Spine
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Prospective cohort study. ⋯ Low back pain was a dynamic process with high rates for incidence, recurrence, and recovery. General health and work-related physical and psychosocial factors influenced both the incidence and recurrence of low back pain. The incidence and recurrence of low back pain depend strongly on the recall period of low back pain and the time-window of investigation.
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Comparative Study
Biomechanical comparison of anterolateral plate, lateral plate, and pedicle screws-rods for enhancing anterolateral lumbar interbody cage stabilization.
A repeated measures in vitro flexibility experiment was performed in calf spines. ⋯ Anterolateral or lateral lumbar plating increases stability significantly compared to stand-alone interbody cage fixation. These findings support anterolateral or lateral plate fixation as a potential clinical alternative to pedicle screws-rods in this role and may obviate the need for combined anterior and posterior approaches when spinal instability exists.
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Retrospective analysis of a prospectively accrued series of 213 consecutive patients who underwent intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring with electromyography and somatosensory-evoked potentials during thoracolumbar spine surgery. ⋯ Intraoperative electromyographic activation has a high sensitivity for the detection of a newpostoperative neurologic deficit but a low specificity. In contrast, somatosensory-evoked potentials have low sensitivity but high specificity. Combined intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring with electromyography and somatosensory-evoked potentials is helpful for predicting and possibly preventing neurologic injury during thoracolumbar spine surgery.
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Comparative Study
Similarities and differences in the treatment of spine trauma between surgical specialties and location of practice.
Questionnaires administered to practicing orthopedic and neurosurgical spine surgeons from various regions of the United States and abroad. ⋯ More commonalities were identified in the management of spinal trauma than previously reported. When found, variability in opinion was related to professional and regional differences.
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A dissection-based study of 18 embalmed cadavers (7 male, 11 female), mean age 84 (+/-8.4) years. ⋯ Hofmann ligaments are present at most levels between C7 and L5; although most ligaments were limited to a single vertebral segment, some were observed to cross several segments.