Modification of Intervertebral Disk Fatigue Resistance

描述(由申请人提供)：建议进行一项调查，以探索 应用生化试剂提高椎间抗疲劳能力 盘状组织。虽然没有很好的量化，但脊柱组织的能力 承受反复负荷是影响人体健康的重要因素。 脊柱骨关节炎的进展。目前脊柱不稳的治疗方法 腰痛，包括脊柱融合术，通常对 延缓退化的进程。血液中的生化变化 环形基质的结构可能对圆盘的 能够承受重复的机械载荷。我们打算研究 某些试剂在保持材料力学性能方面的有效性 关节盘组织承受非创伤性疲劳负荷。初步 在我们实验室使用新的破坏性和非破坏性的实验 机械测试技术已经显示出弹塑性和 非创伤性腰椎间盘组织的粘弹性材料特性 循环载荷。如果这些试剂能有效地提高抗疲劳性 对于椎间盘，一种新的微创治疗方法可能会被开发出来 这将能够提高退变的椎间盘的承受能力 重复的生理负荷。这种类型的治疗具有潜在的 改进甚至取代许多针对 普遍存在的腰痛和不稳定问题。 建议的商业应用： 与脊柱退化和不稳定相关的背痛和残疾无疑是西方文明中代价最高的健康问题之一(仅腰痛一项就在200亿美元的范围内)。一种能够阻止降解和稳定椎间盘的微创治疗(也许是一系列注射)的商业潜力将是惊人的。此外，在融合手术中，这种治疗可以作为一种额外的预防性程序，在融合手术中，加速退变通常发生在融合附近的节段。

DESCRIPTION (Provided by Applicant): An investigation is proposed exploring the use of biochemical reagents to improve fatigue resistance of intervertebral disc tissue. While not well quantified, the capacity of spinal tissue to withstand repetitive loading is a critically important factor in the progression of spinal osteoarthritis. Current treatments for spinal instability and low-back pain, including spinal fusion, are generally ineffective in slowing the progression of degeneration. Biochemical alterations in the structure of the annular matrix could have significant effects on the disc's ability to withstand repetitive mechanical loading. We intend to study the effectiveness of certain reagents in maintaining the mechanical properties of disc tissues subjected to non-traumatic fatigue loading. Preliminary experiments in our laboratory using novel destructive and non-destructive mechanical testing techniques have shown degradation of elastic-plastic and viscoelastic material properties of disc tissues subjected to non-traumatic cyclic loads. If these reagents are effective in improving fatigue resistance of intervertebral discs, a new, minimally invasive treatment may be developed which will be able to improve the degenerated disc's ability to withstand repetitive physiological loads. This type of treatment has the potential of improving or even replacing numerous surgical interventions directed at the ubiquitous problems of low back pain and instability. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Back pain and disability associated with spinal degeneration and instability is without question one of the costliest health problems in western civilization (in the range of $20 billion U.S. annually- low-back-pain alone). The commercial potential of a minimally invasive treatment (perhaps a series of injections) capable of arresting degradation and stabilizing intervertebral discs would be staggering. In addition, such treatment could be used as an additional preventative procedure in fusion surgery, where accelerated degeneration commonly occurs at the level adjacent to the fusion.