Increased osteoclast-like cells formation in long-term bone marrow cultures from patients with a spinal cord injury.

Patients with a spinal cord section loose a significant amount of bone. After paraplegia, bone loss occurs below the lesional level and is the more dramatic in iliac bones and in the metaphyseal area of long bones. A peak of urinary calcium and hydroxyprolinuria is observed approximately 6 weeks after their lesion.

Longitudinal study of the bone mineral content and of soft tissue composition after spinal cord section.

We present the results of a 1 year longitudinal study of bone mineral measurements and soft tissue composition in supra- and infra-lesional areas of 31 patients with a spinal cord injury (level D2-L3). Like others, we observed a rapid decrease of BMC in the paralysed areas, of approximately 4%/month during the first year in areas rich in trabecular bone and of approximately 2%/month in areas containing mainly compact bone. Lean soft tissue mass (muscle mass) decreases dramatically during the first months post injury in the legs, while fat content tends to increase.

Lateral decompression of a pathological disc in the treatment of lumbar pain and sciatica.

The posterolateral approach external to the vertebral canal allows decompression and the escape of disintegrating bits of abnormal nucleus pulposus. This simple, rapid, and least traumatic procedure is sufficient to relieve and to cure a significant number of patients (approximately 40%) suffering from intervertebral disc-related lumbar pain or sciatica. Among 225 patients with 338 discs operated on by the lateral decompression technique in the interval from 1978 to 1984, the overall results are encouraging.