Spine Research at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Abstract
Active duty military personnel commonly are exposed to physically high-load environments. This can often result in spinal trauma as a cause of back pain and back problems. Treatment of these spinal injuries may allow for return to duty of some of these soldiers when treated in an optimal fashion. Construction of our biomechanics lab is under way and will test the following: Treatment of back pain due to spinal trauma; increase understanding of biomechanical effects of spinal reconstruction for spinal trauma; characterize effects on adjacent segments of various spinal reconstruction techniques at the thoracolumbar junction; characterize effect of corpectomy reconstruction using a cage/polyethylene cylinder. Lab is slotted for completion on May 10, 2004. To date: we have hired a project manager (2/04) and an associate research coordinator (10/03), purchased the MTS (biomechanical testing) machine and a Fluoroscopy C-ar, completed the asbestos abatement, ordered the lab furniture and begun construction. The first research protocol has been written and is pending IRB approval. On March 22, 2004, we are hosting a tri-service forum in which military specialist will discuss the current impact of spinal injuries to high-risk military personnel and detail how current advancements in this surgical arena may be used to retain special-operations fighting forces and pilots in their trained military professions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA421375
Entities
People
- Timothy R. Kuklo
Organizations
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine