Degenrative spine

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: The accumulating evidence associating sub-clinical infection with disc degeneration (DD) and the controversy of contamination versus infection mandates a further understanding of the microbial activity in the disc and host-microbiome interaction. PURPOSE: To utilize a novel approach of metabolomics to probe the presence of bacterial metabolites involved in colonization, survival, and replication in human lumbar intervertebral discs (LIVD). STUDY DESIGN: An observational case-control study...

STUDY DESIGN: Single centre, prospective comparative study of prospectively collected outcomes, with a minimum of 12 month follow-up. OBJECTIVES: The primary purpose of the study is to investigate the clinical, functional and radiological outcomes of CTDR in comparison with ACDF in the treatment of single level cervical disc degenerative disease, prospectively. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Cervical total disc replacement (CTDR) has recently been as an alternative to Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) in cervical disc degenerative disease to preserve the motion at the treated level...

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The influences of age, sex, disc level, and degree of degenration on the mechanical behavior of 42 fresh cadaver lumbar motion segments are reported. The motions and intradiscal pressure changes that result from the application of flexion, extension, lateral bending, and torsional moments; compression; and anterior, posterior, and lateral shears are described. The authors find that the mean behaviors of the different segment classes sometimes differ, but these differences are seldom pronounced. Scatter in the behavior of individual motion segments is pronounced, and very often overshadows any class differences...