# TEMPORAL BIOMECHANICS OF HEALING IN SPINAL INJURIES

> **NIH NIH R01** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 1988 · $219,447

## Abstract

Trauma of the spine is a major cause of disabling injuries.  The treatment
of these injuries is dependent upon such factors as associated neurological
injuries and whether or not the spine is considered "unstable".  Most
often, the treatment hinges on this latter point.  Although these are some
accepted criteria in the literature for assessment of clinical instability,
they apply only to acute evaluation and do not consider ongoing biological
processes of healing and adaptation.  Thus, presently we have no ability to
assess temporal progression either towards delayed stability or instability.

We propose to investigate the healing of injury to the cervical spine as a
function of time, up to six months, using a canine model.  In vitro
definition of "stable" and "unstable" injuries will first be established.
This information will then be used in an in vivo model to produce three
injuries of varying severity and a sham.  Also at the time of surgery,
three 0.8 mm steel ball will be implanted into vertebrae at the injury site
and one vertebrae above and below it.  Using the techniques of stereo
radiography and computer digitization, precise analysis of cervical spinal
motion will be done in vivo while healing occurs.  Three dimensional
stability analyses as well as strength measurements of injured and sham
spines will be performed in specimens after sacrifice.

Besides analyzing each data set individually, correlations with other data
types will also be obtained.  The in vivo stability testing will provide
continuous biomechanical information about the healing process in one and
the same animal.  This will result in better clinically relevant criteria
for the definition of spinal instability.  Close correlation of in vitro
and in vivo stability results could suggest a method to monitor healing of
spinal structures.  Finally, functional spinal unit and individual ligament
strength analysis will yield data about the changes in the spinal column
components, e.g. vertebrae and ligaments, as function of spinal injury and
healing time.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3156910
- **Project number:** 5R01AR034699-03
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** FL6GV84CKN57
- **Principal Investigator:** MANOHAR M PANJABI
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $219,447
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1986-01-01 → 1988-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3156910

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3156910, TEMPORAL BIOMECHANICS OF HEALING IN SPINAL INJURIES (5R01AR034699-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3156910. Licensed CC0.

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