In a series of 46 patients the effects of spinal fusion upon intervertebral height and sagittal alignment in operated and non-operated segments were retrospectively evaluated on digitized radiographs. Data was compared with age- and gender-normalized standard values. The objective was to evaluate the influence of different types of spine fusions primarily upon adjacent segments, particularly in...

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective Review. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine medical, radiographic, and surgical risk factors for the development of adjacent segment disease (ASD) after lumbar fusion. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA ASD is a recognized outcome of spinal fusion that leads to increased costs and debilitating symptoms for patients. However, a comprehensive understanding of r...

Anterior spinal fusion is one of the most commonly performed procedures of the cervical spine for traumatic, degenerative, or malignant conditions that require excision of intervertebral discs or vertebral bodies. Autogenous bone grafting has been shown to have a 95% or greater fusion rate for single-level surgery. The introduction of artificial spacers or bone substitutes has reduced the probl...

PURPOSE To evaluate the outcomes, fusion rates, complications, and adjacent segment degeneration associated with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). METHODS 32 men and 80 women aged 15 to 85 (mean, 57) years underwent 141 fusions (84 one-level, 27 2-level, and one 3-level) and were followed up for 24 to 76 (mean, 33) months. 92% of the patients had degenerative lumbar disease, 15 o...

PURPOSE To determine the effects of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in patients with age-related macular degeneration. METHODS Twenty eyes of 20 patients diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration who underwent intravitreal anti-VEGF injection were studied. Postinjection RNFL thickness was measured using opt...

Lumbar disc degeneration occurs because of a variety of factors and results in a multitude of conditions. Alterations in the vertebral endplate cause loss of disc nutrition and disc degeneration. Aging, apoptosis, abnormalities in collagen, vascular ingrowth, loads placed on the disc, and abnormal proteoglycan all contribute to disc degeneration. Some forms of disc degeneration lead to loss of ...