Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Eur J Radiol 2018 Dec 6;109:210-217. Epub 2018 Nov 6.

Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, B-9000 Gent, Belgium. Electronic address:

Objectives: To study the presence of high signal intensity of the intervertebral disc, syndesmophytes, vertebral corner bridging and transdiscal ankylosis on spinal T1-weighted MR images in spondyloarthritis (SpA).

Methods: A retrospective case-control study of whole spine MRI examinations, obtained in 100 patients with axial SpA and in 100 control patients, was performed. All disco-vertebral units (DVUs) were analyzed on T1-weighted MR images for normal or high signal intensity of the intervertebral disc, presence of syndesmophytes, vertebral corner bridging or transdiscal ankylosis and correlated with final diagnosis. Read More

J Biomech Eng 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

ASME Fellow, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, Biomedical Engineering Department, University of California, Davis, 2132 Bainer Drive, Davis, CA 95616-5294.

Mathematical models of the human spine can be used to investigate spinal biomechanics without the difficulties, limitations and ethical concerns associated with physical experimentation. Validation of such models is necessary to ensure the modeled system behavior accurately represents the physics of the actual system. The goal of this work was to validate a medical image-based nonlinear lumbosacral spine finite element model of a healthy 20-year-old female subject under physiological moments. Read More

Int Orthop 2018 Nov 29. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Departments of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD) is considered as one of the major causes for low back pain (LBP). However, conventional surgical approaches for treating LBP do not aim to counter the degeneration. Biological interventions have been investigated with an attempt to regenerate the IVD by restoring its matrices and cell activities. Read More

J Neurosurg Spine 2018 Oct 1:1-9. Epub 2018 Oct 1.

OBJECTIVEProximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) and failure (PJF) are potentially catastrophic complications that result from abrupt changes in stress across rigid instrumented and mobile non-fused segments of the spine (transition zone) after adult spinal deformity surgery. Recently, data have indicated that extension (widening) of the transitional zone via use of proximal junctional (PJ) semi-rigid fixation can mitigate this complication. To assess the biomechanical effectiveness of 3 semi-rigid fixation constructs (compared to pedicle screw fixation alone), the authors performed cadaveric studies that measured the extent of PJ motion and intradiscal pressure changes (ΔIDP). Read More

Cell Transplant 2018 Nov 29:963689718815459. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

2 Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is a frequent disease in modern societies and at its later stages is likely to cause chronic low back pain. Although many studies have been published, the available treatments for IVD degeneration fail to promote regeneration or even marginal repair of the IVD structure. In this study, we aimed to establish veterinary canine patients as a translational large animal model that recapitulates IVD degeneration that occurs in humans, and to investigate the suitability of intradiscal application of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC). Read More

Z Orthop Unfall 2018 Nov 27. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Department Wirbelsäule, Sportklinik Stuttgart GmbH.

Background: Many members of the adult population suffer acute low back pain at some stage in life. A specific cause is found in only a rather small number of these patients. Some of the patients develop chronic low back pain and this is a major source of disability. Read More

J Biomech 2018 Oct 25. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Electronic address:

Previous in-vivo studies suggest that the ratio of total lumbar rotation over pelvic rotation (lumbo-pelvic rhythm) during trunk sagittal movement is essential to evaluate spinal loads and discriminate between low back pain and asymptomatic population. Similarly, there is also evidence that the lumbo-pelvic rhythm is key for evaluation of realistic muscle and joint reaction forces and moments predicted by various computational musculoskeletal models. This study investigated the effects of three lumbo-pelvic rhythms defined based on in-vivo measurements on the spinal response during moderate forward flexion (60°) using a combined approach of musculoskeletal modeling of the upper body and finite element model of the lumbosacral spine. Read More

Arch Prev Riesgos Labor 2018 Oct to Dec;21(4):189-195

Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia.

Objective: We conducted a comparative ergonomic study of a new workplace station (MSILT) and a standard wooden industrial workbench.

Methods: First, we used the OWAS method to evaluate the highest risk tasks. Next, we used human digital simulation in a virtual environment to evaluate stress on low back and joint load. Read More

Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 2018 Oct 28. Epub 2018 Oct 28.

Deparment of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 45110, Ioannina, Greece.

Purpose: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment for intervertebral disc (IVD) repair and tissue engineering technologies have been the target of intense research with promising results. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of only one intradiscal injection of PRP in the degenerated rabbit IVD and to assess the restoration process over a 6-week follow-up period.

