International Review of Medical Practice, 2020, XXVI/1: 036-041

SUMMARY IN POLISH & ENGLISH. FULL ARTICLE ONLY IN POLISH.

The needs of diagnosis and the possibilities of forecasting in spine disorders in candidates for service on high-maneuverability airplanes

Zawadzka-Bartczak E1, Kopka L2, Warczyńska A3, Kopka M4.

Military Institute of Aviation Medicine in Warsaw, Poland: 1Department of Internal Medicine; 2Centrum of Experimental Medicine; 3Department of Imaging Diagnostics; 4Department of Neurology

International Review of Medical Practice, 2020; Vol. 26, No. 1, 036

Military aircrafts generate large overloads in the + Gz axis, which can have a negative impact on the spine. Additional load is generated by the pilot’s aviation equipment and vibrations. Degenerative changes like dehydration of intervertebral discs, bulgings and hernias were already described in candidates (young adults) for military aviation. The fact that degenerative changes of the spine proceed with age, both in the symptomatic and asymptomatic population. makes it difficult to predict the progression of this process. In these circumstances it is not an easy task for military aviation-medical board to make decisions whether a candidate is able to fly. The paper presents current possibilities of diagnosing spine diseases in military aviation candidates. The current classification of degenerative changes in neuroimaging studies were described. However, no uniform criteria have been established so far for asymptomatic spinal changes in young, clinically healthy candidates for training on high-maneuverability aircraft. Further steps have been proposed that may help in their setting uniform criteria. The need to parameterize data regarding the stage of change and development of a computer diagnostic support system was highlighted.

Key words: spine disorders, military pilots, prognosis