While cartilaginous endplate (CEP) avulsion is a common finding in discectomy due to lumbar disc herniation, its roles in residual back and leg pain, associations with Modic changes (MCs) and endplate defects (EPD) remain unknown.
Patients with a single-level lumbar disc herniation who underwent endoscopic discectomy were studied. On MR images, the adjacent endplates of the herniated disc were assessed for MCs and EPD. The presence of CEP avulsion was examined under endoscopic and visualized inspection. Back and leg pain were evaluated by a numeric rating scale (NRS) and the Oswestry Disability Index. Associations of CEP avulsion with adjacent MCs, EPD, and residual back and leg pain were examined. In addition, histological features of avulsed CEP were determined using gross staining and immunohistochemical methods.
A total of 386 patients were included. CEP avulsion was found in 166 (43%) patients, and adjacent MCs and EPD were observed in 117 (30.3%) and 139 (36%) patients. The presence of CEP avulsion was associated with greater age, adjacent MCs (OR = 2.60, 95%CI [1.61-4.19]) and EPD (OR = 1.63, 95%CI [1.03-2.57]). Among the 187 patients with ≥2 years follow-up, CEP avulsion was associated with residual back pain (OR = 2.49, 95%CI [1.29-4.82]) and leg pain (OR = 2.25, 95%CI [1.04-4.84]). Histologically, the avulsed CEP was characterized by multiple defects, apparent inflammation, and nucleus invasion, as well as the upregulation of IL-1β, caspase-1, and NLRP3 inflammasome.
CEP avulsion was associated with MCs, EPD, and residual back and leg pain after discectomy, which may be attributed to NLRP3 inflammasome related inflammations.