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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Randomized Controlled Trial
Substantial clinical benefit for Neck Disability Index revisited: establishing the goal for treatment?
It is difficult for clinicians to inform patients about the success rate of a treatment as a cervical anterior discectomy procedure. Ideally, a proportion of good outcome as rated by patients is known. Patient-reported outcome measurements are helpful. The purpose is to relate the difference in Neck Disability Index (NDI) after a cervical anterior discectomy procedure for single level cervical degenerative disc disease with the patients' rating of their actual clinical situation after long-term follow-up to define the substantial clinical benefit (SCB). ⋯ The goal for each treatment is a good outcome. While comparing treatments for cervical degenerative disc disease only those with an SCB of ten will be relevant for the patient, as patients who achieved this difference in NDI rated their actual situation at long-term follow-up as good.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Remote kinematic training for patients with chronic neck pain: a randomised controlled trial.
To evaluate short- and intermediate-term effects of kinematic training (KT) using virtual reality (VR) or laser in patients with chronic neck pain. ⋯ The results support home kinematic training using VR or laser for improving disability, neck pain and kinematics in the short and intermediate term with an advantage to the VR group. The results provide directions for future research, use and development.
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To analyze the prevalence of the retrotransverse foramen (RTF) and its bony variations. ⋯ The RTF is a nonmetric variant of the atlas vertebra that can present non-degenerative and non-traumatic spiculae or it can be unclosed. In addition, it can be associated with the presence of unclosed transverse foramina.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Implantation of an empty polyetheretherketone cage in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a prospective randomised controlled study with 2 years follow-up.
To compare the clinical outcomes, radiographic results and fusion rate of ACDF between empty PEEK cages and PEEK cages packed with β-tricalcium phosphate. ⋯ Similar fusion rates and clinical outcomes were achieved when using ACDF with PEEK cages and instrumentation, regardless of whether the cage was filled with bone substitute at 24 months follow-up. Fusion rates improved over time and are comparable between both groups. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary material.
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Hinge-like hyper-mobility is occasionally observed at the atlanto-occipital (O-C1) joint. However, it has not been clear if this kind of hinge-like hyper-mobility at the O-C1 joint should be regarded as "pathologic", or referred to as "instability". To solve this issue, we aimed to establish a reliable radiographic assessment method for this specific type of O-C1 instability and figure out the "standard value" for the range of motion (ROM) of the O-C1 joint. ⋯ We consider that hinge-like instability at O-C1 joint, which cannot be assessed by measuring Powers ratio, can be assessed by measuring the range of O-C1 angles using dynamic-MRI. Evaluation of O-C1 instability is important especially when we perform surgical treatment for diseases with upper cervical instability (such as retro-odontoid pseudotumor). We consider that the current study provides important information in such a case.