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At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Analysis of chondroitin sulfate in lumbar intervertebral discs at two different stages of degeneration as assessed by discogram.

Previous studies have presented evidence that an underlying cause of intervertebral disc degeneration is related to changes in the sulfation of the proteoglycans. The sulfation of the chondroitin in cadaveric lumbar intervertebral discs, at two different stages of degeneration as assessed by discogram, were analyzed. Fourteen of 28 lumbar discs were graded 2 and the other 14 were graded 4 (i.e., more degenerated). From each disc, six regional segments were carefully isolated. Proteoglycans were solubilized from the disc tissue with 4 M GuHCl. Chondroitin sulfate chains were analyzed by diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-Sephacel and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) anion exchange chromatography. The major differences in sulfation of the chondroitin between grade 2 and grade 4 discs only occurred in the posterior central annulus and nucleus segments. The chondroitin in the posterior central nucleus segments of the grade 2 and grade 4 intervertebral discs were undersulfated as compared with the other segments, and the differences between these segments and the others were more accentuated in the grade 4 discs than in grade 2 discs.

Cadaver↗
PubMed2004

The mechanical effects of intervertebral disc lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the mechanical effect of individual concentric tears, radial tears and rim lesions of the intervertebral disc anulus. DESIGN: In vitro dynamic mechanical testing of sheep discs comparing the mechanical behaviour before and after lesion creation. BACKGROUND: Structural changes to the disc in the form of anular lesions are a feature of disc degeneration and degeneration has been related to changes in the mechanical function of the disc. However, the effect of individual lesions is unknown. METHODS: Fifteen ovine, lumbar disc body units were tested in flexion/extension, lateral bending and axial rotation. Concentric tears, radial tears and rim lesions were experimentally introduced and the motions repeated. The mechanical response after lesion creation was compared to the undamaged response. RESULTS: It was found that an anterior rim lesion reduced the peak resistive moment produced by the disc in extension, lateral bending and axial rotation. Concentric tears and radial tears did not affect the peak resistive moment, however, radial tears reduced the hysteresis of response in flexion/extension and lateral bending. The neutral zone was not affected by the presence of disc lesions. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that rim lesions reduce the disc's ability to resist motion. Radial tears change the hysteresis of response indicating an altered stress distribution in the disc. RELEVANCE: These changes may lead to overloading of the spinal ligaments, muscles and zygapophysial joints, possibly damaging these structures. This suggests a mechanism for a cycle of degeneration that is instigated by small changes in the mechanical integrity of the intervertebral disc.

Aging↗
PubMed1987

A mechanical model for the human intervertebral disc.

Stress relaxation experiments were performed on specimens from a human intervertebral disc. Specimens were made from the nucleus pulposus and from the external lamellae of the anulus fibrosus in two different orientations. Tests were run with varying moisture content so as to develop a relaxation master curve. A model was developed based on the experimental data. It was found that the short term master curve for the lamellae of the anulus and nucleus are similar, whereas the long term rubbery plateau is different between the lamellae and the nucleus. It was also established that the master curves for different lamellae and the nucleus were shifted relative to each other in the time domain due to changes in water content. The average relaxation modulus of the whole disc was obtained by averaging the properties between the anulus and nucleus. This model was then used for studies of Schmorl's nodes, of degenerated discs and for circumstances in which hydration is considered to be important.

Body Water↗
PubMed2000

Fibronectin and its fragments increase with degeneration in the human intervertebral disc.

STUDY DESIGN: This laboratory-based experiment correlates fibronectin content of intervertebral disc with a morphologic grade of degeneration. OBJECTIVES: To correlate the fibronectin content of the anulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus with a gross morphologic grade of disc degeneration, and to determine the molecular size of the extractable fibronectin. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Intervertebral disc degeneration increases with age and can lead to low back pain. Fibronectin helps to organize the extracellular matrix and provides environmental cues by interaction with cell surface integrins. In other tissues, its synthesis is elevated in response to injury. Fibronectin fragments can stimulate cells to produce metalloproteases and cytokines and inhibit matrix synthesis. METHODS: In this study, 17 anuli fibrosis and 18 nuclei pulposus from 11 spines were graded by Thompson's gross morphologic scale. Fibronectin was sequentially extracted with 4 mol/L guanidine hydrochloride and trypsin, and then quantitated by enzyme-linked immunoassay. The size of extractable fibronectin was determined by Western blot analyses. RESULTS: The fibronectin content of the disc increased with grade and was significantly elevated between Grades 3 and 4. The percentage of extractable fibronectin varied widely, but it was more extractable from the nucleus. In both the nucleus and anulus, 30% to 40% of the extractable fibronectin existed as fragments. Many of the fragments contained functional heparin or collagen-binding sites. CONCLUSIONS: Fibronectin is elevated in degenerated discs and frequently present as fragments. Elevated levels of fibronectin suggest that disc cells are responding to the altered environment. Fibronectin fragments resulting from normal or enhanced proteolytic activity could be a mechanism that induces the cell to degrade the matrix further.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Digital image processing, a potential noninvasive technique in the diagnosis of diseased intervertebral discs.

