Spine
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Case report. ⋯ Both surgical and nonsurgical management has been advocated for these tumors. The cord compression at presentation forced us toward surgical management. It is likely that observational data are the only evidence available for clinical decision-making. In this case, we were able to obtain good access to the front of the upper thoracic spine by a supraclavicular approach. Tiny plates are available to maxillofacial surgeons that can be adapted for use in the spines of small children.
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Light microscopy study of the lumbar spinal meninges of a murine model of Marfan syndrome. ⋯ These morphologic findings in the Marfan phenotype mouse mimic the findings of disordered elastic-fibers in other Marfan tissues and demonstrate gross attenuation of the tissue architecture, corroborating the theory that dural ectasia in Marfan syndrome results from hydrostatic pressure on weakened dura. These changes may be due in part to transforming growth factor beta overactivation and gelatinase-A-mediated elastolysis and collagen breakdown.
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A critical review of published literature from 2 decades. ⋯ The present data indicate that clinical outcomes and fusion rates statistically differ among the various subgroups of degenerative disc disease. Concerning the use of instrumentation, it appears that it may have greater clinical benefit in patients with DDDsp than DDDn. These findings underscore the importance of delineating specific clinical diagnoses when documenting results of lumbar fusion. This information might also be useful for both selecting surgical candidates and discussing anticipated operative outcomes.
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A retrospective comparison of postoperative continuous epidural analgesia and patient-controlled analgesia following surgical treatment for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. ⋯ Although both continuous epidural analgesia and patient-controlled analgesia provide effective pain control following surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, patients with continuous epidural analgesia had significantly better pain scores for all time periods, less fluctuations in pain, and lower maximum pain levels during the postoperative period.
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Calculate the apparent pseudarthrosis rate for anteriorly plated cervical spine fusions using different threshold levels of intervertebral rotation. ⋯ The apparent pseudarthrosis rate was highly dependent on the threshold of motion used to define a pseudarthrosis.