Accuracy and spread of injectate following lumbosacral ligament injections

Abstract

Using a standard technique described for prolotherapy injections, Indian ink was injected blindly into the lumbosacral ligaments of an adult human cadaver which was then dissected to assess the accuracy of reaching specific anatomical targets and to observe the spread of injectate. Ink was found to be distributed into and around each target; the interspinous ligaments, posterior facet joint capsules and iliolumbar ligaments. Injectate was also found to have spread diffusely throughout the surrounding soft tissues over a large surface area but it had not entered the epidural space nor passed deep to the intertransverse ligaments nor deep lumbar fascia.

Key Words::

• prolotherapy
• anatomy
• ligaments
• chronic low back pain
• injections