The detection of the posterior edge of the L4-L5 intervertebral disc has been accomplished by applying digital image processing techniques on conventional lateral radiograms of the spine, and the method is described. The results of this study have shown that there can be substantial absorption at the site of the disc if the radiogram is properly taken; the existing information on the radiogram can be processed so that an improvement in the diagnostic quality of the radiogram can be achieved; and the edge of the posterior portion of the disc can be determined. This study, although a preliminary one, opens new possibilities for a safer and probably more accurate way of diagnosing herniated discs.

Analog-Digital Conversion↗
PubMed2005

[Clinical study on analgesic effect of Huaisanzhen on the nerve root pain due to prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc].

OBJECTIVE: To search for an effective therapy for the nerve root pain caused by prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc. METHODS: One hundred and ninety-two cases were randomly divided into a Huaisanzhen group of 96 cases, a drug control group of 48 cases and an acupuncture control group of 48 cases. The Huaisanzhen group were treated by Huaisanzhen therapy, the drug control group by intramuscular injection of aspirin-DL-lysine and the acupuncture control group by routine acupuncture. RESULTS: The time inducing analgesic effect was shorter, the effect-lasting time was longer, and the analgesic effect and the comprehensive therapeutic effect were better in the treatment group as compared with the two control groups with very significant differences (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Huaisanzhen therapy has a better analgesic effect on the nerve root pain due to prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc.

Analgesics↗
PubMed2003

Dynamic stiffness and damping of human intervertebral disc using axial oscillatory displacement under a free mass system.

The aim of this study was to analyse the dynamic response of the human intervertebral disc to vibration in a physiologically relevant frequency spectrum. Eight lumbar intervertebral discs were harvested. After preparation, each sample was subjected to a pre-loading and then dynamic compression (from 5 to 30 Hz). The dynamic compression was applied using an experimental set-up comprising a free weight loading from above and a driving oscillatory displacement from below (closest to the in vivo loading). A viscoelastic model enabled the calculation of stiffness and damping from the transfer function. From 5 Hz to 30 Hz the stiffness values are between 0.19 and 3.66 (MN/m) and the damping values between 32 and 2094 (Ns/m). The mean resonant frequency was found at 8.7 Hz. These dynamic characteristics of the intervertebral disc could be used in a three-dimensional finite elements model of the human body to study its response to vibration in the driving position.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Fresh frozen intervertebral disc allografting in a bipedal animal model.

STUDY DESIGN: An in vivo experimental study to examine the possibility of using fresh frozen intervertebral disc allograft in disc transplantation. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the long-term radiographic, pathologic, biochemical, and biomechanical changes of fresh frozen disc allograft in a bipedal animal model. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: It has been shown that intervertebral disc autograft is able to survive and maintain some degree of tissue metabolism and segmental mobility after transplantation in a bipedal animal model. However, the long-term results of disc allografting and the associated problems of graft rejection are unknown. METHODS: Seventeen rhesus monkeys (15 male, 2 female) between 5 and 8 years of age and weighing between 6.7 and 11.8 kg were used in this study. Of these 17 subjects, two were used as intervertebral disc donors and three were used as controls for the biomechanical testing. The remaining 12 monkeys were randomly divided into a short-term group (n = 4, followed up for 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks, respectively), a midterm group (n = 6, 6 months), and a long-term group (n = 2, 24 months). Radiologic, histologic, biochemical, and biomechanical changes were investigated. RESULTS: Radiography and macro- and microhistologic examination showed severe disc degeneration at 24 months of follow-up. Disc height decreased mainly in the early postoperative stage. Decreased water, proteoglycan, and hydroxyproline contents of the allograft were observed at 6 and 24 months of follow-up. The biomechanical properties of the transplanted allograft were similar to those of control. CONCLUSION: Fresh frozen disc allografts can survive and maintain some degree of cell metabolism and segmental mobility at 24 months after transplantation. However, severe disc degeneration is also observed at this stage.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine: frequency of degenerative changes in the intervertebral disc with relation to age.

AIM: To ascertain the level at which intervertebral disc degeneration of the cervical spine most commonly occurs in each decade from 20-79 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using computer analysis, we retrospectively assessed the mean signal intensity from each cervical disc from T2-weighted spin-echo images in 60 symptomatic patients (10 per decade from the third to eighth inclusive). RESULTS: Age, disc level and interaction between age and level were highly significant predictors for the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) mean signal intensity from intervertebral discs (p<0.0001 for all three terms). The MRI signals were generally lower as age increased and also for the higher discs (C2-C3, etc). CONCLUSION: In our study we have shown that in younger patients the higher discs are more frequently affected by degeneration than the lower ones. As age increases, the process of degeneration becomes more generalized with less variability between discs.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Localization of different alcian blue-proteoglycan particles in the intervertebral disc.

