Cancellous Bone Structure in the Growing and Aging Lumbar Spine in a Historic Nubian Population

There is abundant data on cancellous bone in the aging human spine, but little relating to the growing vertebral cancellous bone in childhood and adolescence. The purpose of this study was to map vertebral cancellous bone in a growth and age series of historic skeletal samples and to make comparisons with data published on recent material. Lumbar vertebral bodies were collected from 65 skeletons (0–60 years) from a medieval Nubian population. Ethnohistoric information was collected to interpret conditions that might have influenced bone structure and metabolism. The cancellous bone was studied three dimensionally, using stereophotography and scanning electron microscopy and morphometrically by performing a semiautomatic structural analysis on digitized backscattered electron images of polymethacrylate-embedded material. The cancellous bone structure in the children consisted mainly of a densely packed, uniform network of small rodlike trabeculae. The greatest bone volume fraction with small, more platelike trabeculae was observed during adolescence. In young adults, larger platelike trabeculae were present in the central zone and smaller trabeculae in the superior and inferior zones, as described for modern skeletal material. Structural changes associated with aging were observed much sooner than in modern man. By the estimated age of approximately 50–60 years, the predominant architectural elements were slender rarified rods in both sexes. The ethnohistorical data suggest that this was essentially a black African population of physically active peasants, not likely to suffer Vitamin D insufficiency or deficient calcium intake. Thus an earlier onset of the biological age changes in cancellous bone found in modern populations was probably prevalent. Received: 1 March 1996 / Accepted: 31 December 1996     

腰椎间盘突出合并椎管狭窄的手术治疗

报告手术治疗腰椎间盘突出症合并退行性腰椎管狭窄症１０４例。术后随访９０例，随诊时６个月～６年。优良率８６．５％，无腰椎不稳和腰椎滑脱等并发症。为获得优良效果，作者强调在处理椎间盘突出的同时必须彻底解除侧隐窝及神经根管，黄韧带肥厚对神经根的压迫，才能彻底根除症状     

胶原酶溶解术治疗腰椎间盘突出症

采用国产胶原酶行腰椎间盘内注射治疗腰椎间盘突出症９０例。有效率为９３％，优良率为８４％。作者体会该方法创伤小，无出血，对椎管内无干扰。只要严格选择适应症，掌握正确的操作方法，无疑是一种有效的治疗方法。     

A Study on Extension－Flexion Dynamic Lumbar Spine Radiographsin Patients with Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Herniation

ＡＳｔｕｄｙｏｎＥｘｔｅｎｓｉｏｎ－ＦｌｅｘｉｏｎＤｙｎａｍｉｃＬｕｍｂａｒＳｐｉｎｅＲａｄｉｏｇｒａｐｈｓｉｎＰａｔｉｅｎｔｓｗｉｔｈＬｕｍｂａｒＩｎｔｅｒｖｅｒｔｅｂｒａｌＤｉｓｃＨｅｒｎｉａｔｉｏｎＡＳｔｕｄｙｏｎＥｘｔｅｎｓｉｏｎ－Ｆｌｅｘｉ...     

Anterior lumbar fusion using a hybrid interbody graft

Summary This is a radiographic report of 40 patients (20 men, 20 women) who underwent anterior lumbar interbody fusions (73 levels) utilizing a “hybrid” interbody graft composed of femoral cortical allograft (FCA) bone and iliac crest cancellous autograft bone. The average age at surgery was 38 years (range 17–64 years), and follow-up averaged 1.4 years (range 1.0–2.4 years). Nineteen of the patients had undergone previous lumbar surgery. Thirty-two patients (63 levels) underwent anterior fusion combined with some type of posterior fixation, and eight patients (10 levels) had no posterior fixation. Types of posterior fixation included: for 20 patients (36 levels) Steffee variable screw placement fixation, for 10 patients (23 levels) translaminar facet screws (TFS), for 1 patient (3 levels) Knodt rods and for 1 patient (1 level) facet screws. Based on the persistence of lucent lines at the graft-host interface, three patients (one level each) were felt to have non-unions at their latest follow-ups at 1.4, 1.5 and 2.0 years, respectively. Two of these patients had no posterior fixation, and the other had TFS fixation. The overall fusion rate was 96% (70 of 73 levels). The fusion rate for all levels treated with posterior fixation was 98% compared with 75% for those without fixation. Intervertebral disc heights (IVDH) were measured on all films and corrected for magnification with computer assistance. On average, the IVDH was increased postoperatively but returned to preoperative values at follow-up. IVDH loss was independent of the type of instrumentation used. No complications arose from the use of the hybrid graft. Incorporation of the allograft portion of the graft is slow and was felt to be complete in only 7 of the 73 levels at follow-up. We conclude that the hybrid interbody graft technique is a safe and reliable method for performing anterior lumbar interbody fusions and should be combined with some type of posterior fixation. Long-term follow-up will be required to assess the behaviour of the allograft until incorporation is complete.     

开放手术观察腰椎间盘突出症溶核失败45例分析

目的 通过开放手术观察分析椎间盘髓核化学溶解术治疗腰椎间盘突出症失败原因。方法 收集溶核失败的腰椎间盘突出症45例行开放手术治疗。结果 术中见45例硬膜外脂肪完全消失，43例髓核未见溶解，2例髓核溶解呈糊状但未被吸收，21例伴有侧隐窝狭窄，15例突出物与神经根粘连，20例黄韧带增厚，2例椎管骨性狭窄，14例突出物钙化。结论 腰椎间盘突出症病变间隙合并有侧隐窝狭窄、神经根粘连、椎管狭窄、突出物钙化等，不是溶核治疗的适应证。     

重建钛板枢椎椎弓根螺钉及颗粒状植骨枕颈融合术

目的 探讨重建钛板螺钉及颗粒状自体松质骨植骨在枕颈融合中的应用。方法 2002年4月～2005年1月，选择枕颈区不稳定患者19例，年龄31～67岁；病程3个月～2年。其中枕寰枢椎复合畸形8例，陈旧性寰枢椎骨折脱位8例，类风湿性关节炎所致寰椎前脱位2例，枢椎齿状突肿瘤1例。JOA脊髓功能评分平均9．8分。使用重建钛板和枢椎椎弓根螺钉固定枕颈部，同时枕骨与枢椎后弓间颗粒状自体松质骨植骨。结果 术中、术后无并发症发生，切口Ⅰ期愈合。19例均获随访6个月～2年8个月，平均16个月，均获得了骨性融合。无神经血管损伤，无断钉、断板及内固定松脱。JOA脊髓功能评分平均达14．4分。结论 重建钛板枢椎椎弓根螺钉固定可靠，置入方便，自体颗粒状松质骨具有较高的融合率，在枕颈融合中效果满意。     

Value of polydirectional tomography in the assessment of the postoperative spine after anterior decompression and vertebral body autografting

With the growing number of orthopedic reconstructive spinal procedures, the use of bone grafting has steadily increased in the past decade. An understanding of the biology of bone grafting is essential for both the clinician and radiologist. Despite the advent of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, conventional polydirectional tomography remains an important tool in the evaluation of vertebral body autografts. Trispiral or hypocycloidal tomography plays a valuable role in the assessment of bone graft fusion and possible complications, especially in the presence of metallic fixation devices. We present our imaging experience derived from 375 patients with cervical, thoracic, or lumbar anterior spinal fusion. True graft complications occurred in 27 patients (7%) and consisted of fracture (4%), malpositioning (3%), and infection (<1%).