Abstract The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the intercorrelations of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and clinical symptoms and signs in sciatic patients. Furthermore, determinants of spontaneous HNP resorption and the effect of anti-inflammatory treatments (periradicular methylprednisolone injection and intravenous infliximab) on spontaneous HNP resorption were evaluated. MRI follow-up was performed at baseline, after two months, after six months and after one-year for patients with unilateral sciatica to evaluate determinants of spontaneous HNP resorption and the effect of periradicular methylprednisolone injection on spontaneous HNP resorption. At baseline the study population consisted of 160 patients (group A). MRI follow-up for 21 patients with unilateral sciatica was performed at baseline and after two weeks, after three months and after six months to evaluate the effect of infliximab, a monoclonal TNFα antagonist, infusion on spontaneous HNP resorption (group B). Patients in group A were randomized to receive either periradicular saline or methylprednisolone. Volume of HNP, extent and thickness of enhancement (in Gd-DTPA MRI) and degree of disc displacement were measured and the symptoms and signs were followed repeatedly. The extent of rim enhancement correlated significantly with the degree of disc displacement. The duration of sciatic symptoms correlated negatively with enhancement parameters. The clinical symptoms did not correlate significantly with the different enhancement parameters or disc herniation volume. Achilles reflex abnormality correlated significantly with all enhancement parameters for lesions at L5-S1. Significant decrease in HNP volume occurred from baseline to two moths, and even more so during the whole one year follow-up period. Higher baseline scores of rim enhancement thickness, higher degree of HNP displacement in the Komori classification and age category of 41–50 years were associated with a higher resorption rate. Clinical symptoms alleviation occurred concordantly with a faster resorption rate. No significant difference was noted in the decrease of HNP volume in the saline and methylprednisolone injection groups in follow-up imaging during one year. The enhancement parameters (thickness and extent of rim enhancement) did not differ significantly in the different treatment groups. In group B, 11 patients received intravenous infliximab and 10 saline. Baseline demographic data, pain scores, and clinical status, did not differ between the treatment groups. HNP volume decreased significantly in both groups (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in HNP volume changes between the treatment groups. By two weeks, enhancement thickness increased significantly in the infliximab compared placebo group (p=0.003). Two patients in each group required back surgery prior to the 6-month assessment.

Omkring 10-20 % av personer med lumbalt diskbråck opereras. Operationen syftar främst till att behandla utstrålande smärta i nedre extremiteter. Beteenderelaterade faktorer kan påverka smärtupplevelsen vid långvariga smärttillstånd och viss forskning finns om hur resultatet av diskbråcksoperation påverkas av olika biopsykosociala faktorer. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur smärtintensitet var associerat till vissa beteenderelaterade faktorer före och två år efter lumbal diskbråcksoperation, samt om dessa faktorer preoperativt kan predicera smärta efter diskbråcksoperation. Studien är en longitudinell deskriptiv kohortstudie där associationer analyseras. Data samlades in med en enkät före och efter operationen. Preoperativt besvarade 59 personer enkäten, två år senare upplevde 20 personer ingen smärta och besvarade därför inte de beteenderelaterade frågorna. Preoperativt fanns svaga till moderata korrelationer mellan smärta och de flesta beteenderelaterade faktorerna. Två år postoperativt fanns moderata till starka korrelationer mellan smärta och katastroftankar, rörelserädsla, ”möjlighet att minska smärta” respektive smärtkontroll men inte till self-statement. Postoperativ bensmärta vid aktivitet korrelerade med preoperativt högt skattad self-statement. Studiens resultat säger ingenting om kausalitet, men tyder på att effektiva copingstrategier