Spine
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Retrospective review. ⋯ Growing rods can include pelvic fixation to correct pelvic obliquity or obtain adequate fixation. Dual iliac fixation provides the best correction. Both iliac screws and rods provide satisfactory distal fixation; iliac screws had a higher rate of breakage. Growing rods with pelvic fixation are effective in deformity correction and achieving growth.
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Intra-arterial injection in the rat brain: evaluation of steroids used for transforaminal epidurals.
Prospective in vivo experimental animal model. ⋯ This study presents the first in vivo evaluation of intra-arterial steroid injection. Data demonstrate Depo-Medrol, as well as its nonparticulate carrier, and Solu-Medrol can produce significant injury to the blood-brain barrier when injected intra-arterially. These results demonstrate that injury is produced not only by particulate obstruction of the cerebral microvasculature, but also by toxicity of the carrier or steroid (methylprednisolone).
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Neck/shoulder exercise for neck pain in air force helicopter pilots: a randomized controlled trial.
The study was a randomized, controlled trial with blinded outcome assessment. A 6-week intervention was followed up directly afterwards and after 12 months. ⋯ A supervised neck/shoulder exercise regimen was effective in reducing neck pain cases in air force helicopter pilots. This was supported by improvement in neck-flexor function postintervention in regimen members. However, no effect emerged for pain-related fear. General strength training before the intervention predicted reduction in prevalence of pain at follow-up.
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Cross-sectional study. ⋯ The current study confirms a significant association between sagittal orientation and OA of the lumbar facet joints at L4-L5 and DS. Facet tropism was not associated with occurrence of facet joint OA or DS. Additional, longitudinal studies are needed to understand the causal relationship between facet joint morphology and OA.