Spine
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Destructive biomechanical tests using fresh cadaveric thoracolumbar vertebral bodies. ⋯ Results of this study demonstrated that the new CaP cement can be injected and infiltrates easily into the vertebral body. It was also found that injection of the new CaP cement can improve the strength of a fractured vertebral body to at least the level of its intact strength. Thus, the new CaP cement may be a good alternative to PMMA cement for vertebroplasty, although further in vivo animal and clinical studies should be done. Furthermore, the new CaP may be more effective in augmenting the strength of osteoporotic vertebral bodies for preventing compression fractures considering our biomechanical testing data and the known potential for biodegradability of the new CaP cement.
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Nerves and blood vessel distribution in discs were localized immunohistochemically and correlated with the proteoglycan contents of normal and degenerate disc tissues. ⋯ Nerve and blood vessel ingrowth into the anulus fibrosis were strongly associated with proteoglycan depletion. The ovine anular lesion model of disc degeneration is a useful experimental model for the systematic evaluation of nerve and blood vessel development after anular injury.
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Retrospective study of seven cases of ossification of ligamentum flavum from two urban hospitals in a Chinese population. ⋯ Ossification of ligamentum flavum is an uncommon cause of myelopathy in the Chinese population. It can present acutely after minor trauma. Posterior decompression, especially with en bloc dissection of laminae, gives satisfactory results.
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A new way to study pain in experimental animals without handling of the animals and based on registration of spontaneous behavior using video recordings. ⋯ The study demonstrates that it is possible to detect changes in spontaneous behavior after experimental disc herniation. However, such changes may only be seen if disc incision and slight mechanical deformation are combined. This is in agreement with previous clinical and experimental observations. The present model allows for convenient assessment of pain in a way that focuses on spontaneous behavior rather than changes in pain thresholds and that reduces the interference of the researcher and environment on the outcome of the assessment.