A histochemical investigation was carried out on proteoglycans of bovine intervertebral disc. Samples obtained from the "annulus fibrosus" (A.F.) and "nucleus pulposus" (N.P.) were treated with Alcian blue (AB) diluted in solutions of MgCl2 at critical electrolyte concentrations (CEC); some samples were incubated in testicular hyaluronidase before AB treatment. At least four types of elongated AB-proteoglycan particles were recognized: a) in A.F. lamellae and N.P., 1 nm rod-like particles were arranged orthogonally to the collagen fibrils and spaced at a distance equivalent to the fibril D-period (Figs. 1-5); b) within the A.F. lamellae, other 16-20 nm particles formed a close network among the collagen fibrils (Figs. 1,2,3,5); c) in the A.F. interlamellar crevices, 30-50 nm leaf-like particles were present (Fig. 6); d) in the N.P.Z., 20-30 nm leaf-like particles formed a wide-mesh (Fig. 4). The alcianophylic particle sizes suggest they may correspond to proteoglycan monomers in the A.F. lamellae and mostly proteoglycan aggregates in A.F. interlamellar crevices and N.P.. Both alcianophylia degrees at MgCl2 CEC solutions and enzymatic susceptibility indicate the presence of chondroitin sulphate and keratan sulphate and that the large particles in the A.F. interlamellar crevices are the keratan sulphate richest proteoglycans. The features of the observed AB-proteoglycan particles are consistent with previous morphological data reported for other tissues as well as some biochemical data for the intervertebral disc and may be correlated to the composite mechanical properties of this tissue.

Alcian Blue↗
PubMed2005

Calcified intervertebral disc herniation in a child with myelopathy treated with laminoplasty.

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of pediatric calcified intervertebral disc herniations at the cervical-thoracic junction surgically treated with laminoplasty. METHODS: A 13-year-old girl with calcified intervertebral disc herniations at C7/Th1 and Th1/2 causing myelopathy was performed with laminoplasty . RESULTS: Postoperative course was without complication, and the neurologic examination returned to a completely normal state at 5 years to date after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Laminoplasty produced an excellent result and is a consideration for treatment of similar cases of calcified intervertebral disc herniation.

Calcinosis↗
PubMed1991

Identification of viscoelastic property of intervertebral disc under flexion, extension and lateral bending.

Viscoelastic behavior of the functional spinal unit (FSU) under the application of moment is important for the biomechanical understanding of physiological and pathological aspects of spine. This paper presents a mechanical model on viscoelastic behavior of intervertebral disc connecting two vertebral bodies where a posterior element and surrounding tissues have been removed from FSU. The model, which is composed of a nonlinear spring and a linear Kelvin element in series, is proposed. Specimen of human lumbar intervertebral disc (L3-intervertebral disc-L4) are used for the experiment of the cyclic moment application of flexion, extension and lateral bending with constant loading rates. Simulations by the proposed model are compared with the experiment. It is suggested that the model is good for the prediction of viscoelastic behavior of the intervertebral disc.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMed1981

Immunofluorescent staining for collagen and proteoglycan in normal and scoliotic intervertebral discs.

Specific antisera to collagen Types I, II and III and proteoglycan were used to investigate the distributions of these molecules in normal human intervertebral discs. Immunofluorescent staining indicated the presence of small amounts of Type III collagen located pericellularly in normal adult intervertebral discs. This finding had not been demonstrated previously by other methods. Similar specimens of intervertebral discs from 17 patients with scoliosis of varying aetiologies were examined, but no evidence was obtained for primary connective tissue defects. Secondary changes, especially marked vascularisation of the inner annulus, were apparent in a number of scoliotic discs, and some of these showed enhanced staining for collagen Type I and proteoglycan, and intercellular matrix staining for Type III collagen.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

[An experimental study on the pathology and role of intervertebral discs in the progression and correction of scoliotic deformity].

This experimental study was designed to clarify the role of the intervertebral disc in the progression and correction of scoliosis. A total of 186 Wistar strain rats were used. Progressive scoliosis-like deformity was produced in tails by fixation of a given strain for a certain period. Changes in the intervertebral disc and epiphysis of one group with removal of the nucleus pulposus, and the other without removal were examined radiologically and pathohistologically. The results are as follows: 1) deformity originated from deviation of the nucleus pulposus toward the convex side and was followed by changes of the concave side, and led to deformities of the epiphysis and vertebral body; 2) on correction of the deformity, deviated nucleus pulposus and contracture of the concave side served as correction-inhibiting factors. The author's results indicate that intervertebral disc affecting the progression and correction of scoliosis are of great clinical significance.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

[Treatment of multi-segmental lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion with limited recessive decompression].

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively analyze the clinical and imaging features of multi-segmental lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion and its treatment with the limited recessive decompression operation. METHODS: Twenty-two patients (14 males and 8 females, aged 49-68 years) were admitted to hospital from March 1999 to March 2004. They suffered from multi-segmental lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion that involved L1-S1 and were treated with the limited recessive decompression operation. RESULTS: The follow-up for 4-21 months showed that 16 of the patients had an excellent outcome, 5 had a good outcome, and 1 had fair outcome. There were no such operative complications as nerve root lesions and putamen lesions. CONCLUSION: The limited recessive decompression operation is one of the available good treatments for multi-segmental lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion. It solves problems of herniation and stenosis and maintains stability of the spine.

Aged↗