Optimized hydrogel viscoelasticity and interlocking patch repair enhance compressive range of motion in injured discs and prevent re-herniation under physiological load in an Ex Vivo model
Higher viscoelastic hydrogels enhance compressive ROM and axial compressive stiffness after discectomy but increase herniation risk. Medium viscoelastic hydrogels resist physiological loads without herniating while still enhancing ROM. This study highlights the need to optimize NP replacement and suggests a combination that opens promising therapeutic avenues for future applications.
Authors
- Sibylle Grad (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9552-3653)
- E. Ongini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9091-4483)
- Danilo Menghini
- Mazda Farshad (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7190-1127)
- Ján Deván (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1544-7511)
- Matteo D’Este (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0424-8172)
- Oliver Distler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0546-8310)
- Stefan Dudli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7351-713X)
- Jess G. Snedeker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8115-0275)
- Pamela Bitterli
Institutions
- AO Foundation (CH)
- ETH Zurich (CH)
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering (CH)
- University Hospital of Zurich (CH)
- Universitätsklinik Balgrist (CH)
Publication Details
- Journal
- European Spine Journal
- Published
- 2025-04-04
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-025-08820-1
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Spine and Intervertebral Disc Pathology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.47
Funders
- AO Foundation
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
- Universität Zürich