Spine
-
Case Reports Comparative Study
Thoracic spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality in a skeletally mature patient: a case report.
A case of thoracic spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality in a skeletally mature patient is reported. ⋯ A rare case of thoracic spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality manifested as a result of traction injury to the sciatic nerves caused by bilateral violent lower limb injuries in a skeletally mature patient is presented. To the best of the authors' knowledge, such a case has not been reported previously.
-
Serum concentrations of bone formation markers were correlated with the type, location, and progression of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. ⋯ Serum concentrations of intact osteocalcin, osteocalcin, and carboxyterminal propeptide of human type 1 procollagen may reflect the activity of general ectopic bone formation in patients with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament.
-
A descriptive study was conducted to investigate the paraspinal muscle function in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. ⋯ Abnormal findings in needle electromyography of the paraspinal muscles were observed in 18 of the 22 (81.8%) examined patients. Abnormal flexion-extension activation of the paraspinal muscles was observed in all the examined patients. The change in mean power frequency was significantly smaller than in previously evaluated healthy subjects and patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain (P < 0.001) who were not experiencing symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis. Paraspinal muscle fatigability was not associated with the denervation of the muscles. CONCLUSIONS Denervation and abnormal activation of lumbar paraspinal muscles are frequent findings in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis who have not undergone surgery. The paraspinal muscle endurance of the patients was unexpectedly good.
-
A retrospective study investigating the clinical outcome of the inside-outside cranial bolt technique for occipitocervical stabilization used to manage rheumatoid arthritis was conducted. ⋯ The "inside-outside" technique is safe and effective for stabilizing the occipitocervical junction in rheumatoid patients. It is associated with significant reduction of neck pain, improved neurologic status, and maintenance of alignment and stability.
-
Back pain online: a cross-sectional survey of the quality of web-based information on low back pain.
A cross section of Web sites accessible to the general public was surveyed. ⋯ This study highlighted the poor quality of information, particularly information about low back pain, available to "typical" patient users on the Internet. Health care professionals must have a role in evaluating existing information and in developing good-quality evidence-based Web sites. Patients with back pain should be discouraged from using the Internet as a source of information unless the Web sites they access have been evaluated and found to provide evidence-based messages.