Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41207967›Full record

SynthesisEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2026

Cluneal nerve entrapment decompression: a systematic review of 236 surgical cases.

Osama A Alkulli, Abdulaziz M Alghamdi, Ammar A Alowfi, Asim M Bogari, Bader M AlGhamdi, Yahya M Samman, Fares F Alsayegh, Rayan Alalola, Mohammed S Alshehri

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Osama A AlkulliCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. osamaalkulli@gmail.com.
Abdulaziz M AlghamdiPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ammar A AlowfiCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Asim M BogariCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Bader M AlGhamdiCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Yahya M SammanCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Fares F AlsayeghCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Rayan AlalolaDepartment of Plastic Surgery and Burn Unit, Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed S AlshehriCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeSuperior (SCN) and middle cluneal nerve (MCN) entrapments are underdiagnosed causes of chronic low back pain (LBP), accounting for 1.6-14% of cases. Targeted nerve blocks that provide at least 50% pain reduction are used to confirm the diagnosis of cluneal nerve entrapment. This systematic review aims to address the clinicopathological features, diagnosis, surgical management, outcomes, and prognosis of patients with cluneal nerve entrapment.

methodThis study was a systematic review of the literature. A thorough search of PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL was performed. Studies on surgically treated cluneal nerve entrapment were included with the exception of case reports. Descriptive categorical and numerical statistical analyses were used to analyze the data.

resultFourteen articles involving 236 patients met the inclusion criteria. The average age was 64.68 years, with bilateral involvement in 38.98% of the cases and unilateral involvement in 59.75%. Low back pain (LBP) was reported in all 236 patients (100%). In addition, 209 (88.56%) patients experienced radiating pain in the buttocks. The results showed a significant improvement after surgery: the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score dropped from 73.63 to 33.31, the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) score decreased from 12.49 to 2.52, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score increased from 11.62 to 23.39, and the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) score decreased from 7.61 to 1.06. Surgical complications were not encountered in any patient; however, 11 (4.6%) patients required a second operation.

conclusionCluneal nerve entrapment is a well-established yet underdiagnosed cause of LBP. In this systematic review, surgical decompression offered effective and safe pain relief and functional improvement, with no reported complications and a low reoperation rate. Choosing the right patient and management plan for each case is necessary. Additional research is required to optimize the surgical procedures and evaluate the long-term outcomes.

Indexed as

Decompression, SurgicalLow Back PainNerve Compression SyndromesHumansMiddle AgedTreatment OutcomeCluneal nerveCluneal nerve entrapmentMiddle cluneal nerveSuperior cluneal nerve

Identifiers

PMID41207967

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.