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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Comparative Study
Balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of pathological vertebral compressive fractures.
Previous clinical studies have shown the safety and effectiveness of balloon kyphoplasty in the treatment of pathological vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). However, they have not dealt with the impact of relatively common comorbid conditions in this age group, such as spinal stenosis, and they have not explicitly addressed the use of imaging as a prognostic indicator for the restoration of vertebral body height. Neither have these studies dealt with management and technical problems related to surgery, nor the effectiveness of bone biopsy during the same surgical procedure. This is a prospective study comparing preoperative and postoperative vertebral body heights, kyphotic deformities, pain intensity (using visual analogue scale) and quality of life (Oswestry disability questionnaire) in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) and osteolytic vertebral tumors treated with balloon kyphoplasty. ⋯ Associated spinal stenosis with OVCF should not be overlooked; STIR MRI is a good predictor of deformity correction with balloon kyphoplasty. The prevalence of a new OVCF in the adjacent level is low.
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Comparative Study
Biomechanical comparison of anterior cervical spine locked and unlocked plate-fixation systems.
Three different anterior plate-fixation systems are available for the stabilisation of the cervical spine: (1) the cervical spine locking plate (CSLP), (2) dynamic plates allowing vertical migration of the fixation screws, and (3) various types of plates that are secured with either monocortical or bicortical unlocked screws. Unicortical screw purchase does not involve the risk of posterior cortex penetration and possible injuries to the spinal cord. The development of locking plates with unicortical screw-fixation and intrinsic stability of the screw-plate interface, via an angle-stabilised connection, was an attempt to increase the stability of unicortical screw-fixation systems. ⋯ Direct comparison of the fixed cervical spine segments with unlocked and locked anterior-plate fixation did not demonstrate significant differences. This in vitro study documented that neither locked nor unlocked anterior-plate fixation can increase stability in all modes of testing. H-plate spondylodesis with unlocked screws seems to provide sufficient mechanical integrity in most cases of monosegmental lesions.
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This study was designed to demonstrate and measure mechanical torsion in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis using three-dimensional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Ten patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were imaged with three-dimensional MR imaging, and the data post-processed through multiplanar reconstruction to produce images angled through individual endplates. Transverse rotation was measured at each endplate and these measurements used to calculate the amount of vertebral and disc mechanical torsion present. ⋯ Mechanical torsion was demonstrated within the vertebral bodies and discs of the imaged subjects, with vertebral mechanical torsion contributing on average 45% of the overall transverse plane deformity. It is concluded that deformation occurs in the transverse plane within the vertebrae and discs of subjects with idiopathic scoliosis, and a significant proportion of the rotation present in the scoliotic spine occurs as a result of plastic deformation within the vertebrae themselves. We believe that this is the first systematic demonstration of mechanical torsion in idiopathic scoliosis.
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Our aim was to validate a culturally adapted, Tunisian-language version of the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), which is a reliable evaluation instrument for low-back-pain disability. A total of 62 patients with low back pain were assessed by the questionnaire. Reliability for the 1-week test/re-test was assessed by a construction of a Bland Altman plot. ⋯ We conclude that the Tunisian version of the Roland-Morris questionnaire has good reliability and internal consistency. Furthermore, it has a good internal- and external construct validity and high sensitivity to change. It is an adequate and useful tool for assessing low-back-pain disability.