NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Fresh-frozen allogenic intervertebral discs can be transplanted into humans with degenerative spine disease and appear to preserve the motion and stability of the spinal unit, results of a preliminary study suggest.

Spinal fusion is the most common procedure performed after excision of a degenerated intervertebral disc. Although effective, it can cause accelerated degeneration of the adjacent segments. Disc transplantation is a non-fusion strategy that has been successful in animal models of spine disease, but its feasibility, safety and long-term results in humans have not been assessed.

The current study, reported in the March 24th issue of The Lancet, involved five patients, between the ages of 41 and 56, with cervical disc herniation who underwent disc transplantation following disc excision. Serial MRI and radiographs were used to assess the status of the grafts over time as well as the stability and mobility of the spinal unit.

At 3-month follow-up, all of the patients displayed good union of the graft endplates, senior author Dr. Keith D. K. Luk, from The University of Hong Kong, and colleagues report. Moreover, neurologic symptoms at follow-up of at least 5 years were less severe than prior to surgery.

There was no evidence of immunoreaction or olisthesis in any of the patients and only mild degenerative changes were noted in the transplanted discs, the authors state. Preservation of adequate sagittal motion was seen in all but one of the discs and hydration was evident in at least two of the discs at 5 years.

"The feasibility of the technique has now been shown and disc transplantation could be an attractive alternative both for fusion and artificial disc replacement, providing an appropriate donor is found with adequate geometry," Dr. Wafa Skalli and Dr. Jean Dubousset, from Biomechanics Laboratory in Paris, comment in a related editorial.

"This new approach could be of particular interest for younger patients for whom prevention of adjacent-level degeneration is important," they continue. These new study findings "could open a new dimension in the treatment of degenerative disc disease."