Spine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Is fusion necessary for surgically treated burst fractures of the thoracolumbar and lumbar spine?: a prospective, randomized study.
A prospective clinical trial was conducted. ⋯ The short-term results of short segmental fixation without fusion for surgically treated burst fractures of the thoracolumbar spine were satisfactory. The advantages of instrumentation without fusion are the elimination of donor site complications, saving more motion segments, and reducing blood loss and operative time.
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Repeated cross-sectional analysis using national Medicare data from the Dartmouth Atlas Project. ⋯ The rate of specific procedures within a region or "surgical signature" is remarkably stable over time. However, there has been a marked increase in rates of fusion, and a coincident shift and increase in cost. Rates of back surgery were not correlated with the per-capita supply of orthopedic and neurosurgeons.
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Comparative Study
Polish cultural adaptation of the Roland-Morris Questionnaire for evaluation of quality of life in patients with low back pain.
Cultural adaptation and cross-sectional psychometric testing. ⋯ The correlation between severity of disease and quality of life, between bending of spine and quality of life, between depression and quality of life, and between activities of daily living and quality of life has been found. According to this study, the RMQ can be used as a valid tool in the assessment of the functional level of patients with lumbar pain and previous lumbar herniation. The RMQ is fast and easy to complete; it is valid, reliable, and sensitive. We recommend the questionnaire to be used in research of quality of life in low back pain.
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This was a community-based cross-sectional study that is part of an ongoing study of genetics and osteoporosis. ⋯ A high prevalence of LBP and LBP with additional musculoskeletal pain existed in this rural Chinese sample. We found evidence of a link between physical exposures and LBP, and LBP with additional musculoskeletal pain. Further understanding of the characteristics and risk factors of LBP in rural developing areas is needed.
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A retrospective review involving 873 consecutive cases of lumbar disc herniation treated by microendoscopic discectomy (MED) was conducted and a mean 28-month follow-up was performed. ⋯ MED is an effective microendoscopic system with fine long-term outcome in treating lumbar disc herniation. The endoscopic approach allows smaller incisions and less tissue trauma, compared with standard open microdiscectomy. Strict adherence to well-defined preoperative selection criteria could ensure optimal postoperative outcome.