Do Modic Changes Affect the Rate of Lumbar Interbody Cage Subsidence
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Does the rate of Lumbar inter body cage subsidence alter with modic changes seen on MRI?
IRAS ID
253298
Contact name
Tom Paul Marjoram
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Norfolk and Norwich university Hosptial
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 31 days
Research summary
Modic changes are specific alterations in the signal of the bone immediately next to the disc in the spine there are 3 types thought to represent stages of the same process. Since their initial description in the 80’s work has been undertaken to establish their underlying cause. No published research to our knowledge assesses the clinical impact of mechanical changes that occur in the bone where these changes are seen. This study aims to convert the theory that modic changes represent a pathological process that alters the mechanics of the bone into clinical practice.
The investigator (a member of the usual clinical care team) will identify those patients that have undergone lumbar spinal fusion with and interbody cage (a device routinely used to restore the normal disc height and alignment). Once this group of patients have been identified analysis of their pre-operative MRI will be undertaken to assess for the presence of and classify the modic changes at the level undergoing intervention. It is normal practice for all of these patients to have had post-operative x-rays. The post-operative x-rays will be reviewed in the immediate post-operative period and compared to the later x-rays taken usually just prior to completion of the care pathway to look for subsidence of the interbody cage into the bone (a known phenomenon). The rate of subsidence will be compared between those exhibiting the 3 types of modic change and those without modic change to assess if the clinical impact of the biomechanical alteration in mechanics is identifiable.REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/WM/0388
Date of REC Opinion
19 Dec 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion