PMC9091391_01
Case 1: Plain radiographs of the lumbar spine. a Frontal view. b Lateral view. A vertebral osteophyte (white arrow) formed as a result of degenerative spondylosis on the right side of L2-L3. Magnetic resonance images of the lumbar spine. c Sagittal view. d Axial view. Stenosis of the right L2 spinal nerve (white arrow) is visible between the osteophyte of the vertebral body and the L3 right transverse process.
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F1
A plain radiograph of the lumbar spine showed a vertebral osteophyte that had formed as a result of degenerative spondylosis on the right side of L2-L3 (Fig. 1a). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed no central spinal stenosis but did indicate stenosis of the right L2 spinal nerve far outside the L2-L3 foramen (Fig. 1c and d).
Case 1: Computed tomography after myelography and radiculography. a Sagittal view. b Axial view. Stenosis of the right L2 spinal nerve (white arrow) is visible between the osteophyte of the vertebral body and the L3 right transverse process.
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F2
Computed tomography (CT) after myelography and radiculography for the right spinal nerve showed flattening of the right L2 spinal nerve between the osteophyte of the vertebral body and the L3 right transverse process (Fig. 2).
Case 1: Intra-operative photograph and schematic illustrations. A The right L3 transverse process (b) compressed the right L2 spinal nerve (a) from the dorsal side. B After excision of the right L3 transverse process, the right L2 spinal nerve (a) remained compressed by a vertebral osteophyte  . C Schematic diagram of A. D Schematic diagram of B.
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F3
Therefore, the vertebral osteophyte was partially resected (Fig. 3).
PMC9091391_02
Case 2: plain radiographs of the lumbar spine. a Frontal view. b Lateral view. A vertebral osteophyte (black arrow) formed as a result of degenerative spondylosis on the right side of L2-L3. Magnetic resonance images. c Sagittal view. d Axial view. Stenosis of the right L2 spinal nerve (white arrow) is visible between the osteophyte of the vertebral body and the L3 right transverse process.
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F4
On the right side of L2-L3, osteophyte formation in the vertebral body was particularly marked (Fig. 4a). MRI showed no central spinal stenosis but did indicate stenosis of the right L2 spinal nerve far outside the L2-L3 foramen (Fig. 4c and d).
Case 2: Computed tomography after radiculography. a Sagittal view. b and c Three-dimensional views. Extraforaminal stenosis is visible between the osteophyte of the vertebral body and the L3 right transverse process.
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F5
CT after radiculography of the right L2 spinal nerve showed flattening of the right L2 spinal nerve between the osteophyte of the vertebral body and the L3 right transverse process (Fig. 5).
Case 2: Intra-operative photos. A The right L3 transverse process (b) compressed the right L2 spinal nerve (a) from the dorsal side. B After excision of the right L3 transverse process, the right L2 spinal nerve (a) remained compressed (arrowhead) by a vertebral osteophyte  . C The right L2 spinal nerve (a) was decompressed after excision of the vertebral osteophyte. D Schematic diagram of A. E Schematic diagram of B. F Schematic diagram of C.
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F6
Therefore, the osteophyte of the vertebral body was partially resected (Fig. 6).