No description available.

Master of Science / Department of Clinical Sciences / James K. Roush / Objective – To evaluate the value of thermography in a clinical setting for dogs with thoracolumbar disease. Animal Population – Thirteen client-owned short-haired Dachshunds presented to Kansas State University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital for paraparesis/paraplegia and diagnosed with thoracolumbar disease via myelogram/CT and confirmed during surgical decompression. Procedures - Thermal images were obtained with a hand-held infrared camera with a focal plane array uncooled microbolometer. Images were obtained after physical exam and client consultation and prior to any pre-anesthetic medications, approximately 30+ minutes after entering the hospital. Additional images were obtained in the same manner at 24 hour intervals following surgery until discharge. Six regions of interest (ROI) were identified and recorded. The ROIs identified were right and left thoracic, lumbar and pelvic regions. From each of these regions average temperatures were taken. Results - Temperatures in the pelvic region were significantly cooler (p< 0.001) over all days as compared to the thoracic and lumbar regions and to the overall mean temperature. The lumbar region temperature was significantly greater on day 0 as compared to thoracic and pelvic regions but was not significantly different on any of the following days. The thoracic temperatures were significantly greater than the lumbar and pelvic regions on day 2 but there was no significant difference on any of the preceding or following days. There was no significant difference between left and right on any of the days. There was a correlation of the pelvic region temperatures on day 3 in relation to the presenting neurological grade. Conclusion - Although there were varied heat patterns detected in dachshunds with IVDD, these patterns did not correlate with neurological grade, lesion site or lateralization of the lesion. Although there was a correlation between neurological grades and the pelvic region temperatures on day 3, this time period is unlikely to provide clinical utility. Clinical Relevance - The results of this study suggest that thermography is not a useful tool for the diagnosis or prognosis of thoracolumbar disease in dogs in a clinical setting.

published_or_final_version / Orthopaedics and Traumatology / Master / Master of Philosophy

Bibliography: leaves 107-109 / 109 leaves, [26] leaves of plates : / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (M.D.)--University of Adelaide, 1989

Degeneration of the lumbar intervertebral disc, a condition widely implicated in the cause of low back pain among adult humans, is typically characterised by progressive biochemical and structural changes to the extracellular matrix. Comprehensive descriptions of the structural and functional inter-relationships within the extracellular matrix are therefore critical to understanding the degenerative process and developing effective treatments. In the anulus fibrosus, this matrix has a complex, hierarchical architecture comprised of collagens, proteoglycans, and elastic fibres. Elastic fibres are critical constituents of dynamic biological structures that functionally require elasticity and resilience. Studies to date of elastic fibre network structure in the anulus fibrosus have been qualitative and limited in scope. Additionally, there is poor understanding of the structural and functional associations between elastic fibres and other matrix constituents such as collagen, and, critically, there have been no studies directly examining the nature and magnitude of the contribution made by elastic fibres to anulus fibrosus mechanical behaviour. In this thesis, multiple experimental studies are described that specifically examine each of these areas. Novel imaging techniques were developed and combined with histochemistry and light microscopy to facilitate the visualisation of elastic fibres at a level of detail not previously achieved. Examination of elastic fibre network structure revealed architectural differences between the intralamellar and interlamellar regions, suggesting that elastic fibres perform functional roles at distinct levels of the anulus fibrosus structural hierarchy. The density of elastic fibres within lamellae was found to be significantly higher in the lamellae of the posterolateral region of the anulus than the anterolateral, and significantly higher in the outer regions than the inner, suggesting it may be commensurate with the magnitude of the tensile strains experienced by each region of the disc in bending and torsion. The nature of the structure-function associations between elastic fibres and collagen was then examined with respect to the reported structural mechanisms of collagen matrix tensile deformation. Histological assessment of collagen crimp morphology in specimens from which elastic fibres had been enzymatically removed revealed no observable differences when compared with controls, suggesting that any contribution made by elastic fibres to maintaining crimp is minimal. Elastic fibres in anulus fibrosus specimens subjected to radial tensile deformations exhibited complex patterns of re-arrangement, suggesting that they maintain cross-collagen fibre connectivity. Elastic fibres were also observed to maintain physical connections between consecutive lamellae undergoing relative separation. Finally, the nature and magnitude of the contribution made by elastic fibres to anulus fibrosus mechanical properties at the tissue level was investigated using a combination of biochemically verified enzymatic treatments and biomechanical tests. Targeted degradation of elastic fibres resulted in a significant reduction in both the initial modulus and the ultimate modulus, and a significant increase in the extensibility, of radially oriented anulus fibrosus specimens. Separate treatments and mechanical tests were used to account for any changes attributable to non-specific degradation of glycosaminoglycans. These results suggest that elastic fibres enhance the mechanical integrity of the anulus fibrosus extracellular matrix in the direction perpendicular to the plane containing the collagen fibres. In summary, the results of the studies presented in this thesis provide important new insights into the structure and function of the anulus fibrosus elastic fibre network, and highlight its potential importance as a contributing or ameliorating factor in the progression of the structural and mechanical changes associated with intervertebral disc degeneration. Additionally, these results establish an improved framework for the development of more accurate analytical and finite element models to describe disc behaviour. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1317006 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Medical Sciences, 2008

