The impact of adjacent level disc degeneration on health status outcomes following lumbar fusion.

Study Design: A retrospective review of patient outcomes after lumbar spinal fusion.

Objective: To determine whether patients with a fusion ending adjacent to a "degenerated disc" (DDD group) had worse clinical outcomes than patients with fusions ending adjacent to "normal" discs (NL group).

Summary Of Background Data: Although it has been suggested that creating a rigid motion segment adjacent to a degenerated segment may negatively impact clinical outcomes after lumbar fusion, this question has not been addressed to our knowledge in the English literature.

Evaluation of calcium sulfate paste for augmentation of lumbar pedicle screw pullout strength.

Background Context: Many authors have evaluated the components responsible for ultimate pullout strength of pedicle screws. In these studies, one important variable has been the screw fixation. Because pedicle screw fixation has increased in popularity over recent years, so has the need for augmentation in difficult situations.

The use of diagnostic imaging to assess spinal arthrodesis.

Despite advances in surgical techniques and internal fixation devices, pseudarthrosis remains a significant factor in the clinical failure of attempted fusions in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. This article reviews the use of diagnostic imaging in the assessment of spinal fusion, with a focus on the accuracy of different imaging modalities based on surgical exploration. A cost-effective strategy for the radiographic follow-up of patients after spinal fusion surgery also is presented.

Murine nucleus pulposus-derived cells secrete interleukins-1-beta, -6, and -10 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in cell culture.

Study Design: Cultures established from murine disc-derived cells were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide. The cells' capacity to secrete proinflammatory cytokines and interleukin-10 with and without lipopolysaccharide stimulation was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

Objectives: To determine the capacity of disc-derived cells to secrete proinflammatory cytokines, and the effect of lipopolysaccharide stimulation on such secretion.