OBJECTIVE To investigate the biomechanical effects of the lumbar posterior complex on the adjacent segments after posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) surgeries. METHODS A finite element model of the L1-S1 segment was modified to simulate PLIF with total laminectomy (PLIF-LAM) and PLIF with hemilaminectomy (PLIF-HEMI) procedures. The models were subjected to a 400N follower load with a 7....

STUDY DESIGN Posterolateral lumbar transverse process fusion was carried out using cultured mesenchymal stem cells with or without bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF). OBJECTIVES To determine the ability of BMP and basic FGF to enhance the efficacy of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in lumbar arthrodesis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Our previo...

The introduction of color-coded duplex ultrasonography has improved the ease of performing ultrasound investigations of the vertebral arteries. So far, normal values of flow velocities have been reported only for the intertransverse region of the vertebral artery (V2 segments). Atherosclerotic disease at the origin of the vertebral arteries (V0 segment) is frequent and is one of the risk factor...

Background and Purpose: In this study we analyzed the value of ultrasound examination for diagnosis of vertebral artery dissection. Methods: The vertebrobasilar arterial system was assessed in 14 patients using transcranial and extracranial pulsed-wave Doppler and duplex sonography. Results: The dissections were verified by angiography (in 1 patient), magnetic resonance imaging (in 5), or both ...

Background The traction bed is a noninvasive device for treating lower back pain caused by herniated intervertebral discs. In this study, we investigated the impact of the traction bed on the lower back as a means of increasing the disc height and creating a gap between facet joints. Methods Computed tomography (CT) images were obtained from a female volunteer and a three-dimensional (3D) mod...

the fusion of medical images is very useful for clinical application. generally, the pet image indicates the function of tissue and the mri image shows the anatomy of tissue. in this article we fused mri and pet images and the purpose is adding structural information from mri to pet image. the images decomposed with curvelet transform, and then two images fused with applying fusion rules. we us...

Using color-coded Doppler sonography, we studied the vertebral arteries of 42 persons without history or physical signs of vertebrobasilar disease. The intertransverse portion of the vertebral artery was visualized in all persons on both sides. Its origin was visualized in 37 persons (88.1%) on the right side and in 28 (66.7%) on the left; the atlas loop was visualized in 32 persons (76.2%) on ...

a generalization of the known results in fusion frames and $g$-frames theory to continuous fusion frames which defined by m. h. faroughi and r. ahmadi, is presented in this study. continuous resolution of the identity (cri) is introduced, a new family of cri is constructed, and a number of reconstruction formulas are obtained. also, new results are given on the duality of continuous fusion fram...

splenogonadal fusion is a rare entity with approximately 150 reported cases until the year 2005. the entity is a rare congenital anomaly in which there is fusion of splenic and gonadal anlagen or mesonephric derivatives. splenogonadal fusion has two continuous and discontinuous types. about ten cases have been reported to be associated with bilateral cryptorchidism in literature. very few cases...