Spine
-
Merged data from two primary care prospective cohort studies. ⋯ The clinical course for LBP with self-reported referred leg pain is much worse. However, the fact that differences in outcome were not worse after adjustment suggests that baseline differences in severity and duration of back pain, demographic, and psychological characteristics largely explain the poorer outcomes in patients with referred leg pain. Future research needs to establish if similar results are observed among patients with clinically determined sciatica.
-
One-year prospective study of 141 acute whiplash patients (WLP) and 40 acute ankle-injured controls. ⋯ The Risk Assessment score is suggested as a valuable tool for grading WLP early after injury. It has reasonable screening power for encountering work disability and reflects the biopsychosocial nature of whiplash injuries.
-
Retrospective subgroup analysis of prospectively collected data according to treatment received. ⋯ Patients with SS with fewer than 12 months of symptoms experienced significantly better outcomes with surgical and nonsurgical treatment relative to those with symptom duration greater than 12 months. There was no difference in the outcome of patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis according to symptom duration.
-
Retrospective review. ⋯ Significant alterations in swallowing mechanics can accompany c-spine surgery with anterior plating. A number of these changes improve over time, leaving patients with relatively minor impairment; however, some appear to be long-lasting. Education and dysphagia therapy can be useful treatment adjuncts.
-
Retrospective consecutive case series. ⋯ Leg weakness exacerbated by exercise, likely due to worsening hypertension in the arterialized draining vein, is a common manifestation of thoracic SDAVF. Although a sensory level is often found, it cannot reliably guide the level of imaging. Thus, the entire spine should be examined with MRI when an SDAVF is suspected.