• Jean Francois Nisolle, Fabienne Neveu, Fanny Hontoir, Peter Clegg, Nathalie Kirschvink, and Jean-Michel Vandeweerd.
• Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Mont Godinne, Université Catholique de Louvain, Yvoir, Belgium.
• Eur Spine J. 2013 Dec 1;22(12):2760-5.

PurposeDisc injection to create intervertebral (IVD) disc degeneration (IVDD) has been reported in ovine models, but the techniques have not been thoroughly described. The current ex vivo study aimed to evaluate a computed tomography (CT)-guided injection technique into IVDs in the ovine lumbar spine.MethodsInsertion of needles into the nucleus pulposus was assessed by gross anatomic dissection in two lumbar segments (group A), and injection of liquid within the disc was assessed by discography in six segments (group B).ResultsThe pathway of the needle was simulated on computer after an initial CT scan, followed by control of the insertion process via a laser beam and monitoring scans. In group A, 20 insertions were assessed and 17 needles (85 %) were successfully positioned in the nucleus pulposus. In group B of 30 injections, the rate of success was 90 %.ConclusionsThe current study provides useful clinical information that will help surgeons working with an ovine model for research on IVDD. This model could also be useful to train less experienced surgeons or radiologists to disc injection. This CT-guided injection seems to offer several advantages such as ease of use, good success rate and safety to important nervous and vascular structures.

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