Spine
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Retrospective case series with a control group. ⋯ Compared with conventional MRI, MRM affords more specific information for the presurgical diagnosis of symptomatic foraminal stenosis.
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Case Reports
Upper-airway obstruction after short posterior occipitocervical fusion in a flexed position.
Case report. ⋯ An adequate fixation angle is necessary to avoid airway obstruction after an occipitocervical fusion, even for short upper cervical fusions, especially in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
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The axonal growth potential of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in an organ culture system was investigated. ⋯ The results suggest that the cultured DRG neurons exhibit pathologic changes similar to those found in injured neurons. NGF-sensitive neurons, which include disc-innervating neurons, may have a greater potential to extend their axons in response to neuronal injury under pathologic conditions in the presence of TNF-alpha than GDNF-sensitive neurons.
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Comparative Study
The influence of fracture mechanism and morphology on the reliability and validity of two novel thoracolumbar injury classification systems.
The Thoracolumbar Injury Severity Score (TLISS) and the Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score (TLICS) were prospectively evaluated. ⋯ Although both schemes were noted to have substantial reproducibility and validity, our results indicate the TLISS is more reliable than the TLICS, suggesting that the mechanism of trauma may be a more valuable parameter than fracture morphology for the classification and treatment thoracolumbar injuries. Since these injury characteristics are interrelated and are critical to the maintenance of spinal stability, we think that both concepts should be considered during the assessment and management of these patients.
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Comparative Study
Analysis of pedicle and translaminar facet fixation in a multisegment interbody fusion model.
This is a biomechanical study. We compared pedicle screws and translaminar screws in the setting of multisegment interbody fusions. ⋯ This study supports the omission of the middle segment screws in a 2-level interbody fusion. In addition, translaminar screws are similar to pedicle fixation in a 2-level interbody lumbar fusion.