Longitudinal Study of Radiographic Spinal Osteoarthritis in a Macaque Model

Cross‐sectional analyses of naturally occurring spinal osteoarthritis (OA) in primates have shown that age and body mass are significant predictors, but whether or not these relationships hold true in longitudinal evaluations remains unclear. Because spinal OA manifests similarly in humans and monkeys and macaque monkeys age >3 times the rate of humans, macaque models offer opportunities for longitudinal study that are difficult in humans. Our objective was to characterize the longitudinal development over 11 years of spinal OA in 68 Macaca mulatta (41 males, 27 females, aged 11–32 years). Average disc space narrowing (DSN) and osteophytosis (OST) scores were computed for the thoracolumbar spine (T8–L7). Our longitudinal analyses confirmed the cross‐sectional results: age and body mass (p < 0.001) significantly predicted 50% and 39% of the variability in OST and DSN, respectively. Rates of change in DSN, but not OST, were associated with age at first radiograph. This study represents the first long‐term longitudinal assessment of OA in primates and establishes that the relationship among the covariates in the cross‐sectional and longitudinal approaches is similar. © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 29: 1152–1160, 2011     

前路显微外科手术治疗多节段颈椎病

目的探讨单一或多个椎体广泛切除,显微外科手术减压,颈椎植骨融合,钛钢板颈椎固定手术治疗多节段颈椎病的疗效.方法根据临床表现及神经影像学资料选择24例脊髓型颈椎病患者,采用Caspar颈椎手术器械及新型植骨融合固定技术实施手术,于显微镜下切除病变的颈椎椎间盘、椎体和后纵韧带,高速气动磨钻磨除患椎骨赘,以自体髂骨或骨水泥行植骨融合、钛钢板固定.结果根据Nurick神经功能评价标准,术后92%(22例)的患者神经功能不同程度改善,8%(2例)的患者症状无改变,无一例症状加重.结论应用颈椎前入路显微外科手术治疗来自颈脊髓前方压迫的多节段颈椎病患者(包括症状严重者),减压彻底,固定稳定,安全可行,多数患者疗效满意.