Angiogenesis and the Expression of bFGF in Protruded Disc Herniation

Jeon, Chang Hoon; Kim, Han Kyeom; Kang, Shin Young

Abstract

There has been suggested to contain neovascularization reported mainly in the extruded and sequestrated disc herniations. This study is the observation of neovascularization of the blood vessels and cells in the protruded disc herniations. The first objective is the observation of the angiogenesis and the bFGF expression in the protruded disc herniations. The second objective is to study the correlation between the age distribution, sex and bFGF expression in the protruded disc herniations. Fourty-eight patients with protruded disc herniation underwent the posterior disectomy at the Ajou university Hospital from Jun. 1994 to Jun 1996. The mean period of postoperative follow-up was 24.5 months. We used the Hematoxylin-eosin stain to confirm the blood vessel formation and a fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) to observe the immunoexpression of the blood vessels and cells in the protruded disc herniation. For the control group, 12 disc specimens were obtained from patients who underwent the anterior interbody fusion for the lumbar burst fracture. The results of staining for the blood vessels or cells were 32 cases in HE stain, and 26 with bFGF. Out of 48 cases, the bFGF expression revealed in 26 cases(54.2%). Neither the correlation between sex and bFGF expression nor age-dependency and bFGF expression was statistically significant(both: chi-square test: p>0.05). The twelve control disc tissues showed the there was no blood vessels in the disc tissues.