Back pain and total hip arthroplasty: a prospective natural history study.

Background: Many patients with degenerative joint disease of the hip have substantial degeneration of the lumbar spine. These patients may have back and lower extremity pain develop after THA and it may be difficult to determine whether the source of the pain is the hip or spine.

Questions/purposes: We therefore: (1) identified the incidence/prevalence of pain in the lower back in a group of patients with end-stage arthritis of the hip undergoing THA; (2) described the natural history of low back pain in this cohort undergoing THA; and (3) determined factors that were predictive of persistent low back pain after THA.

Degenerative spondylolisthesis versus spinal stenosis: does a slip matter? Comparison of baseline characteristics and outcomes (SPORT).

Study Design: As-treated analysis of the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial.

Objective: To compare baseline characteristics and surgical and nonoperative outcomes between degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) and spinal stenosis (SPS) patients.

Summary Of Background Data: DS and SPS patients are often combined in clinical studies despite differences in underlying pathology and treatment.

Osteogenic potential of adult human stem cells of the lumbar vertebral body and the iliac crest.

Study Design: Marrow was aspirated from the vertebral body (VB) and iliac crest (IC) of patients undergoing lumbar spinal surgery, following an approved protocol. Progenitor cells were isolated using standard culture conditions and their osteogenic potential evaluated.

Objective: To evaluate the osteogenic potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from the bone marrow of the human VB.

Failure of standard imaging to detect a cervical fracture in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis.

Study Design: Retrospective case study of 38-year-old male with ankylosing spondylitis who presented with a Brown-Séquard syndrome following a fall and an occult fracture on initial spinal imaging studies.

Objective: To review the recommended imaging protocol in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis and a suspected cervical spine fracture.

Summary Of Background Data: Plain radiographic imaging using orthogonal views can detect the majority of spinal fractures.

Differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells towards a nucleus pulposus-like phenotype in vitro: implications for cell-based transplantation therapy.

Objective: Because mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into chondrocyte-like cells, we ask the question, can mesenchymal stem cells commit to the nucleus pulposus phenotype?

Background: Back pain, a significant source of morbidity in our society, is linked to degenerative changes of the intervertebral disc. Absence of suitable graft tissue limits therapeutic approaches for repair of disc tissue. For this reason, there is considerable interest in developing "tissue engineering" strategies for the regeneration of the nucleus pulposus.

An organ culture system for the study of the nucleus pulposus: description of the system and evaluation of the cells.

Study Design: The goal of this study was to develop a methodology to maintain intervertebral discs in organ culture, thereby preserving tissue architecture and metabolic function in a three-dimensional environment.

Methods: Using a microdissection technique, intervertebral discs were removed from rat lumbar vertebrae. The discs were maintained in organ culture, and cell viability was evaluated histochemically and using probes that measured mitochondrial function and thiol status.