Spine
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Spinal ependymoma is a benign central nervous system tumor described as an intramedullary lesion more frequently located at the conus medullaris. It has been described exceptionally in the literature as an intradural extramedullary tumor. ⋯ All of the previously reported cases of spinal intradural extramedullary ependymomas carried out a benign course. The case we are reporting is the first one in which malignant transformation occurred. This tumor should be taken into account in the differential diagnosis of intradural extramedullary lesions. Moreover, close follow-up is recommended for this unusual location of ependymomas.
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Cross-sectional analysis of analgesic use by patients with low back pain (LBP). ⋯ With this health plan, a high proportion of patients with LBP had claims for opioids during 2001. The use of opioids by patients with LBP represents a major cost for the health plan, and is associated with specific patient characteristics and their use of other LBP services.
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In vitro biomechanical study to evaluate the stability of different types of instrumentation in the lumbar spine following corpectomy in relation to bone mineral density (BMD). ⋯ Single ventral instrumentation can provide sufficient stability following corpectomy in the lumbar spine under the condition of a high BMD. Determination of BMD and the use of this guideline provides a valid tool for surgical planning.
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Case Reports
Posterior transcanal lumbar interbody fusion for septic vertebral fracture pseudarthrosis and sitting imbalance.
Case report. ⋯ This extremely rare case focuses on the use of the transcanal approach to treat adequately lumbar septic pseudarthrosis and restore lumbar lordosis in definitively paraplegic patients in whom no anterior approach can be used.
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Retrospective review of articles published in the journal Spine. ⋯ Industry funded studies demonstrated a statistically greater likelihood to report positive results than studies with other funding sources. Potential explanations for this are biased study design, biased experimental technique, biased result interpretation, or publication bias. Although the expense of research and limited funding sources have forced an increased reliance on industry support for funding basic science and clinical spine research, this does introduce the potential for bias and must be recognized by the reader.