Lumbar intervertebral disc transfer. A canine study.

STUDY DESIGN

Degenerative lumbar disc disease has been implicated as a cause of low back pain. Current treatment options for low back pain involve nonphysiologic fusion of the involved segments and have variable success rates. This is an experimental study of lumbar intervertebral disc transplantation using a canine surgical model.

OBJECTIVES

This study evaluated the feasibility of lumbar disc transplantation and its effects on disc metabolism and morphology.

METHOD

Eight mature mongrel dogs underwent disc transfer surgeries, in which the L2-L3 and L4-L5 intervertebral discs, with a small segment of adjacent superior and inferior vertebral body, were removed and transposed. The transplanted disc were stabilized by plates or by a flexible cable wire construct using Songer cables (DANEK, Inc., Memphis, TN). Unrestricted activity was allowed postoperatively. At 4 months, the spines were harvested, and the transplanted discs were evaluated biochemically and histologically. Intervening nontransplanted discs served as viable controls and thrice-frozen discs served as nonviable controls. Cell viability was assessed by measuring proteoglycan synthesis and DNA content.

RESULTS

Proteoglycan synthesis (35S uptake normalized to DNA content) was maintained in transplanted anulus fibrosus tissue, but was decreased in nucleus pulposus samples (P < 0.05). DNA content was not altered significantly in the transplanted discs. Histologic analysis of the transplanted discs showed revascularization and remodeling of the bone adjacent to the disc and preservation of the lamellar architecture of the anulus fibrosus. The transplanted nucleus pulposus samples had chondrocyte-like cells present, but the staining characteristics of the nucleus material was variable. The contour of the transplanted disc endplates was irregular in all specimens.

CONCLUSIONS

The structure and function of autograft intervertebral discs were maintained after disc transfer surgery; the transplant discs, however, were not completely normal in either their morphology or their metabolic functioning.