title: Lateral surgical approach to lumbar intervertebral discs in an ovine model.
abstract: The sheep is becoming increasingly used as a large animal model for preclinical spine surgery studies. Access to the ovine lumbar intervertebral discs has traditionally been via an anterior or anterolateral approach, which requires larger wound incisions and, at times, significant abdominal retraction. We present a new minimally invasive operative technique for a far-lateral approach to the ovine lumbar spine that allows for smaller incisions, excellent visualisation of intervertebral discs, and minimal abdominal retraction and is well tolerated by animals with minimal morbidity.
authors.affiliation: The Ritchie Centre, Monash Institute of Medical Research-MIMR, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia. drdavidoehme@mac.com
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oehme
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Goldschlager
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosenfeld
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Danks
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gibbon
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jenkin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000379:methods; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery* / Q000637:transplantation; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space / Q000601:surgery; D012756:Sheep / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors