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Strength in Numbers for Successful Spinal Fusion
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Posted on: 11/30/1999
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If you're a dairy farmer, is it better to have more cows, or cows that produce more milk? If you ever need a bone graft to fuse your spine, the same question applies. Is it better to have more bone cells, or cells that produce more bone cells?
This is the focus of a research study at the Orthopaedic Research Lab in Denmark. Animals were used so that cells could be counted three weeks after the fusion operation. The same amount of bone graft was used in each animal.
The amount of new bone growth in a grafted area is called fusion mass. Computed tomography (CT scan) was used to estimate the bone cell volume. X-rays were also used as a second means of looking at the fusion mass.
The scientists found that the number of bone cells is more important than how fast each cell can make more cells. They conclude that the amount of bone graft used is the most important factor in creating a solid bone fusion.
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References:
Thomas Andersen, MS, et al., In Vitro Osteoblast Proliferation as a Predictor for Spinal Fusion Mass. In The Spine Journal. July/August 2003. Vol. 3. No. 4. Pp. 285-288.
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