Bertolotti Syndrome Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Specialist

Bertolotti syndrome is one of the cause of back pain. Bertolotti syndrome may occur due to lumbosacral transitional vertebrae. This syndrome is a congenital condition which is present by birth. It is asymptomatic in early childhood but it starts showing symptoms in the late twenties and early thirties. This syndrome was named after a scientist named Mario bertolotti. He was an Italian physician. In bertolotti syndrome, sacralization occurs in the lowest lumbar vertebrae or lumbarization occurs of the uppermost sacral region. It may involve bilateral or unilateral and total or partial fusion of the transverse process occurring at the lowest lumbar region of vertebrae up to sacrum.

Bertolotti Syndrome Symptoms


The symptoms of bertolotti syndrome are dependent on the site of vertebrae involved. As the lower lumbosacral region is involved in the transition process so the pain may originate from the exact location. Usually patients report pain in the lower back region of body. This pain may radiate to hips and then to the thighs. But pain is the only symptom associated with this syndrome. It is a congenital disease, but is asymptomatic. The symptoms may appear at the late twenties or early thirties. In rare cases, the symptoms may start appearing in childhood.

Bertolotti Syndrome Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Specialist

Bertolotti Syndrome Causes


Bertolotti syndrome is a congenital disease, in which the lumbosacral region is involved. The lumbar to the sacral region is fused by transverse process. And this transverse process may be bilateral or unilateral and may be total or partial. This fusion leads to the formation of the 5th lumbar vertebrae transitional. All this happens during the development of fetus within the womb of mother. Due to this 5th lumbar vertebrae, patient feels pain in the lower back and sometimes this Pain becomes unbearable. Usually this pain resembles sciatic type of pain.

Bertolotti Syndrome Treatment


There are two main ways of treatment i.e. surgical way and non surgical way. In a non surgical way, the steroid injections are used which are directly injected in the lower back region of body. Other than this, radio frequency sensory ablation is used. Physiotherapy is also helpful and helps in the mobilization of lower back. It includes core stretching and neural stretching exercises. Surgery is only recommended in a way when all other treatment therapy fails. In surgery, there may be posterolateral fusion or resection of the transitional articulation. The recovery time increases in the surgical treatment.

Bertolotti Syndrome Specialist


The bertolotti syndrome specialist are rare. As it is a very sensitive and complicated syndrome that should be treated only under the supervision of it's specialist. It is so because of the pain it generates. It's symptoms resemble the symptoms of sciatic pain which radiate down to the leg. It's diagnosis is not an easy task. It is a rare condition, which makes it difficult to diagnose easily. It may be easily mixed up with sacroiliac joint disease and facet. The symptoms should be keenly observed and then the diagnostic tools like ultrasound and x-rays should be rightly observed to make the right diagnosis. And all this can be done under the observation of a specialist.
Bertolotti Syndrome Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Specialist Bertolotti Syndrome Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Specialist Reviewed by Simon Albert on February 16, 2019 Rating: 5
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