Spine
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Comparative Study
Patients with neck pain demonstrate reduced electromyographic activity of the deep cervical flexor muscles during performance of the craniocervical flexion test.
Cross-sectional study. ⋯ These data confirm that reduced performance of the craniocervical flexion test is associated with dysfunction of the deep cervical flexor muscles and support the validity of this test for patients with neck pain.
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Comparative Study
Biomechanical analysis of anterior poly-methyl-methacrylate reconstruction following total spondylectomy for metastatic disease.
Three reconstruction options were evaluated biomechanically following total spondylectomy using human cadaveric spine specimens. OBJECTIVES.: To evaluate and compare the stability of combined anterior and posterior fixation incorporating poly-methyl-methacrylate with alternative accepted reconstruction techniques. ⋯ Combined anterior and posterior reconstruction using a cement construct provides equal to or more stability than the intact spine in all testing modes. Posterior stabilization alone is an inferior method of reconstruction following total spondylectomy. Poly-methyl-methacrylate has the advantage over traditional anterior reconstruction techniques in that it can be inserted using a posterior approach.
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An in vitro biomechanical comparison of four posterior fixation techniques in the setting of an anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF). ⋯ In the ALIF setting, facet screw and translaminar screw techniques, which may be associated with less morbidity than pedicle screws clinically, provided initial posterior stabilization similar to pedicular fixation in this in vitro study.
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Retrospective review of prospective database. ⋯ Steroid-induced compression fractures appear to have an increased incidence of subsequent fractures after the kyphoplasty procedure. The kyphoplasty protocol with concurrent medical osteoporotic regimen does not appear to increase, and may serve to reduce, the incidence of remote and adjacent fractures for primary osteoporotic fractures.
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We document a giant spinal extradural arachnoid cyst treated by selective closure of the dural defect. It was diagnosed using cinematic magnetic resonance imaging (cine-MRI). ⋯ Selective closure of the dural defect based on cine-MRI will be useful for treating extradural arachnoid cysts.