Kinematic patterns for hindlimb obstacle avoidance during sheep locomotion.

Functional recovery following general nerve reconstruction is often associated with poor results. Comparing to rat and mice experimental studies, there are much fewer investigations on nerve regeneration and repair in the sheep, and there are no studies on this subject using gait analysis in the sheep model as an assessment tool. Additionally, this is the first study evaluating obstacle negotiation and the compensatory strategies that take place at each joint in response to the obstacle during locomotion in the sheep model.

Dynamic feet distance: A new functional assessment during treadmill locomotion in normal and thoracic spinal cord injured rats.

Of all the detrimental effects of spinal cord injury (SCI), one of the most devastating is the disruption of the ability to perform functional movement. Very little is known on the recovery of hindlimb joint kinematics after clinically-relevant contusive thoracic lesion in experimental animal models. A new functional assessment instrument, the dynamic feet distance (DFD) was used to describe the distance between the two feet throughout the gait cycle in normal and affected rodents.

The use of sheep as a model for studying peripheral nerve regeneration following nerve injury: review of the literature.

Peripheral nerve injury and regeneration is a challenging scientific field with relevant clinical implications. Most peripheral nerve regeneration studies have been mainly carried out on rodents. However, it is important to note that the validity of the rodent as a model to study nerve injury and regeneration and translate these results into clinical practice has been questioned by several researchers.

Major complications following total en bloc spondylectomy for giant-cell tumor.

The authors present the case of a 32-year-old Caucasian female with a giant-cell tumor of the eighth thoracic vertebra, causing unremitting pain, segmental kyphosis and imminent local instability. A total en bloc spondylectomy by a posterior-only approach was performed, complemented with anterior-column reconstruction with a titanium mesh and structural allograft, as well as pedicle screw fixation. Despite the surgery being uneventful, several complications developed over the ensuing weeks: bilateral hemothorax, empyema and sepsis, requiring numerous revision surgeries for postoperative infection.