Methods: The L3-L4 and L4-L5 discs of 18 adult female rabbits were injured, according to an established degenerative model, with an 18-gauge needle, and classified into two groups: In the discs of group A rabbits, after needle puncture, an intradiscal injection of autologous PRP growth factors was performed, using a 27-gauge needle, and in the discs of the control group (group B), the same procedure was followed by intradiscal injection of normal saline. Read More

Mol Med Rep 2018 Dec 25;18(6):5709-5716. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Department of TCM Manipulative Orthopedics, Air Force General Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100142, P.R. China.

The present study aimed to investigate the differences in human lumbar intradiscal pressure (IDP) characteristics during simulated spinal manipulation and spinal mobilization. A total of 12 adult fresh lumbar spinal specimens (T12‑S2) were randomly divided into two groups. The parameters of simulated spinal mobilization were as follows: Preload angle, 15˚ (speed, 3˚/sec); maximum angle, 20˚ (speed, 1˚/sec); and 9 N horizontal force to the L5 spinous process. Read More

Adv Exp Med Biol 2018 ;1078:409-420

Orthopaedic Institute, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.

Degenerative disc degeneration (DDD) is the major cause of low back pain, which seriously affects the life of patients. Current surgical and conservative treatments only relieve the pain temporarily, yet fail to restore the normal biomechanics and functions of healthy spine. Indeed, high recurrence of disc herniation commonly happens after discectomy. Read More

NMC Case Rep J 2018 Oct 20;5(4):115-117. Epub 2018 Sep 20.

Department of General Surgery, Incheon Nanoori Hospital, Incheon, Korea.

The objective of this study is to present a rare case of an invaginated inferior vena cava (IVC) aneurysm in the lumbar intradiscal space. A 73-year-old woman with lower back pain and bilateral lower extremity swelling presented to the clinic. She had undergone spinal surgery performed thrice at the same site (L4-L5) in another hospital and a separate posterolateral fusion surgery procedure 3 years previously. Read More

J Orthop Surg Res 2018 Oct 16;13(1):254. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

Department of Orthopaedics, Children's Hospital of Hebei Province, No.133, Jianhua Street, Yuhua District, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China.

Background: Little data are available regarding the effects of pedicle screws on the intervertebral disc stress for different spinal segments. The aim of this study was to analyze the intervertebral disc stress in response to the placement of pedicle screws.

Methods: T3-4, T11-12, T15-L1, L3-4, and L4-5 intervertebral disc segments from six porcine spine specimens were harvested. Read More

J Biomater Appl 2018 Oct;33(4):576-589

The City College of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.

Low back pain is a major cause for disability and is closely linked to intervertebral disc degeneration. Mechanical and biological dysfunction of the nucleus pulposus in the disc has been found to initiate intradiscal degenerative processes. Replacing or enriching the diseased nucleus pulposus with an injectable, stem cell-laden biomaterial that mimics its material properties can provide a minimally invasive strategy for biological and structural repair of the tissue. Read More

Balkan Med J 2018 Oct 9. Epub 2018 Oct 9.

Department of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.

Aims: Although there have been many studies about lomber and cervical ablation procedures, very few studies have been performed on the thoracic region. This is a study to evaluate the clinical results of percutaneous disc decompression device in patients with radicular symptoms and/or dorsal pain due to thoracic disc herniation.

Methods: Eleven patients with thoracic disc herniation and/or degenerative discs (all in T10-T11, or T11-T12 levels) who did not respond to conservative treatments were undergo ablation and compression procedure. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Oct 3. Epub 2018 Oct 3.

Department of Neurosurgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Traditional open approaches to correct lumbar spine deformities include 3-column osteotomies, such as a pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO). Minimally invasive surgical (MIS) techniques have been developed for lateral transpsoas anterior column realignment (ACR). These 2 techniques have not previously been combined. Read More

Int J Spine Surg 2018 Jan 30;12(1):76-84. Epub 2018 Mar 30.

Atlanta Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia.

Background: When conservative treatments fail to alleviate the discomfort of abnormal motion, spinal fusion has been shown to provide symptomatic treatment for spinal instability, stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and symptomatic degenerative disc disease. The trend and rates of fusion over the past few years have been dramatic in the United States. Accompanying that higher incidence has been the shifting from traditional open surgery to minimally invasive techniques to reduce scar tissue formation, extent of muscle stripping, and muscle retraction which all have been shown to adversely affect outcomes. Read More

Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2018 Nov 17;174:187-191. Epub 2018 Sep 17.

Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

Objective: To present the results of a new alternative in the technique lumbar pedicle screw reconstruction in osteopenic bone. Pedicle screw fixation is compromised in osteopenic bone and adjunct fixation commonly requires incremental technology that can increase cost and risk, and which may not commonly be available. Readily available low cost techniques are desirable. Read More

Interv Neuroradiol 2018 Sep 18:1591019918800458. Epub 2018 Sep 18.

2 Basir Eye Health Research Center, Basir Eye Clinic, Tehran, Iran.

Purpose To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of intradiscal ozone injection in reducing pain and improving patients' performance in different types of intervertebral disc herniation based on Michigan State University (MSU) classification. Patients and methods Consecutive patients with low back pain and radiculopathy treated in our center with ozone chemonucleolysis from May 2017 through to January 2018 entered the study. Patients had a disc herniation classified as group 1-A, 2-A, 1-B, 2-B, 1-C, 2-C, 1-AB or 2-AB based on MSU classification in magnetic resonance imaging. Read More

Neuroradiology 2018 Nov 11;60(11):1231-1241. Epub 2018 Sep 11.

Neuroradiology Unit, Bellaria Hospital & IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences, Bologna, Italy.

Purpose: All percutaneous minimally invasive disc treatments are typically indicated to contained disc herniations. Our study's aim is to evaluate prospectively the efficacy of ozone nucleolysis in the treatment of either contained or uncontained lumbar disc herniations.

Methods: Fifty-two patients, aged 27-87 years, with symptomatic herniated lumbar discs, without migration, sequestration, or severe degenerative disc changes, who failed conservative treatment, were included in our study. Read More

Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2018 Aug 22. Epub 2018 Aug 22.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Study Design: Laboratory study using a rabbit annular puncture model of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD).

Objective: The aims of this study were to assess whether an amniotic suspension allograft (ASA) containing particulated human amnion and amniotic fluid-derived cells regains intervertebral disc height and morphology and improves histologic scoring in a rabbit model of IDD.

Summary Of Background Data: In contrast to current surgical interventions for IDD, in which the primary goal is to relieve symptomatic pain, one novel strategy involves the direct injection of anabolic cytokines. Read More

Aging (Albany NY) 2018 Aug;10(8):2001-2015

Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of an antichondrogenic factor, MIR221 (miR-221), in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), and provide basic information for the development of a therapeutic strategy for the disc repair based on specific nucleic acid based drugs, such as miR-221 silencing. We established a relatively quick protocol to minimize artifacts from extended in vitro culture, without selecting the different types of cells from intervertebral disc (IVD) or completely disrupting extracellular matrix (ECM), but by using the whole cell population with a part of resident ECM. During the de-differentiation process miR-221 expression significantly increased. Read More

Eur Spine J 2018 Oct 20;27(10):2631-2638. Epub 2018 Aug 20.

Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.

Purpose: The subtle impairments of the disc due to anular punctures may have an immediate effect on the functional integrity due to the altered intradiscal pressure, hence the subsequent catabolic degradation. This study evaluates functional restoration of needle puncture injured intervertebral discs with a newly developed injectable hydrogel using the quantitative discomanometry (QD) test. The proposed hydrogel is composed of gelatin and poly (γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) and crosslinked with 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethyl-carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC). Read More

J Control Release 2018 Sep 12;286:439-450. Epub 2018 Aug 12.

Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. Electronic address:

Low back pain, related to degeneration of the intervertebral disc (IVD), affects millions of people worldwide. Clinical studies using oral cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors have shown beneficial effects, although side-effects were reported. Therefore, intradiscal delivery of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be an alternative treatment strategy to halt degeneration and address IVD-related pain. Read More

J Pain Res 2018 31;11:1405-1410. Epub 2018 Jul 31.

Anesthesiology Department, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Background: Intervertebral disc herniation with the pressure on the surrounding neural structures is one of the most important causes of chronic low back pain, which sometimes leads to open surgery. Reducing the pressure inside the disc with intradiscal intervention such as laser irradiation or ozone injection is a minimally invasive method and an alternative to surgery with satisfactory results. These two methods were compared with each other in this research. Read More

Med Biol Eng Comput 2018 Aug 6. Epub 2018 Aug 6.

