Regenerative Treatments for Spinal Conditions

Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy combined with platelet-rich plasma injection for lumbar disc herniation: analysis of clinical and imaging outcomes

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the clinical efficacy and imaging outcomes of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH).

METHODS

A total of 155 patients with LDH between January 2020 and June 2022 were retrospective analyzed, of which 75 underwent PELD with PRP and 80 underwent PELD only. Clinical functional scores and imaging data were compared. Clinical functional scores included visual analog scale of leg pain (VAS-LP) and back pain (VAS-BP), Japanese Orthopedic Association score (JOA), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and modified MacNab criteria. Imaging data included disc height index (DHI), spinal cross-sectional area (SCSA), disc protrusion size (DPZ), and ratio value of disc grey scales (RVG).

RESULTS

Both groups showed clinical improvement, and VAS-LP, VAS-BP, JOA and ODI were significantly improved in the PRP group compared with the control group at 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively (P < 0.05). At the last follow-up, the differences in SCSA, DPZ and RVG between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05), with the PRP group being superior to the control group. The excellent and good rates of the modified Macnab criteria in the PRP group and control group were 93.3% and 90%, respectively, with no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). No serious complications occurred during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSION

PELD combined with PRP is a safe and effective method for treating patients with LDH. PRP injection was beneficial for delaying disc degeneration and promoting disc remodeling.

Evaluating the effect of a post-processing algorithm in detection of annular fissure on MR imaging

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Visualization of annular fissures on MRI is becoming increasingly important but remains challenging. Our purpose was to test whether an image processing algorithm could improve detection of annular fissures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this retrospective study, two neuroradiologists identified 56 IVDs with annular fissures and 97 IVDs with normal annulus fibrosus in lumbar spine MRIs of 101 patients (58 M, 43 F; age ± SD 15.1 ± 3.0 years). Signal intensities of diseased and normal annulus fibrosus, and contrast-to-noise ratio between them on sagittal T2-weighted images were calculated before and after processing with a proprietary software. Effect of processing on detection of annular fissures by two masked neuroradiologists was also studied for IVDs with Pfirrmann grades of ≤ 2 and > 2.

RESULTS

Mean (SD) signal baseline intensities of diseased and normal annulus fibrosus were 57.6 (23.3) and 24.4 (7.8), respectively (p < 0.001). Processing increased (p < 0.001) the mean (SD) intensity of diseased annulus to 110.6 (47.9), without affecting the signal intensity of normal annulus (p = 0.14). Mean (SD) CNR between the diseased and normal annulus increased (p < 0.001) from 11.8 (14.1) to 29.6 (29.1). Both masked readers detected more annular fissures after processing in IVDs with Pfirrmann grade of ≤ 2 and > 2, with an apparent increased sensitivity and decreased specificity using predefined image-based human categorization as a reference standard.

CONCLUSIONS

Image processing improved CNR of annular fissures and detection rate of annular fissures. However, further studies with a more stringent reference standard are needed to assess its effect on sensitivity and specificity.

Growing a backbone - functional biomaterials and structures for intervertebral disc (IVD) repair and regeneration: challenges, innovations, and future directions

Back pain and associated maladies can account for an immense amount of healthcare cost and loss of productivity in the workplace. In particular, spine related injuries in the US affect upwards of 5.7 million people each year. The degenerative disc disease treatment almost always arises due to a clinical presentation of pain and/or discomfort. Preferred conservative treatment modalities include the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic work, and dietary supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin. Artificial disc replacement, also known as total disc replacement, is a treatment alternative to spinal fusion. The goal of artificial disc prostheses is to replicate the normal biomechanics of the spine segment, thereby preventing further damage to neighboring sections. Artificial functional disc replacement through permanent metal and polymer-based components continues to evolve, but is far from recapitulating native disc structure and function, and suffers from the risk of unsuccessful tissue integration and device failure. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine strategies combine novel material structures, bioactive factors and stem cells alone or in combination to repair and regenerate the IVD. These efforts are at very early stages and a more in-depth understanding of IVD metabolism and cellular environment will also lead to a clearer understanding of the native environment which the tissue engineering scaffold should mimic. The current review focusses on the strategies for a successful regenerative scaffold for IVD regeneration and the need for defining new materials, environments, and factors that are so finely tuned in the healthy human intervertebral disc in hopes of treating such a prevalent degenerative process.

Vertebral intraosseous plasma rich in growth factor (PRGF-Endoret) infiltrations as a novel strategy for the treatment of degenerative lesions of endplate in lumbar pathology: description of technique and case presentation

BACKGROUND

Motivation and necessity to adopt minimally invasive therapies in the field of spinal regenerative medicine is increasing. Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy has recently been used as an effective technological and biological approach to tissue repair and has shown to improve multiple conditions including back pain and degenerative disc pathology. In addition, it is well established that the anatomic elements of the spinal system affected by degenerative pathology include the intervertebral disc (IVD) and vertebral subchondral bone (VSB), which play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy spinal column. Both elements are the target of a novel biological approach to the treatment of low back pain.

METHODS

A novel minimally invasive regenerative therapeutic approach is presented herein with a protocol based on combining vertebral intraosseous (VIO) and intradiscal (ID) infiltrations of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF-Endoret), a type of leukocyte-free PRP, for the treatment of disc degeneration pathology.

RESULTS

We describe a novel technique applied in a patient treated for IVD degeneration and VSB damage, showing significant improvement on magnetic resonance imaging, including partial regression of protruded disc and significant resorption of intravertebral herniations (Schmörl's nodes), after PRGF therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, we present the first reported case description of the utilization of VIO and ID PRP infiltrations to treat protruded discs and intravertebral herniations with a successful clinical outcome.

Platelet-rich plasma injections: an emerging therapy for chronic discogenic low back pain

Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have been investigated in recent years as an emerging therapy for various musculoskeletal conditions, including lumbar degenerative disc disease. Although PRP has received increasing attention from medical science experts, comprehensive clinical reports of its efficacy are limited to those treating knee osteoarthritis and epicondylitis. Use of PRP is gaining popularity in the area of degenerative disc disease, but there is a clear need for reliable clinical evidence of its applications and effectiveness. In this article, we review the current literature on PRP therapy and its potential use in the treatment of chronic discogenic low back pain, with a focus on evidence from clinical trials.

Prolotherapy for the Thoracolumbar Myofascial System

Prolotherapy has focused on entheses as a key source of chronic low back pain, even without clear diagnosis of enthesopathy. Treatment has traditionally been guided by anatomic knowledge and careful palpation. This article integrates ultrasonographic diagnosis of fascial injury with examination findings taught in traditional prolotherapy technique. Thoracolumbar fascial anatomy and biotensegrity theory are used to explain patient presentation and response to treatment at these pathologic findings. Detailed case reports provide proof of concept for the 60-year history of prolotherapy in the treatment of chronic low back pain.