title: Effect of a single dose of pamidronate administered at the time of surgery in a rabbit posterolateral spinal fusion model.
abstract: Spinal fusion is usually performed on patients who receive bisphosphonates (BP); however, limited data on their action on spinal fusion are available. Previous studies in animal models have shown that chronic administrations of BP reduced spinal fusion rates, and only one study has shown that a single dose administration of zolendronic acid increased fusion rate. The objective of the present study was to evaluate if pamidronate (PA), which was previously demonstrated to reduce spinal fusion rate when administered continuously for 8 weeks, would increase the spinal fusion rate if administered in a single dose at the time of surgery in a rabbit model. Thirty-two New Zealand rabbits underwent an L5-L6 posterolateral intertransverse fusion with iliac crest autograft. Animals were randomized to receive either PA 3 mg/kg in a single dose immediately after surgery, or normal saline. Animals were killed 8 weeks after surgery and fusion was determined by manual palpation and radiographic analysis. Fusion healing was obtained in eight rabbits (50%) in the PA group and in four animals (25%) in the control group, p = 0.137. In a rabbit model, a single dose of PA did not decrease lumbar spinal arthrodesis consolidation rates, but it obtained a nonsignificant higher spinal fusion rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Marcoleta 352, Santiago, Chile. jurrutia@med.puc.cl
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Urrutia
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Briceno
authors.forename: Maximiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carmona
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Olavarria
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hodgson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D016723:Bone Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000077268:Pamidronate; D011817:Rabbits; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates; D000077268:Pamidronate