Abstract

ESPIGA, Martín; CURBELO, Patricia; SILVERI, Claudio  and  PEREZ, María Elena. Facet arthritis in pediatrics: Case report. Anfamed [online]. 2026, vol.13, n.1, e403.  Epub Dec 01, 2026. ISSN 2301-1254.  https://doi.org/10.25184/anfamed2025v13n1a5.

Low back pain in children and adolescents is a common condition, with an annual prevalence ranging from 7% to 58%. It is more frequent between the ages of 13 and 15. It is expected that 10% to 30% of the healthy young population will experience an episode of low back pain by the time they reach adolescence 1. Most causes of low back pain are benign, but it is important to rule out potentially serious conditions such as infections.

Facet arthritis is a rare but potentially serious condition, with pediatric cases being infrequent. The diagnosis is generally delayed, and symptoms are often unclear, so a high level of suspicion is necessary; a complete physical examination is essential, along with laboratory and imaging studies where MRI plays a crucial role in the diagnosis. The first case was described by Halpin in 1987, and since then, around 100 publications have been reported, with 10 involving pediatric patients. It accounts for about 4% of vertebral infections, although it often goes unnoticed. The most frequent location is at the lumbar level. Hematogenous spread is the most common route, although cases of direct inoculation have also been reported. 2

We will describe the case of a 5-year-old girl and her 5-year evolution with a diagnosis of L3-L4 left facet arthritis. Therapeutic guidelines will be presented based on a review of current literature.

Keywords : low back pain: facet joint arthritis; pediatrics.

        · abstract in Spanish | Portuguese     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )