CT-guided injection technique into intervertebral discs in the ovine lumbar spine

Abstract

The current study provides useful clinical information that will help surgeons working with an ovine model for research on IVDD. This model could also be useful to train less experienced surgeons or radiologists to disc injection. This CT-guided injection seems to offer several advantages such as ease of use, good success rate and safety to important nervous and vascular structures.

Fluoroscopy-guided versus CT-guided Lumbar Steroid Injections: Comparison of Radiation Exposure and Outcomes

“…Thus, the radiation exposure for the body and wrist of the interventionalist was significantly higher during fluoroscopy-guided compared with CT-guided lumbar spinal injections in our study. Another advantage of CT-guided spinal injections is that the interventionalist may leave the CT room and stop in the control room during image acquisition to minimize the radiation exposure (26).…”

Assessment of a computed tomography guided injection technique of the lumbo-sacral disc in sheep

“…This study demonstrated that the injection of the lumbo-sacral disc under CT guidance is feasible in sheep and it can be done with accuracy when using the defined access channels. In a previous study, access to this disc was reported as being not feasible; the technique using a paravertebral trans-muscular approach was not applicable because of the position of the lumbo-sacral disc deep under the wings of the ilia and the needle was inserted in a plane too close to the vertical to reach the lumbo-sacral disc (18). The lateral, retroperitoneal approach of the current study enabled a better approach angle.…”

“…It would be relevant to develop and test techniques in naturally occurring intervertebral disc degeneration such as in the ovine lumbo-sacral disc. Computed tomography (CT) guided injection has been described previously in sheep but was not adequate for the lumbo-sacral disc (18).…”