kan förhindra att kronisk smärta utvecklas, mätt två år efter diskbråcksoperation. Resultatet kan också förklaras med att en från början låg smärtintensitet är lättare att hantera. / Approximately 10-20% of patients with lumbar disc herniation require surgical treatment. Surgery aims primarily to reduce radiating pain in the lower limbs. Behaviour related factors can affect the experience of pain in a long term conditions. Some research is available concerning the influence of different biopsychosocial factors on the outcome of disc herniation surgery. The aim of this study was to analyse the association between pain intensity and behaviour related factors before and two years after lumbar disc surgery. Further, the aim is to analyse the predictive value of these factors in relation to pain two years after surgery. The design is a longitudinal descriptive cohort trial where associations are analysed. Data were collected before and two years after surgery. Questionnaires were answered by 59 persons with lumbar disc herniation before surgery. As 20 of the responders had no pain two years postoperatively, these did not answer the questions related to behaviour related factors. Before surgery correlations were weak to moderate between most of the behaviour related factors and pain. Two years later pain correlated moderately and strongly to catastrophising, fear of movement, ability to decrease pain and pain control but not to self-statements. Conversely, leg pain in activity two years after surgery correlated with highly rated use of self-statements preoperatively. The results of the study say nothing about causal relationships but indicate that effective coping strategies can prevent the development of chronic pain, measured two years post surgery. Possibly, lower pain is easier to cope with, which could also explain the results.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Intervertebral disc disease (IVD) is a common pathology in clinical neurology of dogs, representing 45.8% of neurological cases treated at Veterinary Hospital of the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. The most affected segments are the thoracolumbar (T3-L3) and cranial cervical (C1-C5) of the spinal cord. The clinical sign occurs due a combination of the compressive effect of the disc material and the injury of impact on spinal cord, probably due to an extrusion. A clinical sign varies according to the affected segment of the spinal cord and the severity of the injury. It could be presented only by spinal hyperesthesia, whereas more severe injuries can lead to tetra / paraplegia with no nociception (deep pain) caudal to the lesion. Clinical management for IVD is generally indicated for dogs with hyperesthesia with or without minimal neurological deficits and consists of absolute rest in cage between four to six weeks. Surgery is the treatment of choice for dogs with severe neurological deficits (not ambulatory tetraparesis, tetraplegia, paraplegia with or without nociception in less than 48 hours) in dogs with unsuccessful of clinical management, or dog that have recurrence of disease. In contrast to the numerous studies evaluating the efficacy of surgical treatment in dogs with thoracolumbar and cervical IVD, studies demonstrating the effectiveness of conservative treatment are rare. The aim of this study was to identify dogs with presumptive diagnosis of thoracolumbar and cervical IVD who underwent clinical management and evaluate the response to therapy; and to analyze the effect of age, gender, duration of clinical signs, neurological degree and therapy, as prognostic factors in clinical outcome of the patient. Five hundred six neurological records were used to identify affected dogs (n = 379 thoracolumbar; n = 127 cervical), and was selected those patients with presumptive diagnosis of IVD submitted to clinical management as a first option. The outcome was satisfactory in 73.3% of cases of thoracolumbar IVD, and 92.7% of cases of cervical IVD, demonstrating that clinical management (cage rest, anti-inflammatory and analgesic opioid administration) is effective, especially in milder disease. Conservative treatment has a substantial rate of recurrence and neurological signs may be more severe than the first clinical presentation. The gender, age