BAASTRUP d. (kissing spine) – False joint formed by wide posterior spinous processes of the lumbar spine. This may become a source of pain.
BACKBONE – See Spine.
BACK PAIN – nonspecific term used to describe pain below the cervical spine
BACTERICIDAL – Causing the death of bacteria.
BACTERIOSTATIC – Inhibiting or retarding the growth of bacteria.
BANKS-DERVIN ROD – For scoliosis fixation; a multiple level rod that is fixed with oblique spinous process to contralateral lamina screws.
BELL’S PALSY – Paralysis of facial muscles (usually one side) due to facial nerve dysfunction of unknown cause.
BENIGN – Not cancerous; does not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body.
BIOABSORBABLE POLYMER – A substance, such as some plastics, which the human body can break down and absorb.
BIOCOMPATIBILITY – A characteristic of some materials that when they are inserted into the body do not produce a significant rejection or immune response.
BIODEGRADATION – The breakdown of organic materials into simple chemicals commonly found in the body.
BIOPSY – Removal of a small portion of tissue, usually for the purpose of making a diagnosis.
BLOOD-BRAIN-BARRIER – The barrier which exists between the blood and the cerebrospinal fluid which prevents the passage of various substances from the bloodstream to the brain.
BMP-LIKE PRODUCTS – proteins that enhance mineralization, which can increase bone formation.
BOHMAN – Posterior triple spinous process wiring technique in the cervical spine to secure bone graft.
BONE – The hard tissue that provides structural support to the body. It is primarily composed of hydroxyapatite crystals and collagen. Individual bones may be classed as long, short, or flat.
BONE DERIVATIVE – One of the substances extracted from bone, such as bone morphogenic proteins (BMP).
BONE GRAFT – Bone which is harvested from one location in an individual and placed in another individual (allograft bone) or in a different location in the same individual (autogenous bone).
BONE HARVESTING – the removal of bone for transplantation to another site. The most common sources are the iliac crests because these bones contain a large amount of cancellous bone, the inner spongy part, which is useful for getting grafts to “take.”
BONE MARROW – The tissue contained within the internal cavities of the bones. A major function of this tissue is to produce red blood cells.
BONE MORPHOGENETIC PROTEIN-2 (BMP-2) – one of a family of BMPs- naturally occurring chemicals in the body- that play a major role in bone growth. BMP-like products: proteins that enhance mineralization, which can increase bone formation.
BONE PLATE – Usually a relatively thin metal device which is affixed to bone via screws. Bone plates are used to immobilize bones or bone fragments such that healing can occur.
BONE SCREW – A threaded metal device which is inserted into bone. The functions of bone screws are to immobilize bones or bone fragments or to affix other medical devices, such as metal bone plates, to bones.
BOSWORTH – A fusion using an H-shaped bone graft in spondylolisthesis.
BOVINE BONE EXTRACT – a BMP derived from the bones of bovines.
BRACHIAL – Relating to the Arm.
BRADFORD – For kyphoscoliosis deformity; staged anterior and posterior approach for interbody fusion and correction of deformity.
BRADYCARDIA – Slowness of the heart rate.
BRADYKINESIA – Slowness in movement.
BRATTSTROM – Use of acrylic cement for C-1 to C-2 fusion.
BROOKS and JENKINS – Loops of wire around lamina of C-1 and C-2 to hold bone graft between lamina.
BROWN-SEQUARD’S SYNDROME – Loss of sensation of touch, position sense, and movement on the side of a spinal cord lesion, with loss of pain sensation on the other side. Caused by a lesion limited to one side of spinal cord.
BURR – An electrical drilling tool for enlarging atrephine (circular) hole in the cranium.