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Great trochanter bursitis vs sciatica, a diagnostic–anatomic trap: differential diagnosis and brief review of the literature

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to point out the difficulty of differentiating great trochanter bursitis (GTB) from sciatica and estimating the prevalence of GTΒ, in patients poorly diagnosed with sciatica in their first visit to the general practitioner and referred to a spine infirmary.

Methods

The diagnosis of GTΒ was made based on history and physical examination, and was confirmed by ultrasonography and/or response to an anesthetic plus corticosteroid injection to the trochanteric bursa. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the study group were evaluated. The statistical analysis was held with the SPSS pc package (version 24.0).

Results

In a total of 657 referrals for sciatica, 72 patients (10.95%) were incorrectly diagnosed as suffering from sciatica, whereas, in fact, they were suffering from GTΒ. In addition, 18 patients (2.74%) were diagnosed as suffering from persistent sciatica with coexisting GTΒ. More women than men had GTΒ (79–11). Mean age for patients with sciatica diagnosis but suffering from GTΒ was 60 years. Mean age for patients with both sciatica and GTΒ was 61 years.

Conclusions

The GTB is a common clinical entity in middle-aged women, which can escape from the physician in cases of incomplete medical history and clinical examination, leading to unnecessary imaging tests and treatment approaches, burdening both the patient and the health system. Early diagnosis of GTB may dramatically reduce cost, prevent unwanted and inappropriate imaging exams and treatment, and make the patient free of symptoms immediately.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Medical School, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41110, Larissa, Greece

    Aristeidis H. Zibis, Vasileios D. Mitrousias & Dimitrios L. Arvanitis

  2. Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    Michail E. Klontzas

  3. Department of Orthopaedics, Medical School, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41110, Larissa, Greece

    Theofilos Karachalios & Sokratis E. Varitimidis

  4. Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Crete, University Hospital, Stavrakia, 711 10, Heraklion, Greece

    Apostolos H. Karantanas

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  1. Aristeidis H. Zibis
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  2. Vasileios D. Mitrousias
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  3. Michail E. Klontzas
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Correspondence to Aristeidis H. Zibis.

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Zibis, A.H., Mitrousias, V.D., Klontzas, M.E. et al. Great trochanter bursitis vs sciatica, a diagnostic–anatomic trap: differential diagnosis and brief review of the literature. Eur Spine J 27, 1509–1516 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-018-5486-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-018-5486-3

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