Significance of recovering spinal motion and carrying ability by artificial lumbar intervertebral disc replacement / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

Aim To introduce and apply artificial lumbar interverte-brai disc replacement for the treatment of lumbar disc degenerative diseasesand lumbar disc herniation accompanying evident disc space narrowing andinvestigate the regulation of its recovering spinal motion and carrying a-bility. Methods Thirty-one cases (37 discs) of artificial lumbar disc re-placement were performed using SB Charite Ⅲ from April 1998 to April2000. Among them, disc degenerative diseases were in 16 cases (18discs), disc herniation accompanying evident disc space narrowing in 13cases ( 17 discs), rec urrent dise herniation in 2 cases. The rehabilitationtraining was done under postoperative instructions. Results All the caseswere followed up from 17 to 41 months (averagely 26 months) untilSeptember 2001. The clinical outcomes were excellent in 23 cases, goodin 6 cases, fair in 2 cases. The mobility of the operated level had 4.0°anterior flexion and 5. 1° posterior extension after operation and 9.1° ontotal mobility. Meanwhile, the operated intervertebral space got an average4. 2 mm higher than that before. Because of technical problem, a slightdisplacement of the core occurred in one case without any clinical symp-toms and signs. Conclusion Artificial lumbar disc replacement can re-covery spinal motion and carrying capacity and provides a new kind ofoperation for the treatment of lumbar disc degenerative diseases and discherniation accompanying evident disc space narrowing.