and duration of clinical signs has no prognostic effect on clinical outcomes of patients IVD of thoracolumbar and cervical, in the sample of the study. / A doença do disco intervertebral (DDIV) é uma afecção frequente na clínica neurológica de cães, representando 45,8% dos casos neurológicos atendidos pelo Serviço de Neurologia do Hospital Veterinário Universitário da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Os locais mais acometidos pela doença são os segmentos toracolombar (T3-L3) e cervical cranial (C1-C5) da medula espinhal. A manifestação clínica ocorre devido a uma combinação do efeito compressivo do material de disco e da lesão de impacto na medula espinhal, decorrente principalmente da extrusão do disco e varia de acordo com o segmento da medula espinhal afetado e da severidade da lesão. Pode ser evidenciada apenas por hiperestesia espinhal, enquanto as lesões mais graves podem levar a tetra/paraplegia com ausência da nocicepção (dor profunda) caudal a lesão. O tratamento clínico para DDIV geralmente é indicado para cães com hiperpatia associada ou não a mínimas deficiências neurológicas e consiste em repouso absoluto em gaiola entre quatro a seis semanas. Já a cirurgia é o tratamento de eleição para cães com deficiências neurológicas graves (tetraparesia não ambulatória, tetraplegia, paraplegia com ou sem nocicepção em menos de 48 horas), em cães refratários ao tratamento clínico, ou que apresentem recidiva da doença. Em contraste com os inúmeros estudos avaliando a eficácia do tratamento cirúrgico em cães com DDIV toracolombar e cervical, estudos demonstrando a eficácia do tratamento conservativo são escassos na literatura. Diante desses fatores, o objetivo desse estudo foi identificar cães com diagnóstico presuntivo de DDIV toracolombar e cervical que foram submetidos ao tratamento clínico e avaliar a resposta à terapia instituída; além de avaliar a relação da idade, do gênero, da duração dos sinais clínicos e do tratamento de acordo com o grau neurológico como fatores prognósticos na evolução clínica desses pacientes. Foram analisados 506 registros neurológicos (n=379 toracolombar; n=127 cervical), e selecionados aqueles pacientes com diagnóstico presuntivo de DDIV submetidos ao tratamento clínico como primeira opção. A evolução clínica foi satisfatória em 73,3% dos casos de DDIV toracolombar, e 92,7% dos casos de DDIV cervical, demonstrando que o tratamento clínico com repouso absoluto, administração de anti-inflamatórios e analgésicos opióides é efetivo, principalmente em graus mais leves da doença. O tratamento conservativo apresenta um índice considerável de recidiva, cujos sinais neurológicos poderão ser mais graves do que a primeira apresentação clínica. O gênero, a idade e a duração dos sinais clínicos não apresentam efeito prognóstico na evolução clínica dos pacientes de DDIV toracolombar e cervical, na amostra estudada.

Title: Physical activity of patients after surgical treatment of the lumbar spine. Aim: Main aim of the diploma thesis is to investigate which physiotherapeutic intervention for patients after spinal surgery is the most effective one and offer optimal activity immediately after the surgery and in a long term phase. Investigate questions: 1. Which physiotherapeutic intervention is the most effective one? 2. Which type of physical activity is the most optimal one? Methods: A systematic review on the topic. Results: The review answers the questions about physiotherapy after lumbar surgery in acute and long term phase after surgery and shows current trends and unique approaches in this study area. Keywords: Lumbar spine, intervertebral disc herniation, microdiscectomy, physiotherapy, physical activity.

