Spine
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Surgeon- and patient-based (SF-36) outcome measures were used to assess the results of decompressive laminectomies for the excision of synovial cysts with coexistent lumbar spinal stenosis (45 patients) or for synovial cysts with coexistent lumbar stenosis and degenerative spondylolisthesis (35 patients). ⋯ Using both surgeon and SF-36 outcome measures, 2 years following laminectomy for synovial cysts/lumbar stenosis with or without olisthy, patients exhibited a moderate degree of improvement. As synovial cysts reflect disruption of the facet joint and some degree of instability, primary fusion should be considered to improve operative results for patients in both categories.
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This report aims, in the light of the recent literature, to describe the clinical features of bilateral thoracic outlet syndrome in a case of Klippel-Feil syndrome, the results of electrophysiologic evaluation, and the outcome after surgical intervention. ⋯ It is often difficult to diagnose thoracic outlet syndrome by conventional neurophysiology. Dynamic changes in F waves appear to be a useful finding. In the absence of symptoms of myeloradiculopathy, thoracic outlet syndrome could be the sole manifestation of Klippel-Feil syndrome.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Early versus late enteral feeding in patients with acute cervical spinal cord injury: a pilot study.
A prospective randomized clinical pilot study to compare early versus late enteral feeding in patients with acute cervical spinal cord injury. ⋯ This pilot study failed to detect any differences in the incidence of infection, nutritional status, feeding complications, number of ventilator hours, or length of stay between patients receiving early versus late initiation of enteral feeding. These data will assist in the determination of an adequate sample size for future studies.
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We compared the prevalence of chronic back pain (CBP) at two points 4 years apart and examined socio-demographic, health, and pain-related factors associated with its onset and persistence. ⋯ CBP is a common and lasting problem, whose persistence and onset are predicted by clinical (especially pain) and help-seeking behavior factors, rather than socio-demographic. Prevention should focus on these factors.