Surgical biomaterials to repair the ruptured annulus fibrosus due to intervertebral disc degeneration
10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2016.16.006
- VernacularTitle:外科生物补片修复退变椎间盘纤维环
- Author:
Xu ZHU
;
Yuan MA
;
Xiangyu MENG
;
Huizhong TIAN
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- From:
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research
2016;20(16):2324-2332
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND:In recent years, animal models of lumbar disc degeneration have been popularized to explore the effect of tissue engineering, cel engineering and genetic engineering technologies on intervertebral disc degeneration.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of biological patches on rabbit anulus fibrosus repair.
METHODS:L3-4, L4-5, L5-6 segments from rabbits were randomly divided into normal control group (the intervertebral disc was exposed correspondingly), control group (the annulus fibrosus was only cut with a surgical scalpel) and experimental group (the annulus fibrosus was cut and sutured with the surgical biomaterial). Six rabbits were selected randomly to take the lumbar X-ray and MRI preoperatively and 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 weeks postoperatively; one rabbit was chosen preoperatively and three rabbits selected respectively at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 weeks postoperatively to execute hematoxylin-eosin and type II colagen immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:At postoperative 1, 2 and 4 weeks, the disc height index decreased significantly in the control and experimental groups. MRI and histopathological examination showed that the T2WI signal intensity and hematoxylin-eosin grading were both increased significantly in the control and experimental groups at 2 weeks after surgery (P < 0.05). With time, the number of nucleus pulposus cels gradualy reduced in the control and experimental groups. Annulus fibrosus defects were filed with granulation and fibrous tissues, and the biofilm was tightly fused with the annulus fibrosus. Findings from the type II colagen immunohistochemical staining showed that the histological staining of the nucleus pulposus was gradualy changed from positive to negative in the experimental and control groups. Therefore, cutting the annulus fibrosus can lead to severe disc degeneration at early period, and surgical biomaterials can be integrated with the annulus fibrosus wel to seal annulus fibrosus defects and further prevent nucleus pulposus protrusion. However, this approach cannot restrain the continuous process of disc degeneration.
