Effects of anterior lumbar spinal fusion on the distribution of nerve endings and mechanoreceptors in the rabbit facet joint: quantitative histological analysis.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the density and distribution of neural endings in rabbit lumbar facet joints after anterior spinal fusion and to evaluate the effects of intervertebral immobilization. An extraperitoneal approach was applied, and L5/6 was fixed with a plate and screws. Bilateral L4/5, L5/6, and L6/7 facet joint capsules were harvested from the rabbits 4, 8, and 16 weeks postoperatively.