European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
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Ultrasound (US) is increasingly used for transforaminal approaches. We evaluated whether fusing computed tomography (CT) images with dynamic US could be based on bony and surface landmarks in two phantom models. ⋯ Bony and surface landmarks allowed for accurate fusion of CT and US images of the lumbar spine. These techniques, performed on phantoms, allowed for precise localization and puncturing of lumbar neural foramina.
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Successful ALIF surgery depends upon achieving solid fusion, whilst avoiding significant complications. Herein, we present the 'Northumbria Technique' of combining allograft with autograft in order to achieve solid interbody fusion. ⋯ The newly described 'Northumbria Technique' utilises the osteoconductive characteristics of the FFFH allograft, as well as the osteoinductive and osteogenic properties of the ICBG autograft. It gives high fusion rates (94-97%) and statistically significant improvements in PROMS, whilst avoiding the complications of harvesting a large amount of autograft and the huge costs of using synthetic agents.
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To assess feasibility of a three-dimensional ultrashort echo time (3D-UTE)-sequence to evaluate normal and pathological disco-vertebral complex (DVC), with assessment of its different portions in a rat model of degenerative disk disease (DDD) with histological correlation. To assess whether this sequence, in comparison with long echo time T2-weighted sequence, is able to monitor DDD with differentiation of early from chronic DVC changes in pathological mechanical conditions. ⋯ Diagnostic: individual cross-sectional studies with the consistently applied reference standard and blinding.