Journal of neurosurgery. Spine
-
The authors undertook this study to investigate the relationships between low-back pain (LBP) and spinal bone density. Low-back pain is a major health issue and contributes to increases in medical and economic costs. Epidemiological studies have identified individual, sociodemographic, psychosocial, and occupational risk factors for LBP. However, there have been limited studies addressing the relationships between LBP and spinal bone density. ⋯ Higher bone density in the lumbar spine is associated with LBP, independent of confounding factors such as sociodemographic status, education, and medical-psychiatric disorders. Cause and effect relationship between higher bone density and LBP, such as degenerative changes in spine, requires further investigation.
-
Comparative Study
Comparative effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis of local application of vancomycin powder in posterior spinal fusion for spine trauma: clinical article.
Surgical site infection (SSI) is a morbid complication with high cost in spine surgery. In this era of health care reforms, adjuvant therapies that not only improve quality but also decrease cost are considered of highest value. The authors introduced local application of vancomycin powder into their practice of posterior spinal fusion for spine trauma and undertook this study to determine the value and cost benefit of using vancomycin powder in surgical sites to prevent postoperative infections. ⋯ The use of adjuvant vancomycin powder was associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of postoperative infection as well as infection-related medical cost. These findings suggest that use of adjuvant vancomycin powder in high-risk patients undergoing spinal fusion is a cost-saving option for preventing postoperative infections, as it can lead to cost-savings of $438,165 per 100 spinal fusions performed.
-
The goal of this prospective study was to investigate somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) during dynamic motion of the cervical spine and to evaluate the efficacy of analyzing dynamic SSEPs for predicting dynamic effects on the spinal cord in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). ⋯ This study suggests the potential of dynamic SSEPs as a useful neurophysiological technique to detect the effect of dynamic factors on the pathogenesis of CSM.
-
The goals of this study were to determine the incidence of occult cervical stenosis in patients over 50 years old with thoracolumbar deformity and to assess the risk of progressive cervical myelopathy after complex thoracolumbar reconstruction in asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients with cervical stenosis. ⋯ Cervical stenosis, even critical stenosis in some cases, was seen in more than one-half of the patients. Most presented without obvious cervical complaints. In those with mild to moderate stenosis and no or mild myelopathy, lengthy thoracolumbar reconstruction procedures were not associated with progression of the myelopathy. The authors recommend that all adults with thoracolumbar deformity undergo a detailed upper- and lower-extremity neurological examination prior to major thoracolumbar reconstruction.
-
The introduction and utilization of motion-preserving implant systems for spinal reconstruction served as the impetus for this basic scientific investigation. The effect of unintended wear particulate debris resulting from micromotion at spinal implant interconnections and bearing surfaces remains a clinical concern. Using an in vivo rabbit model, the current study quantified the neural and systemic histopathological responses following epidural application of 11 different types of medical-grade particulate wear debris produced from spinal instrumentation. ⋯ Epidural application of spinal instrumentation particulate wear debris elicits a chronic histiocytic reaction localized primarily within the epidural fibrosis. Particles have the capacity to diffuse intrathecally, eliciting a transient upregulation in macrophage/cytokine activity response within the epidural fibrosis. Overall, based on the time periods evaluated, there was no evidence of an acute neural or systemic histopathological response to the materials included in the current project.