Abstract
Objective: To measure intradiscal pressures in scoliotic spines to further understand the role of mechanical forces in the development of scoliosis.
Design: Pressure readings were obtained in consented patients with ethical approval. A needle mounted pressure transducer was introduced into the disc during routine anterior scoliosis surgery.
Subjects: Ten human scoliotic discs from three patients.
Outcome measures: Intradiscal pressure profiles.
Results: Nuclear hydrostatic pressures varied from 0.2 to 0.6 MPa. The mean nuclear pressures for the three spines were 0.27+0.12, 0.35+0.06 and 0.47+0.12 MPa.
High stress, non- hydrostatic regions were consistently recorded in the concave annulus.
Conclusions: Nuclear pressures in these scoliotic patients were significantly higher than the 0.12 and 0.15 MPa recorded previously in non-scoliotic recumbent individuals1;2 suggesting that spinal loading is abnormal in scoliosis.
Abstracts prepared by Mr. A. J. Stirling, FRCS, and Miss A. Weaver. Correspondence should be addressed to Miss A. Weaver at the Research and Teaching Centre, Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Northfield, Birmingham, B31 2AP, UK
BritSpine 2002, the second combined meeting of the British Association of Spinal Surgeons, the British Cervical Spine Society, The British Scoliosis Society and the Society for Back Pain Research, took place at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham UK between 27th February and 1st March 2002. The following presentations and posters were given and displayed.
References:
1 Sato K et al. In vivo intradiscal pressure measurement in healthy individuals and in patients with ongoing back problems. Spine1999;24: 2468–74. Google Scholar
2 Wilke HJ et al. New in vivo measurements of pressures in the intervertebral disc in daily life. Spine1999;24: 755–62. Google Scholar
