Journal of neurosurgery. Spine
-
The aim of this study was to correlate the degree of L4-5 spondylolisthesis on plain flexion-extension radiographs with the corresponding amount of L4-5 facet fluid visible on MR images. ⋯ There is a linear correlation between the degree of segmental motion seen on flexion-extension plain radiography in patients with DS at L4-5 and the amount of L4-5 facet fluid on MR images. If L4-5 facet fluid in patients with DS is seen on MR images, a corresponding anterolisthesis on weight-bearing flexion-extension lateral radiographs should be anticipated. Obtaining plain radiographs will aid in the diagnosis of anterolisthesis caused by an L4-5 hypermobile segment, which may not always be evident on MR images obtained in supine patients.
-
After spinal cord injury (SCI) leukocytes infiltrate the injured cord, causing significant damage and further impairment of functional recovery. The leukocyte integrin alpha4beta1 is crucial for their entry. The authors previously demonstrated that an anti-alpha4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment attenuates leukocyte infiltration, improves motor and autonomic function, and reduces neuropathic pain when administered at 2 hours and 24 hours after SCI. ⋯ Although delayed treatment reduced intraspinal inflammation and pain, motor function was not improved, revealing decreased efficacy at the more clinically feasibly treatment onset. Long-term anti-alpha4 mAb treatment starting 2 hours after SCI improved neurological outcomes, with tissue sparing near the lesion and no impairment of the late immune response to injury. These findings reveal no disadvantage of long-lasting immunosuppression by the treatment but show that efficacy depends upon very early delivery.
-
The authors used a rat model to assess spinal cord compression following an incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). ⋯ The authors' results suggest that spinal cord compression after the initial injury is an additional mechanism by which SCI worsens, and that the mechanism of this injury occurs rapidly. These data, however, do not support duration of compression as a significant variable.