Spine
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The analysis of the imaging characteristics found in chronic odontoid fractures. ⋯ Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging can be useful in determining the chronicity of an odontoid fracture.
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The compound muscle action potentials elicited from the erector spinae muscles by transcranial magnetic stimulation was studied in 15 healthy adults. ⋯ The compound muscle action potential was elicited from the voluntarily contracted erector spinae at all spinal levels from T5-T6 through L4-L5 in all subjects tested. This noninvasive test has potential for evaluating the functional integrity of the motor pathway in the thoracic spinal cord, the spinal nerves, or both.
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Independent evaluation by two observers of 132 lumbar discs in 45 patients with chronic low back pain investigated by both magnetic resonance imaging and discography. ⋯ In patients with chronic low back pain, loss of disc height or abnormal signal intensity is highly predictive of symptomatic tears extending into or beyond the outer anulus. Disc bulges and disc protrusions do not represent discs with significantly different internal architecture, based on the findings of discography, and are no more suggestive of symptomatic tears than discs showing normal contour but decreased height or abnormal signal intensity.
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A retrospective radiographic assessment of the maintenance of sagittal alignment in patients undergoing short-segment instrumented fusions in a knee-chest position. ⋯ Overall lumbar lordosis is well maintained in patients undergoing short-segment instrumented fusion in the kneeling position. With compensatory lordosis being shifted proximally and sacral tilt not returning to the preoperative status in L4 to S1 fusions, caution should be exercised in using the kneeling position for longer instrumented lumbar fusions.
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Case Reports
Anterior decompression with single segmental spinal interbody fusion for lumbar burst fracture.
The clinical and radiologic records for seven patients with lumbar burst fracture who underwent anterior decompression with single segmental interbody fusion were reviewed. ⋯ There was slight correction loss within 1 year when no instrumentation was used, but this deformity did not affect the clinical results. The results provided no evidence that cleavage fracture of the lower endplate accelerates degeneration of the adjacent intervertebral disc.