[Pain patterns of disc lesions of the lumbar spine].

Aim: The aim of this study was to find out the reliability of several dermatomic maps (description of pain pattern within a nerve root lesion) according to the respective segmental area.

Methods: Different studies which deal with pain pattern caused by disc lesions were searched for with MedLine support and then reviewed.

Results: A clear correlation between the pain projections of the lumbar spine does not seem to exist. A contradiction of the most common pain projection (S1) and operated disc (L4/5) is described.

Conclusion: Even though there are studies of high scientific design and value (Nitta H, Wolff A) the pain pattern of dermatomic maps is only of limited value for the definition of the affected segment.