Amyloid in intervertebral discs: a histopathological investigation of surgical material from 100 consecutive operations on herniated discs.

Abstract

SUMMARY Material from 100 consecutive operations on herniated discs has been investigated for amyloid. Various degrees of amyloid degeneration were found in disc tissue from 41 patients. Material from patients over 50 years old showed significantly more amyloid than that from younger patients; there was no sex difference. Eighteen patients had previously been operated on for herniated discs; seven of these (39%) had pyrophosphate deposits in their disc tissue, often in close topographical relation to amyloid. 26% of the patients had calcium phosphate deposits and 29% had slight inflammation-both without relation to amyloid. No pathogenetic correlation between amyloid degeneration and herniation of intervertebral disc tissue could be shown.Amyloid deposits in intervertebral discs were first described by Bywaters and Dorling in 1970' in a patient with myelomatosis and amyloid in several organs and joints. Amyloid in disc tissue has also been described in association with severe primary amyloidosis.2 More recently, amyloid has been described in tissue from surgically removed herniated intervertebral discs.3 4 One of us (CL) has just shown a very high incidence of amyloid degeneration of the vertebral column in a consecutive series of non-selected autopsies.The object of the present investigation has been to ascertain the occurrence of amyloid in tissue from 100 consecutive operations on herniated discs and to relate the findings to age, previous surgery on the vertebral column, and to other histopathological changes. Materials and methodsTissue from 100 consecutive operations on herniated discs performed at the neurosurgical department, Odense University Hospital were studied by light microscopy and electron microscopy.Immediately after operation all the removed tissue was fixed in 10% formalin for at least 24

Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition in degenerate lumbar discs

“…The overall prevalence of CPPD deposits in lumbosacral discs of material gained at autopsy or surgery has been reported to be between 6% and 20% [5,14] and 10% and 26%, respectively [1,7,9]. Most reports assume an association between disc degeneration and CPPD deposition due to changes in collagen and proteoglycan composition and concentration [5].…”

Transthyretin-derived amyloidosis: Probably a common cause of lumbar spinal stenosis

“…In contrast, fairly little is known regarding localized amyloid forms in joints and ligaments, and most studies have been focused on prevalence. Particularly knee (5) and hip (4,18–21) joints as well as intervertebral discs (6,19,22) and ligamentum flavum (23,24) have been studied in this respect.…”

Collagen-Binding Affinity of Beta-2-Microglobulin, a Preprotein of Hemodialysis-Associated Amyloidosis

“…Elec tron microscopy has revealed that the collagen fibers exist in close proximity to amyloid fibrils [8][9][10]. These findings suggest that an affinity exists between B2M and collagen.…”