Spine
-
Comparative Study
A comparison between bipedal and quadrupedal rats: do bipedal rats actually assume an upright posture?
A basic science animal investigation. ⋯ This study quantifiably indicates that bipedal rats do not assume a more erect posture and spend no more time in an upright position compared with quadrupedal rats. The upright posture may not be the cause of some previously reported anatomic changes observed in the bipedal rat.
-
The biomechanical behavior of a single lumbar vertebral body after various surgical treatments with acrylic vertebroplasty was parametrically studied using finite-element analysis. ⋯ Only a small amount of bone cement ( approximately 15% volume fraction) is needed to restore stiffness to predamage levels, and greater filling can result in substantial increase in stiffness well beyond the intact level. Such overfilling also renders the system more sensitive to the placement of the cement because asymmetric distributions with large fills can promote single-sided load transfer and thus toggle. These results suggest that large fill volumes may not be the most biomechanically optimal configuration, and an improvement might be achieved by use of lower cement volume with symmetric placement.
-
A retrospective follow-up study of conservatively treated patients with mild cervical myelopathy caused by cervical soft disc herniation. ⋯ Conservative treatment is an effective treatment option for mild cervical myelopathy caused by cervical soft disc herniation. A good outcome can be expected in patients with a median-type and/or diffuse-type herniation on magnetic resonance imaging.
-
Ex vivo biomechanical study using osteoporotic cadaveric vertebral bodies. ⋯ These data provide guidance on the cement volumes needed to restore biomechanical integrity to compressed osteoporotic vertebral bodies.
-
Literature review. ⋯ Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are safe and effective, and have a useful role in the treatment of painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures that do not respond to conventional treatments. Kyphoplasty offers the additional advantage of realigning the spinal column and regaining height of the fractured vertebra, which may help decrease the pulmonary, GI, and early morbidity consequences related to these fractures. Both procedures are technically demanding.