In Vitro Model for Lumbar Disc Herniation to Investigate Regenerative Tissue Repair Approaches

• Main Authors: Laura Zengerle, Elisabeth Debout, Bruno Kluger, Lena Zöllner, Hans-Joachim Wilke
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
• Series: Applied Sciences
• Subjects: test method; dynamic testing; in vitro; (lumbar) disc herniation; physiological activities; regenerative approaches
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/6/2847

<strong>Featured Application:</strong> <strong>Development of a lumbar disc herniation model with which regenerative tissue repair approaches can be investigated under physiological loading conditions and worst-case scenarios out of patients’ daily-life.</strong><br><br><strong>Abstract:</strong> Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is the most common reason for low back pain in the working society. New regenerative approaches and novel implants are directed towards the restoration of the disc or its biomechanical properties. Aiming to investigate these new therapies under physiological conditions, in this study, a model for LDH was established by developing a new physiological in vitro test method. In 14 human lumbar motion segments, different daily-life and worst-case activities were simulated successfully by applying a physiological range of motion and axial loading in order to create physiological intradiscal pressure. An LDH could be provoked in 11 of the 14 specimens through vertical and round annular defects of different sizes. Interestingly, the defect and the LDH hardly influenced the biomechanical properties of the disc. For the investigation of regenerative approaches in further experiments, the recommendation based on the results of this study is to create an LDH in non-degenerated motion segments by the application of the new physiological in vitro test method after setting the round annular defects to a size of 4 mm in diameter.