The impact of type 2 diabetes on bone metabolism and growth after spinal fusion.

Background Context: Some clinical reports suggest diabetes may have a negative effect on spinal fusion outcomes, although no conclusive experimental research has been conducted to investigate the causality, impact, and inherent risks of this growing patient population.

Purpose: To analyze the hypothesis that type 2 diabetes (T2DM) inhibits the formation of a solid bony union after spinal fusion surgery by altering the local microenvironment at the fusion site through a reduction in growth factors critical for bone formation.

Study Design/setting: In vivo rodent model of type 2 diabetes.

Biomechanical analysis of lateral interbody fusion strategies for adjacent segment degeneration in the lumbar spine.

Background Context: Surgical treatment of symptomatic adjacent segment disease (ASD) typically involves extension of previous instrumentation to include the newly affected level(s). Disruption of the incision site can present challenges and increases the risk of complication. Lateral-based interbody fusion techniques may provide a viable surgical alternative that avoids these risks.