Tyrimo objektas: pacientų funkcinės būklės kitimas, taikant skirtingas kineziterapijos programas, esant juosmeninėms disko išvaržoms. Tyrimo tikslas: nustatyti skirtingų kineziterapijos programų poveikį pacientų funkcinei būklei gydant juosmeninės stuburo dalies tarpslankstelines disko išvaržas. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1. Nustatyti skirtingų grupių tiriamųjų tiesios kojos kėlimo kampą, ties kuriuo juntamas skausmas, pilvo ir nugaros raumenų ištvermę prieš ir po kineziterapijos. 2. Nustatyti skirtingų grupių tiriamųjų juosmeninės stuburo dalies skausmą, negalios laipsnį ir gyvenimo kokybę prieš ir po kineziterapijos. 3. Palyginti skirtingų kineziterapijos programų poveikį gydant juosmeninės stuburo dalies tarpslankstelines disko išvaržas. Tyrimas buvo atliktas 2008-2009 m. UAB „Palangos linas“ viešbutyje-reabilitacijos centre. Tyrime dalyvavo 40 tiriamųjų (19 vyrų ir 21 moteris). Sudarytos 2 grupės: I grupė (n=20) pacientai, kuriems buvo taikyta 20 IDD terapijos procedūrų. II grupė (n=20) ambulatorinės reabilitacijos pacientai. Jiems buvo taikyta 10 kineziterapijos procedūrų vertikalioje vonioje. Tiriamieji buvo vertinami prieš ir po kineziterapijos procedūrų kurso. Tyrimo metodai: Lasego mėginys, skausmo vertinimas, Oswestry negalios indeksas, nugaros raumenų ištvermės testas, pilvo raumenų ištvermės testas, SF – 36 klausimynas. Išvados: 1. Taikant tarpslankstelinę diferencinę dinaminę terapiją ir kineziterapiją vertikalioje vonioje statistiškai reikšmingai (p<0,05) padidėjo... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Research object: the changes patients’ functional state when applying different physiotherapy programs in cases of lumbar disc herniation. Research aim: to evaluate the influence of different physiotherapy programs on patients’ functional state after intervertebral disc herniation. Research tasks: 1. Assess the participants’ of different group’s elevation angle of straight leg, at the point of which the pain is suffered, endurance of abdominal and spinal muscles before and after physiotherapy. 2. Assess the participants’ of different group’s low back pain, degree of disability and life quality before and after physiotherapy. 3. Compare effect of different physiotherapy programs when treating lumbar intervertebral disc herniation. The research was carried out in 2008-2009 at JSC “Palangos linas” hotel – rehabilitation center. 40 (19 men and 21 women) participants took part in research. Participants were divided into 2 groups: 1st group (n=20) patients, they received 20 IDD therapy procedures. 2nd group (n=20) ambulant rehabilitation patients, they received 10 physiotherapy procedures in a vertical bath. The participants were tested before and after the physiotherapy procedures . Methods: Straight leg raise test, pain evaluation, Oswestry disability index, endurance test of spinal muscles, endurance test of abdominal muscles, SF – 36 questionnaire. Conclusions: 1. After applying intervertebral differential dynamics therapy and physiotherapy in a vertical bath, straight... [to full text]

Darbο tikslas: nustatyti kompiuterizuotos nechirurginės dekοmpresijοs (ND) pοveikį asmenų funkcinei būklei dėl tarpslankstelinės diskο išvaržοs, besiskundžiančių juοsmeninės stuburο dalies (JSD) skausmu bei juοsmeninės stuburο dalies ir kοjοs skausmu. Darbο uždaviniai: 1. Įvertinti pacientų, besiskundžiančių JSD skausmu bei JSD ir kοjοs skausmu, liemens raumenų ištvermės pοkyčius pο ND prοcedūrų. 2. Įvertinti pacientų, besiskundžiančių JSD skausmu bei JSD ir kοjοs skausmu, JSD paslankumο pοkyčius pο ND prοcedūrų. 3. Įvertinti pacientų, besiskundžiančių JSD skausmu bei JSD ir kοjοs skausmu, skausmο intensyvumο pοkyčius pο ND prοcedūrų. 4. Įvertinti pacientų, besiskundžiančių JSD skausmu bei JSD ir kοjοs skausmu, funkcinės negaliοs pοkyčius pο ND prοcedūrų. 5. Palyginti gautus rezultatus tarp pacientų, besiskundžiančių JSD skausmu su pacientų, besiskundžiančių JSD ir kοjοs skausmu. Tyrimο metοdika: 1. Liemenį lenkiančių ir tiesiančių raumenų ištvermė. 2. JSD paslankumas Schοber'ο testu. 3. Skausmο intensyvumas pagal skaičių analοginę skalę (SAS). 4. Funkcinė negalia pagal Οswestry funkcinės negaliοs klausimyną ir Rοland–Mοrris klausimyną. Išvadοs: 1. Pο ND prοcedūrų padidėjο liemenį lenkiančių ir tiesiančių raumenų ištvermė pacientams, besiskundžiantiems JSD skausmu (p<0,001) ir pacientams, besiskundžiantiems JSD ir kοjοs skausmu (p<0,001). 2. Pο ND prοcedūrų padidėjο JSD paslankumas pacientams, besiskundžiantiems JSD skausmu (p<0,001) ir pacientams, besiskundžiantiems JSD... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim οf the study is tο define the effectiveness οf Nοn-Surgical Spinal Decοmpressiοn (NSSD) οn patients functiοnal status, fοr thοse whο suffers frοm lοw back pain (LBP) and thοse whο suffers frοm lοw back and leg pain, the reasοn οf which is vertebral disc herniatiοn. The tasks οf the study: 1. Estimate the changes in trunk muscle endurance οf patients whο suffers frοm lοw back pain and thοse whο suffers frοm lοw back and leg pain after nοn-surgical spinal decοmpressiοn prοcedures. 