The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society
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Review Meta Analysis
What is the predictive value of intraoperative somatosensory evoked potential monitoring for postoperative neurological deficit in cervical spine surgery?-a meta-analysis.
Cervical decompression and fusion surgery remains a mainstay of treatment for a variety of cervical pathologies. Potential intraoperative injury to the spinal cord and nerve roots poses nontrivial risk for consequent postoperative neurologic deficits. Although neuromonitoring with intraoperative somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) is often used in cervical spine surgery, its therapeutic value remains controversial. ⋯ SSEP monitoring is highly specific but weakly sensitive for postoperative neurological deficit following cervical spine surgery. The analysis found that patients with new postoperative neurological deficits were nearly 27 times more likely to have had significant intraoperative SSEP change. Loss of SSEP signals and irreversible SSEP changes seem to indicate a much higher risk of injury than reversible SSEP changes.
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The North American Spine Society's (NASS) Evidence Based Clinical Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Low Back Pain features evidence-based recommendations for diagnosing and treating adult patients with nonspecific low back pain. The guideline is intended to reflect contemporary treatment concepts for nonspecific low back pain as reflected in the highest quality clinical literature available on this subject as of February 2016. ⋯ The evidence-based clinical guideline has been created using techniques of evidence-based medicine and best available evidence to aid practitioners in the diagnosis and treatment of adult patients with nonspecific low back pain. The entire guideline document, including the evidentiary tables, literature search parameters, literature attrition flowchart, suggestions for future research, and all of the references, is available electronically on the NASS website at https://www.spine.org/ResearchClinicalCare/QualityImprovement/ClinicalGuidelines.aspx.
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In recent years, the use of three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology has gained traction in orthopedic spine surgery. Although research on this topic is still primarily limited to case reports and small cohort studies, it is evident that there are many avenues for 3DP innovation in the field. This review article aims to discuss the current and emerging 3DP applications in spine surgery, as well as the challenges of 3DP production and limitations in its use. 3DP models have been presented as helpful tools for patient education, medical training, and presurgical planning. ⋯ However, the time, cost, and learning curve associated with constructing a 3DP model are major barriers to widespread use in spine surgery. Considering the costs and benefits of 3DP along with the varying risks associated with different spine procedures, 3DP technology is likely most valuable for complex or atypical spine disorder cases. Further research is warranted to gain a better understanding of how 3DP can and will impact spine surgery.
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The contribution of Modic changes (MCs) in relation to spinal pain and degenerative changes has been evaluated frequently. However, most studies focus on lumbar spine. The association between MCs, neck pain, and cervical disc degeneration is not clear. ⋯ Modic changes were found to be associated with neck pain and with disc degeneration. Therefore, the large variation in prevalence that is reported is highly dependent on the nature of the studied population.
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The contribution of Modic changes (MCs) in relation to spinal pain and degenerative changes has been evaluated frequently. However, most studies focus on lumbar spine. The association between MCs, neck pain, and cervical disc degeneration is not clear. ⋯ Modic changes were found to be associated with neck pain and with disc degeneration. Therefore, the large variation in prevalence that is reported is highly dependent on the nature of the studied population.