sacrum. Am J Sports Med 1992; 20:769–770.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Schneider R, Yacovone J, Ghelman B. Unsuspected sacral fractures: detection by radionuclide bone scanning. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1985; 144:337–341.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Volpin G, Milgrom C, Goldsher D, et al. Stress fractures of the sacrum following strenuous activity. Clin Orthop 1989; 243:184–188.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Peh WC, Khong PL, Ho WY, Yeung HW, Luk KD. Sacral insufficiency fractures. Spectrum of radiological features. Clin Imaging 1995; 19:92–101.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Stabler A, Steiner W, Kohz P, Bartl R, Berger H, Reiser M. Time-dependent changes of insufficiency fractures of the sacrum: intraosseous vacuum phenomenon as an early sign. Eur Radiol 1996; 6:655–657.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Brahme SK, Cervilla V, Vint V, Cooper K, Kortman K, Resnick D. Magnetic resonance appearance of sacral insufficiency fractures. Skeletal Radiol 1990; 19:489–493.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Grangier C, Garcia J, Howarth NR, May M, Rossier P. Role of MRI in the diagnosis of insufficiency fractures of the sacrum and acetabular roof. Skeletal Radiol 1997; 26:517–524.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Jones JW. Insufficiency fracture of the sacrum with displacement and neurologic damage: a case report and review of the literature. J Am Geriatr Soc 1991; 39:280–283.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Jacquot JM, Finiels H, Fardjad S, Belhassen S, Leroux JL, Pelissier J. Neurological complications in insufficiency fractures of the sacrum. Three case-reports. Rev Rhum Engl Ed 1999; 66:109–114.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Finiels PJ, Finiels H, Strubel D, Jacquot JM. Spontaneous osteoporotic fractures of the sacrum causing neurological damage. Report of three cases. J Neurosurg 2002; 97(3 Suppl): 380–385.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Asif Saifuddin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Aylwin, A., Saifuddin, A. & Tucker, S. L5 radiculopathy due to sacral stress fracture. Skeletal Radiol 32, 590–593 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-003-0662-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-003-0662-9

Keywords

Navigation