2. Estimate the changes οf the lumbar spine mοbility οf patients whο suffers frοm lοw back pain and thοse whο suffers frοm lοw back and leg pain after nοn-surgical spinal decοmpressiοn prοcedures. 3. Estimate the pain intensity changes οf patients whο suffers frοm lοw back pain and thοse whο suffers frοm lοw back and leg pain after nοn-surgical spinal decοmpressiοn prοcedures. 4. Estimate the changes οf disability indicatοrs οf patients whο suffers frοm lοw back pain and thοse whο suffers frοm lοw back and leg pain after nοn-surgical spinal decοmpressiοn prοcedures. 5. Cοmpare the results οf bοth grοups οf patients. The methοds οf the research: 1. The endurance test οf the waist flexing and extending muscles. 2. The lumbar spine mοbility based οn Schοber‘s test. 3. Pain intensity based οn Numeric Analοgue Scale (NAS). 4. Functiοnal status based οn Οwestry Functiοnal Disability Questiοnnaire and Rοlland Mοrris‘s Disability Questiοnnaire. Cοnclusiοns: 1. The imprοvement οf the waist flexing... [to full text]

Tyrimo tikslas – įvertinti liemens raumenų izometrinės jėgos, simetriškumo ir gyvenimo pilnatvės kaitą po taikytos stuburo stabilizavimo ir laikysenos korekcijos programos asmenims, kuriems diagnozuota juosmeninės stuburo dalies išvarža bei vargina lėtinis apatinės nugaros dalies skausmas. Uždaviniai: 1. Įvertinti vyrų ir moterų, kuriuos vargina lėtinis apatinės nugaros dalies skausmas, nugaros, pilvo bei liemens šoninių raumenų izometrinės jėgos kaitą po taikytos kineziterapijos; 2. Įvertinti vyrų ir moterų nugaros-pilvo bei liemens šoninių raumenų izometrinės jėgos santykio kaitą po taikytos kineziterapijos; 3. Įvertinti vyrų ir moterų liemens raumenų statinės ištvermės, juosmens judesių amplitudės kaitą po taikytos kineziterapijos; 4. Nustatyti nugaros bei pilvo raumenų izometrinės jėgos ir apatinės nugaros dalies skausmo sąsajas prieš ir po taikytos kineziterapijos; 5. Įvertinti vyrų ir moterų apatinės nugaros dalies ir kojos skausmo, funkcinės negalios, gyvenimo pilnatvės bei bendros sveikatos būklės kaitą po taikytos kineziterapijos. Tyrime dalyvavo 17 darbingo amžiaus asmenų, 8 moterys ir 9 vyrai. Jiems radiologiškai diagnozuota juosmeninės stuburo dalies išvarža. Taikyta stuburo stabilizavimo ir laikysenos korekcijos pratimų programa 9 k., 3 k. per sav., po 45 min., individualiai. Vertinta: liemens raumenų maksimali izometrinė jėga (dr. Wolff „Back-check“ dinamometras), statinė ištvermė (sekundėmis), apatinės nugaros dalies ir kojos skausmas (SAS), funkcinė negalia... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of the investigation – to evaluate changes in trunk muscles isometric strength, symmetry and quality of life under the impact of spine stabilization and posture correction exercises in patients with diagnosed intervertebral disk herniation and low back pain. The tasks of investigation: 1. To evaluate changes in back, abdominal and waist side muscles isometric strength after physical therapy applied in women and men with low back pain; 2. To evaluate changes in symmetry of the back-abdominal and waist side muscles isometric strength after physical therapy applied; 3. To evaluate changes in the muscles static endurance, lumbar movement amplitude after physical therapy applied; 4. To determine the correlation between back, abdominal muscles isometric strength and low back pain before and after physical therapy. 5. To evaluate changes of low back and leg pain, functional impairment, quality of life and common health condition of the patients after physical therapy applied in women and men. Methods and materials. There took part 17 working-age persons (8 women and 9 men) diagnosed with lumbar intervertebral disk herniation and low back pain in the investigation. They were applied spine stabilization and posture correction exercises program to - 9 times altogether, 3 times a week individually, 45 min. each. There were evaluated: trunk muscles isometric strength (Dr. Wolff “Back-check”), low back and leg pain (SAS), static endurance (in sec.), functional impairment... [to full text]

No description available.

