STUDY DESIGN Immunohistochemical study of the sensory innervation of the human lumbar intervertebral disc. OBJECTIVE To determine the type of sensory fibers innervating human degenerated lumbar intervertebral discs. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Sensory neurons involved in pain perception related to inflammation in rats are typically small, peptide-containing neurons immunoreactive for calcito...

Objective. The goal of the present study was to examine the clinical results of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) and open lumbar surgery for patients with adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) and recurrence of disc herniation. Methods. From December 2011 to November 2013, we collected forty-three patients who underwent repeated lumbar surgery. These patients, either received PELD...

The loaded disk culture system is an intervertebral disk (IVD)-oriented bioreactor developed by the VU Medical Center (VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands), which has the capacity of maintaining up to 12 IVDs in culture, for approximately 3 weeks after extraction. Using this system, eight goat IVDs were provided with the essential nutrients and submitted to compression tests without losing their b...

STUDY DESIGN A new rabbit model was developed that produces disc degeneration through the application of controlled and quantified axial mechanical load. OBJECTIVES To characterize the changes associated with disc degeneration, and to evaluate the feasibility of local transfer of agents to the compressed discs to stimulate disc regeneration. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Studies have shown tha...

BACKGROUND Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is common, with severe disease increasing the risk for chronic low back pain. This cross-sectional study examined whether disc degeneration is representative of a 'whole-organ' pathology, by examining its association with bone (vertebral endplate) and soft tissue (paraspinal muscle fat) abnormalities. METHODS Seventy-two community-based...

OBJECTIVES Herniated discs and degenerative disc disease are major health problems worldwide. However, their pathogenesis remains obscure. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms of these ailments and to identify underlying therapeutic targets. MATERIAL AND METHODS Using the GSE23130 microarray datasets downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, differentially co-expre...

The objective was to investigate the effective and safe range of paramedian CDH by percutaneous posterior full-endoscopy cervical intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus resection (PPFECD) to provide a reference for indications and patient selection. Sixteen patients with CDH satisfied the inclusion criteria. Before surgery the patients underwent cervical spine MRI, and the distance between the du...

In review of 871 lumbar fusion procedures performed during the last 8 years, the theoretical advantages of lumbar spinal instrumentation are not borne out in simple discogenic disease. Four groups of 30-35 patients without previous surgery who underwent fusion by different techniques were matched for age, sex, length of follow-up, surgeons, number of levels fused, duration of preoperative sympt...

Intradural disc herniation (IDDH) is a rare complication of intervertebral disc disease and comprises 0.26-0.30% of all herniated discs, with 92% of them located in the lumbar region (1). We present a case of IDDH that presented with intermittent symptoms and signs of cauda equina compression. We were unable to find in the literature, any previously described cases of intermittent cauda equina ...