Spine
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In vitro flexibility testing of the lumbar spine. ⋯ Those involved in the design and evaluation of PDS devices may benefit from evaluation of interpedicular kinematics. Evaluating intervertebral motion from the perspective of the pedicle screw allows for a direct and intuitive translation between in vitro test results and design parameters. Furthermore, these parameters may provide additional clinical insight into the biomechanics of the healthy and pathological spine. The study presented indicates that this approach may be more sensitive in detecting differences in implant motion between PDS devices.
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Prospective cohort with concurrent controls. ⋯ The Vitronic 3D Body Scanner has sufficient accuracy, reliability, and validity to monitor torso asymmetry due to scoliosis. Scan-based measures differentiate between normal and pathological and between preoperative and postoperative body shape and show good correlation with measures of appearance and quality of life.
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Retrospective study of male and female spinal osteoarthritis, characterized by lateral spine thoracolumbar radiographs, in humans and nonhuman primates. ⋯ The appearance of sex differences in the prevalence of osteoarthritis is most likely a proxy measure for the effect of body mass. Sex differences were apparent in monkeys due to the fact that males are significantly heavier than females. No sex difference in prevalence was apparent in humans, and there is substantial overlap in body mass between men and women. Differences in the location of osteoarthritic involvement along the spine between men and women were obscured when only average scores were examined.
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A retrospective cohort study. ⋯ In Switzerland, the acceptance of the guidelines for treating traumatic spinal cord injury with high-dose methylprednisolone has been extremely high in the past. The use of high-dose methylprednisolone has decreased to a much lower level in Switzerland after the publication of new guidelines, which is comparable to various other countries. Despite these changes, no differences in the neurological outcome were detected between the observed patient populations.