Previous studies have reported that combination of electroacupuncture (EA) and mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) promoted survival, differentiation and functional recovery in spinal cord-transected rats. In this study, it was examined the therapeutic effects of stem cells from canine exfoliated dental pulp (SCED) combined with EA treatment in dogs with chronic naturally occurred spinal cord injury due to intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH). Dogs were randomly assigned to four experimental groups (n=4 for each group; total of 16 animals): SCED, EA, SCED + EA) and control. Mild increase in the neurological scoring was found in one animal from SCED group (1/4; 2 points gained), one from EA group (1/4; 8 points gained), three from SCED+EA group (3/4; 16 points gained) and one from control group (1/4; 2 points gained). Functional outcome improvements were observed two animals from SCED group (2/4; 3 points gained), two from EA group (2/4; 4 points gained), one from SCED+EA group (1/4; 1 point gained) and two were from control group (2/4; 6 points gained). However no statistical differences were observed. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings did not suggest improvement comparing pre- and post-treatment within groups, excepted from one animal from SCED group (1/4), and 10 animals from all groups (10/16) presented signs of injury progression in the SCI in post-treatment exam, which could not be associated to the procedures from study, but could be related to the natural evolution of the disease. Limitation such as number of transplanted stem cells, delivery route, injury chronicity and intrinsic variation among naturally spinal cord injured dogs could have influence outcomes negatively. Moreover, canine deciduous exfoliated teeth were easily obtained and SCED were simply isolated, and no mortality followed up 7 month from procedure were observed. / Estudos anteriores demonstraram que a associação da eletroacupuntura e células-tronco mesenquimais/estromais (CTMs) pode promover a sobrevivência e diferenciação das CTMs, assim como recuperação funcional em ratos com transecção da medula espinal. Neste estudo, foram avaliados os efeitos terapêuticos da associação de células-tronco derivadas de polpa de dente decíduo esfoliado de cães (CPDEc) e eletroacupuntura (EAP) em cães com lesão de medula espinhal crônica causada de forma natural por herniação do disco interververtebral. Os cães foram divididos aleatoriamente em quatro grupos experimentais (n=4 para cada grupo; total de 16 animais): CPDEc, EAP, CPDEc+EAP e grupo controle. Foram encontradas pequenas melhoras na pontuação do exame neurológico em um animal do grupo CPDEc (1/4; 2 pontos ganhos), um do grupo EAP (1/4; 8 pontos ganhos), três do grupo CPDEc+EAP (3/4; 16 pontos ganhos) e um do grupo controle (1/4; 2 pontos ganhos). Na avaliação funcional, pequenas melhoras também foram observadas em dois animais do grupo CPDEc (2/4; 3 pontos ganhos), dois do grupo EAP (2/3; 4 pontos ganhos), um do grupo CPDEc+EAP (1/4; 1 ponto ganho) e dois do grupo controle (2/4; 6 pontos ganhos). No entanto, não foram encontradas diferenças estatísticas entre os grupos. Os achados ressonância magnética não sugeriram melhoras comparando os exames pré e pós tratamento entre os grupos, com exceção de um animal do grupo CPDEc (1/4), e 10 animais dentre todos os grupos (10/16) apresentaram sinais de progressão na lesão da medula espinhal, que não puderam ser associados com os procedimentos do estudo, mas podem estar relacionados à progressão natural da doença. Além disso, os dentes decíduos esfoliados foram obtidos facilmente e as CPDEc foram isoladas de forma simples, ademais, não foi observada nenhuma mortalidade foi observada até 7 meses após o procedimento.

