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Scientific Articles:
Robert F. McLain, James E. Fleming, Cynthia A. Boehm, and George F. Muschler
Aspiration of Osteoprogenitor Cells for Augmenting Spinal Fusion: Comparison of Progenitor Cell Concentrations from the Vertebral Body and Iliac Crest
J Bone Joint Surg Am 2005; 87: 2655-2661 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]
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[Read Letter to the Editor] Osteoprogenitor cell aspiration from vertberal body in posterior lumbar instrumented fusion
Panagiotis Korovessis, M.D., Ph.D.   (14 February 2006)

Osteoprogenitor cell aspiration from vertberal body in posterior lumbar instrumented fusion 14 February 2006
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Panagiotis Korovessis, M.D., Ph.D.,
Chief Orthopaedic Surgeon
General Hospital, "Agios Andreas", Patras, GREECE

Send letter to journal:
Re: Osteoprogenitor cell aspiration from vertberal body in posterior lumbar instrumented fusion

korovess{at}otenet.gr Panagiotis Korovessis, M.D., Ph.D.

To The Editor:

I have read with interest the above mentioned paper and I congratulate the authors.

We recently published a study that compares the use of autograft and coralline hydroxyapatite in dorsal and lateral spine fusions (1). In this series we intraoperatively aspirated bone marrow containing myeloproliferative cells from the vertebral body (depth 40 and 45 mm) immediately before the insertion of the pedicle screws and mixed the marrow with coralline hydroxyapatite (Pro-Osteon 500R). However, during the study period, we did not count the cells. No iliac bone graft was taken in any patient who received the coralline hydroxyapatite/marrow mixture.

All patients who received the mixture Pro- Osteon plus bone marrow had bony fusion within the first year following posterolateral instrumentation and fusion. The radiologic results of the bone marrow and Pro-Osteon group were comparable with a control group who had received iliac bone graft only. We agree with the conclusions derived from the study by McLain et al.

Reference:

(1) Korovessis P, Koureas G. Zacharatos S, Papazisis Z. Lambiris E. The correlative radiological, self-assessment and clinical analysis of evolution in instrumented dorsal and lateral fusion for degenerative lumbar spine disease. Autograft versus coralline hydroxyapatite. Eur Sp J. 2005; 14:630-38.