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  • Title: Intradiscal pressure measurements above an instrumented fusion. A cadaveric study.
    Author: Weinhoffer SL, Guyer RD, Herbert M, Griffith SL.
    Journal: Spine (Phila Pa 1976); 1995 Mar 01; 20(5):526-31. PubMed ID: 7604320.
    Abstract:
    STUDY DESIGN: An in vitro study to determine the intradiscal pressure changes during flexion in levels above a simulated fusion was performed. OBJECTIVES: To determine if intradiscal pressure increases more during flexion in discs above an instrumented spinal segment compared to an uninstrumented segment. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The progressive degeneration of intervertebral discs adjacent to a fused or fixed segment is a phenomenon that is noted but poorly understood. Intuitively, the degeneration appears to be a function of altered biomechanics of the motion segments in the spine. METHODS: Two intervertebral disc levels were evaluated, L3-L4 and L4-L5 from each of six fresh frozen cadaver spines. Pressure measurements were taken with the spine uninstrumented, with bilateral pedicle screw-rod instrumentation from L5 to S1, and with bilateral pedicle screw-rod instrumentation from L4 to S1. Pressure measurements were accomplished with Millar Mikro-Tip pressure transducers. The transducers were placed within the nucleus pulposus of L3-L4 and L4-L5 intervertebral discs. Pressure data were recorded by computer data acquisition. The pressure data were compared by intervertebral level and by the effects of added instrumentation. RESULTS: In general, the addition of instrumentation significantly affected the intradiscal pressure in the levels above a simulated fusion. The intradiscal pressure increased as the amount of levels involved in the simulated fusion increased. The intradiscal pressure increased as flexion motion increased. A greater increase was seen at the L4-L5 level than the L3-L4 level. When L5-S1 fixation was added, the intradiscal pressure increased. When L4-S1 fixation was added, the intradiscal pressure further increased. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated increasing intradiscal pressures during flexion.
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