Previous studies have reported that combination of electroacupuncture (EA) and mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) promoted survival, differentiation and functional recovery in spinal cord-transected rats. In this study, it was examined the therapeutic effects of stem cells from canine exfoliated dental pulp (SCED) combined with EA treatment in dogs with chronic naturally occurred spinal cord injury due to intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH). Dogs were randomly assigned to four experimental groups (n=4 for each group; total of 16 animals): SCED, EA, SCED + EA) and control. Mild increase in the neurological scoring was found in one animal from SCED group (1/4; 2 points gained), one from EA group (1/4; 8 points gained), three from SCED+EA group (3/4; 16 points gained) and one from control group (1/4; 2 points gained). Functional outcome improvements were observed two animals from SCED group (2/4; 3 points gained), two from EA group (2/4; 4 points gained), one from SCED+EA group (1/4; 1 point gained) and two were from control group (2/4; 6 points gained). However no statistical differences were observed. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings did not suggest improvement comparing pre- and post-treatment within groups, excepted from one animal from SCED group (1/4), and 10 animals from all groups (10/16) presented signs of injury progression in the SCI in post-treatment exam, which could not be associated to the procedures from study, but could be related to the natural evolution of the disease. Limitation such as number of transplanted stem cells, delivery route, injury chronicity and intrinsic variation among naturally spinal cord injured dogs could have influence outcomes negatively. Moreover, canine deciduous exfoliated teeth were easily obtained and SCED were simply isolated, and no mortality followed up 7 month from procedure were observed. / Estudos anteriores demonstraram que a associação da eletroacupuntura e células-tronco mesenquimais/estromais (CTMs) pode promover a sobrevivência e diferenciação das CTMs, assim como recuperação funcional em ratos com transecção da medula espinal. Neste estudo, foram avaliados os efeitos terapêuticos da associação de células-tronco derivadas de polpa de dente decíduo esfoliado de cães (CPDEc) e eletroacupuntura (EAP) em cães com lesão de medula espinhal crônica causada de forma natural por herniação do disco interververtebral. Os cães foram divididos aleatoriamente em quatro grupos experimentais (n=4 para cada grupo; total de 16 animais): CPDEc, EAP, CPDEc+EAP e grupo controle. Foram encontradas pequenas melhoras na pontuação do exame neurológico em um animal do grupo CPDEc (1/4; 2 pontos ganhos), um do grupo EAP (1/4; 8 pontos ganhos), três do grupo CPDEc+EAP (3/4; 16 pontos ganhos) e um do grupo controle (1/4; 2 pontos ganhos). Na avaliação funcional, pequenas melhoras também foram observadas em dois animais do grupo CPDEc (2/4; 3 pontos ganhos), dois do grupo EAP (2/3; 4 pontos ganhos), um do grupo CPDEc+EAP (1/4; 1 ponto ganho) e dois do grupo controle (2/4; 6 pontos ganhos). No entanto, não foram encontradas diferenças estatísticas entre os grupos. Os achados ressonância magnética não sugeriram melhoras comparando os exames pré e pós tratamento entre os grupos, com exceção de um animal do grupo CPDEc (1/4), e 10 animais dentre todos os grupos (10/16) apresentaram sinais de progressão na lesão da medula espinhal, que não puderam ser associados com os procedimentos do estudo, mas podem estar relacionados à progressão natural da doença. Além disso, os dentes decíduos esfoliados foram obtidos facilmente e as CPDEc foram isoladas de forma simples, ademais, não foi observada nenhuma mortalidade foi observada até 7 meses após o procedimento.