[Truncated abstract] There have been few studies into the effects of rehabilitation following lumbar microdiscectomy and consequently little evidence of its effect, if any, on outcome. Most studies cited fall into one of two categories: research involving a spinal surgery procedure without rehabilitation, or research involving spinal surgery with a nonspecific generic 'rehabilitation' or 'physical therapy'. In an era of evidence based medicine the efficacy of specific rehabilitation protocols following defined lumbar spine surgical procedures needs to be established for surgeons, therapists and patients to have confidence that the rehabilitation is appropriate and effective. The study was proposed to investigate the outcome of a specific and novel rehabilitation protocol commenced immediately after lumbar microdiscectomy. Data collected from the research cohort were compared to data collected from a contrast group who underwent standard rehabilitation at a distant site. A retrospective study (Phase One) was carried out with a cohort of post-operative microdiscectomy patients between February 2000 and December 2002. The outcome of surgery followed by the rehabilitation protocol was assessed using validated outcome instruments. A contrast or control group was not included. After reviewing the data limitations with the design and implementation of the study were identified. A prospective study (Phase Two) was proposed and changes made in the principal outcome measure used, in the demographic data to be retrieved, the addition of pain scales, and in the exclusion of compensable patients. A contrast group was included for the prospective study. ... The study group commenced exercise and posture correction the day following surgery. There were restrictions placed on activity involving bending. The contrast group followed the advice of the surgeon in Queensland and attended rehabilitation at local physiotherapy facilities. Both groups were followed for 12 months using outcome instruments. Strict comparison between WA and QLD cohorts were limited due to sample size, however trends were observed. Data of the prospective study showed that there was greater reduction in back pain with the early rehabilitation protocol (P<.0001) compared to standard rehabilitation (P=.09), while there was no difference between groups in leg pain. There was a significant improvement in the level of functional disability between time-points for the WA cohort, and overall change from pre-operative RMQ measures to 12 months in both groups were statistically significant. The WA group was less reliant on pain medication and was more satisfied with the results of their surgery. The primary hypothesis of this study that there would be a difference in outcome following lumbar microdiscectomy in patients who receive early specific rehabilitation compared to those who receive standard rehabilitation at another centre, was supported in both primary and secondary outcome data. The key finding of this study was that commencing the early exercise protocol resulted in significantly less back pain over the 12 month time period of the study. Other major findings were that the WA cohort demonstrated significant improvement in function at all time-points and between all time-points except six to 12 months, took less pain medication and were more satisfied with the outcome of their surgery than the QLD cohort.

Bibliography: leaves 102-116. / 116, [43] leaves, [51] leaves of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Analyses the characteristics and relative incidence of annular defects in the human lumbar spine and investigates their role in the pathogenesis of invertebral disc degeneration. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Pathology, 1992

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2002. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, CAPES

Presented work deals with the strain-stress analysis of a spinal segment while monitoring the influence of total disk replacement Maverick on the global behaviour of the spinal segment. It also assesses the influence of this implant on the nearest upper intervertebral disk. On the basis of CT images was in the program Rhinoceros created the geometry model of spinal segment Th12-L2. The geometry model of implant was applied between vertebra L1 and L2 instead of intervertebral disk from which the whole core was removed, while in the immediate surrounding of implant the part of disk was left, which is important from the view of stability. Subsequently were in the program Ansys Workbench created finite element models for two states: - healthy (unbroken) status - status with applied implant Then the calculations for movements were realized: lateral flexion, flexion, extension, rotation. For the same movements were realized calculations of the model simulated spinal fusion of the vertebras L1-L2. Finally an influence both of methods (total disk replacement, spinal fusion) on the intervertebral disk Th12-L1 was compared.