Development of a motor and somatosensory evoked potentials-guided spinal cord Injury model in non-human primates.

Background Nonhuman primates (NHP) may provide the most adequate (in terms of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology) model of spinal cord injury (SCI) for testing regenerative therapies, but bioethical considerations exclude their use in severe SCI. New Method A reproducible model of SCI at the lower thoracic level has been developed in Rhesus macaques. The model comprises surgical resection of 25% of the spinal cord in the projection of the dorsal funiculus and dorsolateral corticospinal pathways, controlled via registration of intraoperative evoked potentials (EPs).

[Vertebroplasty in the treatment of spinal diseases].

The results of surgical treatment by vertebroplasty are analyzed in 28 patients with different spinal diseases. A procedure for percutaneous vertebroplasty with polymethyl methacarylate is presented. This miniinvasive method has been shown to be highly effective in treating vertebral hemangiomas, osteoporotic compression fractures, and vertebral metastases and in strengthening the anterior vertebral column as compared with anterior spondylosis in open surgical operations.

[Posterio-median approach in ventral tumor compression of the spinal cord].

The paper describes two types of resection of primary and metastatic spinal tumors via a posterolateral approach: by curettage and en-block resection. The outcomes of treatment in 15 patients operated on by curettage and 2 patients undergone en-block resection are analyzed. Postoperative pain relief was noted in 100% of the patients.