School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Northeastern University, No. 3-11, Wenhua Road, Heping District, Shenyang, 110819, China.

This study aimed to determine the effect of variations in material properties of the intervertebral disc on dynamic response of the human lumbar spine to vertical vibration using a finite element model of the lumbar L1-S1 motion segment. The present material sensitivity study was conducted by varying elastic moduli for annulus ground substance (AGS), annulus fibers (AF), and nucleus pulposus (NP) in the disc. Transient dynamic analysis was performed initially on the model with basic material property under a sinusoidal vertical vibration load. Read More

Pain Physician 2018 Jul;21(4):E449-E456

Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Sakarya.

Background: Numerous techniques have been developed for the treatment of disc herniation. Oxygen-ozone (O₂-O₃) mixture therapy is a minimally invasive percutaneous treatment for disc herniation.

Objective: The aim of the study is to investigate the 6-month efficacy and safety of O₂-O₃ mixture therapy in patients with cervical disc herniation (CDH) and chronic neck pain. Read More

Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2018 10;6:90. Epub 2018 Jul 10.

Orthopaedic Institute, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) is an avascular tissue which contributes to the weight bearing, motion, and flexibility of spine. However, IVD is susceptible to damage and even failure due to injury, pathology, and aging. Annulus fibrosus (AF), the structural and functional integrity of which is critically essential to confine nucleus pulpous (NP) and maintain physiological intradiscal pressure under mechanical loading, plays a critical role in the biomechanical properties of IVD. Read More

Pain Pract 2018 Jul 24. Epub 2018 Jul 24.

Department of Spinal Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of intradiscal methylene blue (MB) injection on discogenic low back pain (DLBP).

Methods: We conducted an electronic search of the PubMed, Ovid, Ovid MEDLINE and Embase databases using the search terms "low back pain" and "methylene blue"; the search was limited to English language articles from database inception to October 2017. In addition, the reference lists of all included studies were manually searched. Read More

Spine J 2018 Jul 7. Epub 2018 Jul 7.

Biomechanics Laboratory, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China. Electronic address:

Background Context: Anterior vertebral body osteophytes are common with degeneration but their biomechanical influence on the whole lumbar spine remains unclear.

Purpose: To investigate the biomechanical influence of anterior vertebral body osteophytes on the whole lumbar spine.

Study Design/setting: This is a study using finite element analysis. Read More

JOR Spine 2018 Jun 21;1(2). Epub 2018 May 21.

Leni and Peter W. May Department of Orthopaedics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.

Background: Painful intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration has tremendous societal costs and few effective therapies. Intradiscal tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) is commonly associated with low back pain, but the direct relationship remains unclear.

Purpose: Treatment strategies for low back pain require improved understanding of the complex relationships between pain, intradiscal pro-inflammatory cytokines, and structural IVD degeneration. Read More

Ann Biomed Eng 2018 Nov 26;46(11):1830-1843. Epub 2018 Jun 26.

Division of Applied Mechanics, Department of Mechanical Engineering, École Polytechnique, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Biomechanical models of the spine either simplify intervertebral joints (using spherical joints or deformable beams) in musculoskeletal (MS) or overlook musculature in geometrically-detailed passive finite element (FE) models. These distinct active and passive models therefore fail to determine in vivo stresses and strains within and load-sharing among the joint structures (discs, ligaments, and facets). A novel hybrid active-passive spine model is therefore developed in which estimated trunk muscle forces from a MS model for in vivo activities drive a mechanically-equivalent passive FE model to quantify in vivo T12-S1 compression/shear loads, intradiscal pressures (IDP), centers of rotation (CoR), ligament/facet forces, and annulus fiber strains. Read More

Med Eng Phys 2018 Jun 23. Epub 2018 Jun 23.

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address:

Traditional electromyography-assisted optimization (TEMG) models are commonly employed to compute trunk muscle forces and spinal loads for the design of clinical/treatment and ergonomics/prevention programs. These models calculate muscle forces solely based on moment equilibrium requirements at spinal joints. Due to simplifications/assumptions in the measurement/processing of surface EMG activities and in the presumed muscle EMG-force relationship, these models fail to satisfy stability requirements. Read More

Comput Biol Med 2018 Aug 19;99:191-200. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address:

The dummies currently used for predicting vehicle occupant response during frontal crashes or whole-body vibration provide insufficient information about spinal loads. Although they aptly approximate upper-body rotations in different loading scenarios, they overlook spinal loads, which are crucial to injury assessment. This paper aims to develop a modified dummy finite element (FE) model with a detailed viscoelastic lumbar spine. Read More

J Biomech 2018 Jul 15;76:167-172. Epub 2018 Jun 15.

