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The aim of this study is to investigate the physical and psychosocial problems and the clinical and sociodemographic factors affecting sexual life in patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain (CLBP), thus drawing attention to sexual disability and patients’ concerns in the conservative management of the disease. A total of 140 patients were included in the study. The assessment of disease characteristics, information about sexual life and related factors were evaluated by a self-constructed questionnaire. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to assess functional disability, pain-related anxiety, physical activity level, fear of movement and depression severity, respectively. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to discover relationships among variables. Based on the dendrogram, the intensity of CLBP, the impact of CLBP on sexual life, decrease in libido, sexual satisfaction, frequency of intercourse, painful sexual behavior and questionnaire results (BDI, TSK, ODI, PCS) were in the same cluster. Consistent with this, positive correlations were found between BDI and PCS (p < 0.001, r = 0.481), BDI and TSK (p < 0.001, r = 0.319), and BDI and ODI (p < 0.001, r = 0.408). The other main clusters included demographic and clinical characteristics, ODI and IPAQ scores. The sexual lives of patients with CLBP are affected physically and psychosocially. In clinical practice, it is important to counsel sexual disability patients because of their concerns and hesitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Conjoined nerve roots (CNR) can be damaged during lumbar disc surgery and lead to neuropathic pain due to excessive retraction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that facilitate the identification of CNRs that can lead to the loss of fragments in the secondary axilla, nerve root injury or unpleasant surprises during lumbar disc surgery. Accordingly, we aimed to measure the thicknesses and exit angles of the nerve roots close to the pedicle to obtain scientific data regarding rare double roots., Material and Methods: The data of 612 patients who were operated for lumbar disc disease in our hospital between 2012 and 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Twenty one cases of CNR were detected in this series., Results: The mean nerve root thickness was 1.92 ± 0.45 mm for medially located roots and 3.33 ± 0.95 mm for laterally located roots. The comparison of medially located roots versus laterally located roots revealed a significant difference in mean values (p < 0.0001). The mean exit angle was 12.290± 4.890 for medially located roots, and 22.110 ± 5.420 for laterally located roots (p < 0.0001). In addition, the exit angles of the medially and laterally located roots increased as going down to caudal levels, (p=0.005, p=0.042)., Conclusion: CNRs are congenital anomalies that are usually diagnosed during the surgical procedure and affect the success of discectomy. The presence of a more medially located or thinner root during surgical exploration and the absence of the fragment in the axilla in extruded or sequestered discs usually indicate a conjoined nerve root closer to the pedicle.