Is a pars fracture serious?
Like any fracture, a pars defect is relatively serious and will require some form of treatment.
Do most pars fractures require surgery for treatment?
Most patients with pars defect do not require surgery and can experience relief with medications and rest. Anti-inflammatory medications and muscle relaxers are commonly used to treat pain. Often, a lumbar corset back brace is prescribed for the acute phase of the injury.
Do you need surgery for pars fracture?
Some people need surgery to stabilize the spine. A pars repair surgery fixes the pars fracture without needing to perform a spinal fusion (where surgeons fuse the two vertebrae together to form one bone). In pars repair, surgeons remove scar tissue from the fracture area.
How do you treat a pars fracture?
The treatment for a pars fracture is initially nonsurgical and includes rest and bracing. The fracture can be assessed with a series of X-rays every few months.
Is a pars fracture painful?
Those with a pars fracture may feel pain and stiffness in the lower back that is worsened with activity and improves with rest. Hyperextension (abnormal stretching) of the lower back will usually aggravate the area as it overloads the pars fracture.
Do pars fractures heal?
In the typical bilateral pars fracture, healing without a brace and without reduced activity has a very poor repair rate. Even with the best healing fractures (unilateral and hypertrophic), healing with a brace and three to six months of reduced activity has a success rate hovering about 50%.
What is a pars interarticularis fracture?
Spondylolysis is a spinal fracture of a bone structure called the pars interarticularis, which connects the facet joints of the spine. The spinal cord is protected by rings of bone that make up the middle and posterior (rear) portion of the spinal column.
What is pars interarticularis defect (spondylolysis)?
Pars interarticularis defect (otherwise referred to as spondylolysis) represents a common cause of axial back pain in adolescents, especially in the case of young athletes. The pars interarticularis (pars) lies between the superior and inferior articular process bilaterally at each vertebral level. … Pars Interarticularis Defect Review
What is a Pars fracture of the spine?
It can also fracture if enough chronic stress in the area occurs. This pattern is typically seen in the lumbar spine, but may also occur at the cervical level. Thus, a pars fracture or pars defect is simply a fracture through this area.
What is an intraarticular fracture?
An intraarticular fracture is a fracture that crosses a joint surface. Such fractures also involve some cartilage damage. Fractures to joints are more complicated to treat and heal than simple fractures, as multiple bones are involved. Bone fragments inside the damaged joint may impede healing time and efficacy.