Spine
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A biomechanical study was designed to assess relative construct stabilities of modern anterior thoracolumbar instrumentations in a calf spine model with an anterior and middle column defect. ⋯ Modern anterior instrumentations for the thoracolumbar spine, such as the Kaneda device, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital system, Z-plate, and University plate, restored the stability in all motions when an interbody graft was inserted. The stability of fixation devices revealed that the Kaneda device is the best, particularly in restoring the torsional stability. The information on the relative stability provided by different instrumentations should help the spine surgeon in choosing the appropriate instrumentation for the particular circumstance.
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This report gives the results of a population-based cross-sectional mailed questionnaire, with prospective follow-up of survey responders and nonresponders. ⋯ After considering potential differences in nonresponders, the estimated 1-month prevalence of low back pain was between 35% and 37%. Prevalence figures in survey responders may overestimate the true population prevalence by a modest amount.
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This is a retrospective single-patient case report with a literature review. ⋯ Traumatic bilateral atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation is uncommon in adults. This probably is due to the unique biomechanical features of the atlantoaxial articulation and the probable lethality of injury to the adjacent medulla or vertebral arteries before presentation at the trauma center.
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Comparative Study
Assessing health-related quality of life in patients with sciatica.
This study analyzed health-related quality-of-life measures and other clinical and questionnaire data obtained from the Maine Lumbar Spine Study, a prospective cohort study of persons with low back problems. ⋯ These measures performed well in measuring the health-related quality-of-life of patients with sciatica. The modified Roland and the physical dimension of the SF-36 were the measures most responsive to change over time, suggesting their use in prospective evaluation. Disability day measures, although valuable for assessing the societal impact of dysfunction, were less responsive to changes over this short-term follow-up of 3 months.
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The influence of initial horizontal weight placement on the loads at the lumbar spine while lifting.
This was a biomechanical study of the effect of the initial horizontal distance between a person lifting and the load. Experimental data were analyzed using a dynamic rigid link model. ⋯ As the horizontal distance at the start of a lift increased, the peak moment acting on the lumbar spine also increased, but the increase was nonlinear. This is explained by a change in the technique of lifting when the distance is 40 cm or greater.