Advanced meta-analyses comparing the three surgical techniques total disc replacement, anterior stand-alone fusion and circumferential fusion regarding pain, function and complications up to 3 years to treat lumbar degenerative disc disease.

Purpose: The purpose of our meta-analyses is to find the most appropriate surgical technique treating lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD). Spinal fusion is the conventional treatment for lumbar DDD. Total disc replacement (TDR) has been developed to avoid negative effects of fusions by preserving functionality.

Meta-analyses comparing spine simulators with cadavers and finite element models by analysing range-of-motion data before and after lumbar total disc replacement.

Background: Range-of-motion (ROM) data generated by the in vitro test methods of spine simulators with cadavers (SSCs) and finite element models (FEMs) are used alternatively and complementarily for in vitro evaluations.

Aim Of Review: Our purpose is to compare exemplary segmental ROM data from SSCs and FEMs before and after ball-and-socket total disc replacement (bsTDR) to determine whether the two test methods provide the same data for the same evaluation subjects.

Key Scientific Concepts Of Review: We performed 70 meta-analyses (MAs) and 20 additional comparative analyses based on data from 21 SSC studies used for 39 MAs and 16 FEM studies used for 31 MAs.