The Effect of Hyaluronate-Carboxymethyl Cellulose on Bone Graft Substitute Healing in a Rat Spinal Fusion Model

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of sodium hyaluronate-sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (HA-CMC), an anti-adhesive material for spinal surgery, on bone fusion by applying it to rat spinal models after lumbar posterolateral fusion. METHODS: Lumbar posterolateral fusion was performed at L4-5 using bone graft substitutes in 30 rats. HA-CMC was injected in 15 rats at a dose of 0.2 cc (HA-CMC group) and a saline solution of 0.2 cc in the other 15 rats (control group). Simple radiographs were taken until postoperative 9 weeks with an interval of one week. At postoperative 4 and 9 weeks, three dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) scanning was performed to observe the process of bone fusion. At 9 weeks, bone fusion was confirmed by gross examination and manual palpation. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in bone fusion between the two groups. 3D CT scanning did not reveal significant differences between the groups. The gross examination and manual palpation after autopsy performed at 9 weeks confirmed bone union in 93.3% of both groups. CONCLUSION: The anti-adhesive material used for spinal surgery did not have adverse effects on spinal fusion in rats.

Comparison of the Effect of Hydroxyapatite and Allogenous Bone as an Adjunct to Autogenous Iliac Bone Grafting in Posterolateral Spinal Fusion / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: We wanted to analyze the efficacy of hydroxyapatite as a bone graft extender and we wanted to compare the bone fusion rate between hydroxyapatite and allogenous bone as an adjunct to autogenous iliac bone graft in posterolateral spinal fusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study included 19 patients who were treated with decompression and posterolateral spinal fusion using hydroxyapatite on right side and frozen allogenous bone on left side as an adjunct to autogenous iliac bone graft, and all the procedures were performed between May 2003 and August 2004. Fusion was determined by the final radiographic findings with using Christiansen's classification. RESULTS: There were 3 male and 16 female patients. Their average age was 65.5 years (range: 48-81) and the average follow-up period was 21.5 months (range: 12-36). Fusion was performed in 3.4 segments (range: 2-6) on average per patient. Of all the 65 segments that underwent fusion, 63 segments (96.9%) in group using hydroxyapatite and 54 segments (83.1%) in group using allogenous bone were determined to be fused, and the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.074). CONCLUSION: Hydroxyapatite as adjunct to autogenous iliac bone for use in posterolateral spinal fusion showed a high fusion rate and it seemed to be useful as a bone graft extender for reducing the volume of the autogenous iliac bone.

Comparative Analysis of Pre- & Post-operative Change in Thoracolumbar Compression Fracture, as seen on 3-dimensional Computed Tomography

Conventional radiographs and simple CT scans fail to provide accurate information about the structural integrity of a fracture site. In recent years, special 3-dimensional CT scanning has been progressively developed, and we applied this technique to thoracolumbar compression fractures. Posterolateral spinal fusion with iliac bone graft was attempted in all patients; Comparative pre- and post-operative change in these fractures was then an-alysed, using 3-dimensional CT. The results of this study suggest that this imaging is a useful non-invasive technique to assess compression fracture and determine prognosis.