European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
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Review Case Reports
Iliopsoas bursitis and pseudogout of the knee mimicking L2-L3 radiculopathy: case report and review of the literature.
We report the case of a 74-year-old woman who presented with acute-onset right groin pain irradiating to the thigh anteriorly after having suffered for a few weeks from slight knee pain. As a CT scan showed multiple herniated intervertebral discs and spinal stenosis at the L3-L4 level, she was referred to a neurosurgical unit with the tentative diagnosis of L2-L3 radicular pain. Investigations (MR, myelography with CT scan) showed severe acquired lumbar canal stenosis. ⋯ Local steroid injections of the two sites abolished her symptoms. We draw attention to the possible pitfalls that the radiographic appearance and one of the multiple clinical presentations of this unrare pathology may represent. Whenever a patient comes walking with crutches, avoids putting weight on his or her leg, and radicular pain is suspected, we advise consideration of other extra-spinal causes for the pain.
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Comparative Study
Disc degeneration in young patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis treated operatively or conservatively: a long-term follow-up.
The purpose of this long-term follow-up was (1) to investigate disc changes in the olisthetic segment in patients treated conservatively, (2) to compare disc changes above the slipped vertebra in conservatively treated patients with those in operatively treated patients, and (3) to establish possible relations of disc changes to the degree of the slip and to subjective back pain symptoms of the patients. The subjects were 227 patients with isthmic L5 olisthesis diagnosed under 20 years of age (mean 13.8 years) with a mean follow-up of 15.4 (range 5-30) years. Of these, 145 patients had been treated with segmental fusion and 82 had been treated conservatively. ⋯ It is concluded that the natural course of isthmic spondylolisthesis is associated with disc degeneration and spontaneous stabilization of the olisthetic segment. Fusion operations do not significantly increase the rate of disc degeneration in the adjacent disc above the fusion after a mean postoperative follow-up of 13.8 years. No correlation between the number of degenerated discs or the degree of degeneration and subjective low back pain symptoms was found.
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A study was conducted to find out whether in a rear-impact motor vehicle accident, velocity changes in the impact vehicle of between 10 and 15 km/h can cause so-called "whiplash injuries". An assessment of the actual injury mechanism of such whiplash injuries and comparison of vehicle rear-end collisions with amusement park bumper car collisions was also carried out. The study was based on experimental biochemical, kinematic, and clinical analysis with volunteers. ⋯ The study concluded that, the "limit of harmlessness" for stresses arising from rear-end impacts with regard to the velocity changes lies between 10 and 15 km/h. For everyday practice, photographs of the damage to cars involved in a rear-end impact are essential to determine this velocity change. The stress occurring in vehicle rear-end collisions can be compared to the stress in bumper car collisions.
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Comparative Study
Restoration of the spinal canal by the internal fixator and remodeling.
It has been observed that after reduction of an unstable vertebral fracture, treated either conservatively or operatively, the encroachment of the spinal canal remaining after reduction can decrease considerably with time. A series of 31 cases, each with a set of CT scans taken preoperatively, immediately after surgery and after implant removal respectively, was assessed using computer-aided planimetry. The mean initial narrowing of the spinal canal was 44.6%. ⋯ Comparing the values of the spinal canal for T12-L5 directly after surgery and after implant removal, an almost identical degree of restoration for each level can be seen. This additional and gradual restoration of the spinal canal is termed remodeling. This study demonstrates that a residual postoperative narrowing of the spinal canal of up to 25% can be ignored, provided there is no initial neurologic damage.
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Case Reports
Brucellosis of the spine with a synchronous Staphylococcus aureus pyogenic elbow infection.
Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis and pyogenic arthritis has a different pattern in the elderly than in the young. The axial skeleton is the most frequent site of infection and treatment is usually by intravenous antibiotics. We report a case of Staph. aureus septic arthritis of the elbow with concomitant osteomyelitis of the spine that was thought to be due to Staph. aureus, but culture of debrided material from the lesion grew Brucella in culture. We suggest that in the elderly it is advisable to obtain a tissue culture diagnosis and not to instigate therapy based on positive blood cultures or a concomitant infection.