A variety of molecules released by inflammatory reactions in the dorsal root and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) may play important roles in the pathology of neuronal abnormalities in lumbar disc herniation. In order to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms of painful radiculopathy, secondary to lumbar disc herniation, we evaluated pain-related behavior and the change of nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the DRG and dorsal root using a ...

STUDY DESIGN: Various amounts of static mechanical load were applied to mouse intervertebral discs in organ cultures. The apoptosis then was examined using nick end labeling. Two mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors were added to the medium.

OBJECTIVES: To establish an experimental model for detecting factors regulating chondrocyte apoptosis induced by mechanical stress, and to determine the role of MAPK and p38 in the stress-induced apoptotic pathway of endplate ...

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study was conducted.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the long-term outcomes of subtotal corpectomy and laminoplasty for multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: No study has compared the long-term outcomes between subtotal corpectomy and laminoplasty for multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

METHODS: In this study, 23 patients treated with subtotal corpectomy and 24 patients treated with laminoplasty were followed up for 10 to 14 ...

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study of 27 patients who underwent anterior decompression and fusion (ADF) for treatment of cervical myelopathy due to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL).

OBJECTIVES: To compare surgical outcome of ADF with that of laminoplasty.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: During the period 1986 and 1996, laminoplasty was the only surgical treatment selected for cervical myelopathy at our institutions. According to surgical results of laminoplasty ...

STUDY DESIGN: This is prospective observational study.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively investigate the correlation among axial neck pain; a newly developed patient-based quality of life outcome measure, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation Questionnaire (JOACMEQ); and cervical sagittal alignment after open-door laminoplasty for cervical myelopathy.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Many studies have focused on postoperative axial neck pain after laminoplasty. ...

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study evaluating magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomographic myelography, and clinical parameters in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether magnetic resonance imaging can predict the surgical outcome in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: No previous studies have established whether areas of high signal intensity in T2-weighted magnetic resonance images can be a predictor ...

Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), a member of ATF/CREB family of transcription factors, is induced in a variety of stressed tissue. ATF3 regulates transcription by binding to DNA sites as a homodimer or heterodimer with Jun proteins. The purpose of this study was to examine the expression and regulation of ATF3 after axonal injury in neurons in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cord. In naive rats, ATF3 was not expressed in the DRG and spinal cord. Following the cut of ...

STUDY DESIGN: Age-related fluctuations in insulin-like growth factor-I dependent proteoglycan synthesis in rat intervertebral disc cells were investigated.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether synthetic responses to insulin-like growth factor-I decline with age and to explore the possibility that an age-related increase in the expression of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins suppresses matrix synthesis in intervertebral disc cells.

SUMMARY AND ...

STUDY DESIGN: This study analyzed the natural course of cervical spine involvement in rheumatoid arthritis by serial radiographs.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose was to determine the pattern of progression of cervical spine lesions in rheumatoid arthritis and predictors for the extent of progression.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Subluxation frequently occurs as a result of rheumatoid involvement of the cervical spine. It may be severe in patients with mutilans deformities in the hands and feet. ...

OBJECT: The authors report the long-term (more than 10-year) results of cervical laminoplasty for ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of the cervical spine as well as the factors affecting long-term postoperative course.

METHODS: The authors reviewed data obtained in 92 patients who underwent cervical laminoplasty between 1982 and 1990. Three patients were lost to follow up, 25 patients died within 10 years of surgery, and 64 patients were followed for more than 10 ...

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study of 66 patients who underwent laminoplasty for treatment of cervical myelopathy due to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL).

OBJECTIVES: The present study describes surgical results of laminoplasty for treatment of cervical myelopathy due to OPLL and aims to clarify 1) factors predicting outcome and 2) limitations of laminoplasty.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: During the period 1986 and 1996, laminoplasty was the only surgical ...

The purposes of this study were to clarify the effects of rotation on two-dimensional measurement of lower limb alignment for knee osteotomy using a three-dimensional method and to determine whether this 3-D simulation method could help with planning of knee osteotomy. We developed computer software to calculate femorotibial angle (FTA) and hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA) and simulate knee osteotomy from a CT-based 3-D bone model of the lower limb. Lower limb rotation on anteroposterior ...

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the effect of biological agents (BAs) on the development and progression of cervical lesions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to identify biomarkers that accurately predict disease progression.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The introduction of BAs changed the paradigm of RA treatment. However, their effects on cervical lesions in patients with RA have not been studied.

METHODS: Ninety-one subjects who had ...

BACKGROUND: An outcome measure to evaluate the neurological function of cervical myelopathy was proposed by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association in 1975 (JOA score), and has been widely used in Japan. However, the JOA score does not include patients' satisfaction, disability, handicaps, or general health, which can be affected by cervical myelopathy. The purpose of this study was to develop a new outcome measure for patients with cervical myelopathy.

METHODS: This study was conducted in ...

STUDY DESIGN: The authors retrospectively analyzed the prevalence and features of neck and shoulder pain (axial symptoms) after anterior interbody fusion and laminoplasty in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

OBJECTIVES: To reveal the difference in prevalence of postoperative axial symptoms between anterior interbody fusion and laminoplasty and to clarify the pathogenesis of axial symptoms after laminoplasty.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Outcome of the cervical surgery is ...