Ferguson Laboratory for Spine Research, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.

The objective of this study was to implement a follower load (FL) device within a robotic (universal force-moment sensor) testing system and utilize the system to explore the effect of FL on multi-segment cervical spine moment-rotation parameters and intradiscal pressure (IDP) at C45 and C56. Twelve fresh-frozen human cervical specimens (C3-C7) were biomechanically tested in a robotic testing system to a pure moment target of 2.0 Nm for flexion and extension (FE) with no compression and with 100 N of FL. Read More

Scand J Pain 2010 Oct 1;1(4):186-192. Epub 2010 Oct 1.

University of Newcastle, Newcastle Bone and Joint Institute, Royal Newcastle Centre, Newcastle, NSW 2300, Australia.

Many conditions associated with chronic pain have no detectable morphological correlate. Consequently, the source of pain cannot be established by clinical examination or medical imaging. However, for some such conditions, the source of pain can be established using diagnostic blocks. Read More

Oncotarget 2018 May 29;9(41):26507-26526. Epub 2018 May 29.

Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CM, The Netherlands.

The socioeconomic burden of chronic back pain related to intervertebral disc (IVD) disease is high and current treatments are only symptomatic. Minimally invasive strategies that promote biological IVD repair should address this unmet need. Notochordal cells (NCs) are replaced by chondrocyte-like cells (CLCs) during IVD maturation and degeneration. Read More

Biofabrication 2018 06 25;10(3):035011. Epub 2018 Jun 25.

Trinity Centre for Bioengineering, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. School of Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.

Cell delivery and leakage during injection remains a challenge for cell-based intervertebral disc regeneration strategies. Cellular microencapsulation may offer a promising approach to overcome these limitations by providing a protective niche during intradiscal injection. Electrohydrodynamic spraying (EHDS) is a versatile one-step approach for microencapsulation of cells using a high voltage electric field. Read More

Spine J 2018 Oct 7;18(10):1910-1920. Epub 2018 Jun 7.

Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Julius Wolff Institut, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address:

Background Context: Intervertebral disc degeneration has been subject to numerous in vivo and in vitro investigations and numerical studies during recent decades, reporting partially contradictory findings. However, most of the previous studies were limited in the number of specimens investigated and, therefore, could not consider the vast variety of the specimen geometries, which are likely to strongly influence the mechanical behavior of the spine.

Purpose: To complement the understanding of the mechanical consequences of disc degeneration, whereas considering natural variations in the major spinal geometrical parameters. Read More

Joint Bone Spine 2018 Jun 2. Epub 2018 Jun 2.

Service de rééducation et de réadaptation de l'appareil locomoteur et des pathologies du rachis, hôpitaux universitaires Paris centre-groupe hospitalier Cochin, AP-HP, 27, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Jacques, 75014 Paris, France; Faculté de médecine de Paris-Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, université Paris-Descartes, 75006 Paris, France; Inserm UMR 1124, laboratoire de pharmacologie, toxicologie et signalisation cellulaire, faculté des sciences fondamentales et biomédicales, UFR biomédicale des Saints-Pères, 75006 Paris, France. Electronic address:

BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2018 May 24;19(1):164. Epub 2018 May 24.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu City, Mie, 514-8507, Japan.

Background: The progression of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration leads to rupture within IVD tissues. The location and appearance of areas of gaseous radiolucency in the IVD, known as vacuum phenomena (VPs), are considered to indirectly indicate the position and extent of IVD rupture. The clinical significance of VPs in degenerated IVDs is not fully understood. Read More

Comput Biol Med 2018 Jul 6;98:26-38. Epub 2018 May 6.

Division of Biomechanical Engineering, Department of Mechanical Science and Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Japan.

