Biomaterial Database

Recovery of sensory nerve fibres after surgical decompression in lumbar radiculopathy: use of quantitative sensory testing in the exploration of different populations of nerve fibres. 1998

O P Nygaard, and R Kloster, and S I Mellgren

Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Tromsø, Norway. oysteinn@fagmed.uit.no

Thirty nine patients with unilateral lumbar nerve root compression at one level were examined with quantitative sensory testing immediately before microdiscectomy and at six weeks, four months, and 12 months after surgery. Twenty one healthy volunteers were used as controls. The patients were classified as having a good or a poor result at the one year follow up. The improvement of function in small unmyelinated nerve fibres came within six weeks in the patients with a good result. By contrast the improvement of function in small myelinated fibres was not found before 12 months after surgery. The function in large myelinated fibres did not improve during the observation period. The difference in the time course of the recovery between large and small nerve fibres is assumed to reflect differing severity in the damage to the fibres before surgical decompression. The preoperative warmth detection threshold reflecting the function in small unmyelinated C fibres was significantly higher in the patients with a poor result and this may indicate that damage to C fibres before surgery is a negative prognostic factor.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007405	Intervertebral Disc Displacement	An INTERVERTEBRAL DISC in which the NUCLEUS PULPOSUS has protruded through surrounding ANNULUS FIBROSUS. This occurs most frequently in the lower lumbar region.	Disc Herniation,Disc Protrusion,Disc, Herniated,Disk Herniation,Disk Protrusion,Disk, Herniated,Intervertebral Disc Herniation,Intervertebral Disc Protrusion,Intervertebral Disk Displacement,Intervertebral Disk Herniation,Intervertebral Disk Protrusion,Prolapsed Disk,Protruded Disc,Protruded Disk,Slipped Disk,Disk Prolapse,Herniated Disc,Herniated Disk,Prolapsed Disc,Slipped Disc,Disc Displacement, Intervertebral,Disc Herniations,Disc Protrusion, Intervertebral,Disc Protrusions,Disc Protrusions, Intervertebral,Disc, Prolapsed,Disc, Protruded,Disc, Slipped,Discs, Protruded,Disk Displacement, Intervertebral,Disk Herniations,Disk Prolapses,Disk Protrusion, Intervertebral,Disk Protrusions,Disk, Prolapsed,Disk, Protruded,Disk, Slipped,Herniated Discs,Herniated Disks,Herniation, Disc,Herniation, Disk,Herniation, Intervertebral Disc,Herniation, Intervertebral Disk,Intervertebral Disc Displacements,Intervertebral Disc Herniations,Intervertebral Disc Protrusions,Intervertebral Disk Displacements,Intervertebral Disk Herniations,Intervertebral Disk Protrusions,Prolapse, Disk,Prolapsed Discs,Prolapsed Disks,Prolapses, Disk,Protruded Discs,Protruded Disks,Protrusion, Disc,Protrusion, Disk,Protrusion, Intervertebral Disc,Protrusion, Intervertebral Disk,Protrusions, Intervertebral Disk,Slipped Discs,Slipped Disks
D008159	Lumbar Vertebrae	VERTEBRAE in the region of the lower BACK below the THORACIC VERTEBRAE and above the SACRAL VERTEBRAE.	Vertebrae, Lumbar
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009412	Nerve Fibers	Slender processes of NEURONS, including the AXONS and their glial envelopes (MYELIN SHEATH). Nerve fibers conduct nerve impulses to and from the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Cerebellar Mossy Fibers,Mossy Fibers, Cerebellar,Cerebellar Mossy Fiber,Mossy Fiber, Cerebellar,Nerve Fiber
D009413	Nerve Fibers, Myelinated	A class of nerve fibers as defined by their structure, specifically the nerve sheath arrangement. The AXONS of the myelinated nerve fibers are completely encased in a MYELIN SHEATH. They are fibers of relatively large and varied diameters. Their NEURAL CONDUCTION rates are faster than those of the unmyelinated nerve fibers (NERVE FIBERS, UNMYELINATED). Myelinated nerve fibers are present in somatic and autonomic nerves.	A Fibers,B Fibers,Fiber, Myelinated Nerve,Fibers, Myelinated Nerve,Myelinated Nerve Fiber,Myelinated Nerve Fibers,Nerve Fiber, Myelinated
D009460	Neurologic Examination	Assessment of sensory and motor responses and reflexes that is used to determine impairment of the nervous system.	Examination, Neurologic,Neurological Examination,Examination, Neurological,Examinations, Neurologic,Examinations, Neurological,Neurologic Examinations,Neurological Examinations
D011237	Predictive Value of Tests	In screening and diagnostic tests, the probability that a person with a positive test is a true positive (i.e., has the disease), is referred to as the predictive value of a positive test; whereas, the predictive value of a negative test is the probability that the person with a negative test does not have the disease. Predictive value is related to the sensitivity and specificity of the test.	Negative Predictive Value,Positive Predictive Value,Predictive Value Of Test,Predictive Values Of Tests,Negative Predictive Values,Positive Predictive Values,Predictive Value, Negative,Predictive Value, Positive
D003289	Convalescence	The period of recovery following an illness.	Convalescences
D005260	Female		Females