Poor Radiological and Good Functional Long-term Outcome of Surgically Treated Scheuermann Patients.

Study Design: Cohort study.

Objective: To analyze long-term clinical and radiological outcomes of surgically treated Scheuermann patients.

Summary Of Background Data: Long-term clinical and radiological outcomes of surgery for Scheuermann kyphosis are unknown.

Adverse effects of stromal vascular fraction during regenerative treatment of the intervertebral disc: observations in a goat model.

Stromal vascular fraction (SVF), an adipose tissue-derived heterogeneous cell mixture containing, among others, multipotent adipose stromal cells (ASCs) and erythrocytes, has proved beneficial for a wide range of applications in regenerative medicine. We sought to establish intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration by injecting SVF intradiscally during a one-step surgical procedure in an enzymatically (Chondroitinase ABC; cABC) induced goat model of disc degeneration. Unexpectedly, we observed a severe inflammatory response that has not been described before, including massive lymphocyte infiltration, neovascularisation and endplate destruction.

MRI T2* mapping correlates with biochemistry and histology in intervertebral disc degeneration in a large animal model.

Purpose: To evaluate intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and treatments, an objective diagnostic tool is needed. Recently, T2* relaxation time mapping was proposed as a technique to assess early IVD degeneration, yet the correlation with biochemical content and histological features has not been investigated previously. Our objective was to validate T2* mapping for disc degeneration by correlating this technique with accepted parameters of IVD degeneration.

Biomechanical and rheological characterization of mild intervertebral disc degeneration in a large animal model.

Biomechanical properties of healthy and degenerated nucleus pulposus (NP) are thought to be important for future regenerative strategies for intervertebral disc (IVD) repair. However, which properties are pivotal as design criteria when developing NP replacement materials is ill understood. Therefore, we determined and compared segmental biomechanics and NP viscoelastic properties in normal and mildly degenerated discs.

Caprine articular, meniscus and intervertebral disc cartilage: an integral analysis of collagen network and chondrocytes.

Cartilage is a tissue with only limited reparative capacities. A small part of its volume is composed of cells, the remaining part being the hydrated extracellular matrix (ECM) with collagens and proteoglycans as its main constituents. The functioning of cartilage depends heavily on its ECM.

Molecular changes in the degenerated goat intervertebral disc.

Study Design: Caprine lumbar intervertebral discs (IVD) were collected from previous studies and categorized as normal, mildly, or severely degenerated. The biochemical composition and the RNA profiles present in both the nucleus pulposus (NP) and the anulus fibrosus (AF) were analyzed.

Objective: To determine the molecular changes occurring in a disc degeneration model, evaluating the mechanism through which the degeneration develops in this model.

Adjacent segment degeneration: observations in a goat spinal fusion study.

Study Design: The adjacent discs of 13 goats, originally used in a lumbar spinal fusion model study, were analyzed for symptoms of intervertebral disc degeneration by means of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), macroscopy, and histology. These goats were followed for 6 months and the results were compared with 6 control goats.

Objective: To evaluate the development of adjacent segment disc degeneration in vivo in a goat lumbar spinal fusion model.

Reproducible long-term disc degeneration in a large animal model.

Study Design: Twelve goats were chemically degenerated and the development of the degenerative signs was followed for 26 weeks to evaluate the progression of the induced degeneration. The results were also compared with a previous study to determine the reproducibility.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was determine whether this Chondroitinase ABC (CABC) induced goat model is reproducible and to study the development of the degeneration in time up to 26 weeks.

Experimental intervertebral disc degeneration induced by chondroitinase ABC in the goat.

Study Design: In 2 studies, the injection of chondroitinase ABC into intervertebral discs of mature goats was evaluated as an experimental disc degeneration model. The first study analyzed the development of degeneration in time; the second study determined the optimal enzyme concentration.

Objectives: To develop reproducible, slowly progressive disc degeneration in a large animal model.

Sterilization and strength of 70/30 polylactide cages: e-beam versus ethylene oxide.

Study Design: In vitro and in vivo studies on the degradation of 70/30 poly(L,DL-lactide) (PLDLLA) cages.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of e-beam and ethylene oxide sterilization on degradation and strength.

Summary Of Background Data: e-beam-sterilized PLDLLA cages were shown to maintain mechanical strength for at least 6 months during degradation studies in vitro.

In vivo comparison of Dhvar-5 and gentamicin in an MRSA osteomyelitis prevention model.

Objectives: The continued rise in drug-resistant pathogens has led to global research efforts into new antimicrobial agents. A promising class of new agents are the antimicrobial peptides. The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of the antimicrobial peptide Dhvar-5 in a prophylactic, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) osteomyelitis model.