Intervertebral disc degeneration involves changes in its material properties that affect the mechanical functions of the spinal system. However, the alteration of the biomechanics of a spinal segment through specific material degradation in a specific region is poorly understood. In this study, the influence of the constitutive material degeneration of disc tissues on the mechanics of a lower lumbar spinal unit was examined using a three-dimensional nonlinear finite element model of the L4-L5 functional spinal unit. Read More

Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 2018 Apr 30;64(5):52-55. Epub 2018 Apr 30.

Section of Pain Management, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey.

The rationale behind intradiscal O2-O3 therapy is the pain elicited by the mechanical compression of the nerve root, which is associated with periganglionic and periradicular inflammation. This study aimed to determine the effect of intradiscal ozone injection on pain score and satisfaction of patients with low back pain (LBP) secondary to disc herniation. Patients with LBP diagnosed with disc herniation were enrolled in this clinical trial. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Apr;97(16):e0509

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Namku, Taegu, Republic of Korea.

Rationale: Despite medication, exercise, and medical intervention, many patients complain of persistent discogenic neck pain. To manage discogenic neck pain, we performed intradiscal pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) stimulation in a patient with chronic discogenic neck pain refractory to oral medication and epidural steroid injection.

Patient Concerns: A 26-year-old man presented with a numeric rating scale (NRS) score of 7 for chronic neck pain. Read More

Acta Biomed 2018 Mar 27;89(1):41-46. Epub 2018 Mar 27.

Gaetano Pini-CTO.

Background And Aim Of The Work: Intramuscular paravertebral injections of ozone are minimally invasive, safe and efficacy in reducing pain and disability. The aim of this paper is to present the early results of paravertebral lumbar ozone injections in the treatment of low back pain.

Methods: Between February 2011 and December 2015, a total of 109 patients underwent intramuscular paravertebral lumbar injections of ozone due to low back pain. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Jun 30;114:e1086-e1093. Epub 2018 Mar 30.

School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China. Electronic address:

Objective: Few studies have evaluated the need for supplementary instrumentation after lumbar interbody fusion under the condition of whole body vibration (WBV) that is typically present in vehicles. This study aimed to determine the effect of posterior pedicle screw fixation on dynamic response of the whole lumbar spine to vertical WBV after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF).

Methods: A previously validated nonlinear, osteoligamentous finite element (FE) model of the intact L1-sacrum human lumbar spine was modified to simulate single-level (L4-L5) TLIF without and with bilateral pedicle screw fixation (BPSF). Read More

J Int Med Res 2018 Jun 27;46(6):2461-2465. Epub 2018 Mar 27.

1 Department of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.

Objective We herein present a case involving a prevertebral abscess complicated by a spinal epidural abscess (SEA) secondary to intradiscal oxygen-ozone chemonucleolysis for treatment of a cervical disc herniation. Methods A 67-year-old woman with a history of intradiscal oxygen-ozone chemonucleolysis developed numbness and weakness in her right upper and bilateral lower extremities followed by urinary retention. Her symptoms did not respond to intravenous antibiotics alone. Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018 04 19;115(14):3640-3645. Epub 2018 Mar 19.

Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, 4070 Basel, Switzerland;

In the degenerative eye disease retinitis pigmentosa (RP), protein misfolding leads to fatal consequences for cell metabolism and rod and cone cell survival. To stop disease progression, a therapeutic approach focuses on stabilizing inherited protein mutants of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) rhodopsin using pharmacological chaperones (PC) that improve receptor folding and trafficking. In this study, we discovered stabilizing nonretinal small molecules by virtual and thermofluor screening and determined the crystal structure of pharmacologically stabilized opsin at 2. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2018 3;2018:4517471. Epub 2018 Jan 3.

Spine Division of Orthopaedic Department, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 389 Xincun Road, Shanghai 200065, China.

The normal physiological loads from muscles experienced by the spine are largely unknown due to a lack of data. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of varying muscle directions on the outcomes predicted from finite element models of human lumbar spine. A nonlinear finite element model of L3-L5 was employed. Read More

J Orthop Surg Res 2018 Feb 27;13(1):41. Epub 2018 Feb 27.

Department of Orthopedics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 37 Guoxue Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.

Background: Most of the current available cervical disc prostheses present a flat surface instead of an arcuate surface which is most similar to the morphology of cervical endplate. Therefore, we designed a novel prosthesis (Pretic-I, Trauson) based on the physiological curvature of the cervical endplate. Biomechanical evaluation of cervical disc replacement (CDR) with this novel prosthesis was performed and compared with the Prestige LP prosthesis. Read More