The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume
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J Bone Joint Surg Am · Mar 2005
Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. Results of anterior cervical decompression and arthrodesis in sixty-one North American patients.
Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament is commonly associated with cervical myelopathy. Surgical treatment is a matter of controversy. We report on a series of patients who were managed with anterior cervical decompression and arthrodesis for the treatment of cervical myelopathy associated with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. ⋯ Anterior decompression and arthrodesis is an effective way to achieve pain relief and neurological improvement in North American patients of non-Asian descent who have cervical myelopathy associated with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. The risk of durocutaneous fistula, graft dislodgment, and postoperative neurological symptoms appears to be high in patients with cervical myelopathy associated with this condition.
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J Bone Joint Surg Am · Mar 2005
The association between supracondylar-intercondylar distal femoral fractures and coronal plane fractures.
Isolated coronal plane fractures of the distal femoral condyles (Hoffa fractures) occur uncommonly, are difficult to diagnose, and may be challenging to treat. The combination of supracondylar distal femoral fractures and these coronal plane fractures is thought to occur rarely. The purposes of the present study were to identify the frequency of the association between supracondylar-intercondylar distal femoral fractures and coronal fractures of the femoral condyle and to describe the radiographic evaluation of these injuries. ⋯ Coronal plane fractures frequently occurred in association with high-energy supracondylar-intercondylar distal femoral fractures; in the present study, the prevalence of associated coronal plane fractures was 38%. The lateral condyle was involved more frequently than the medial condyle was. Coronal plane fractures of both condyles were observed commonly, and the majority of coronal plane fractures were associated with open wounds. Since the surgical tactic for the treatment of a supracondylar-intercondylar distal femoral fracture may be altered by the additional diagnosis of a coronal plane fracture component, preoperative computerized tomographic scanning of the injured distal part of the femur, particularly when there is an associated open wound, is strongly recommended.
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J Bone Joint Surg Am · Mar 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialBotulinum toxin injection in the treatment of tennis elbow. A double-blind, randomized, controlled, pilot study.
A recent report has suggested that local injection of botulinum toxin type A is an effective method of treatment for chronic tennis elbow. The toxin is thought to provide temporary paralysis of the painful common extensor origin, thereby allowing a healing response to occur. To test this theory, we performed a double-blind, randomized, controlled, pilot trial comparing injections of botulinum toxin type A with those of a placebo (normal saline solution) in the treatment of chronic tennis elbow. ⋯ With the numbers studied, we failed to find a significant difference between the two groups; thus, we have no evidence of a benefit from botulinum toxin injection in the treatment of chronic tennis elbow.
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Symptomatic lumbar degenerative disc disease is a challenging entity to treat. The results of arthrodesis may be compromised in the short term by pseudarthrosis and in the long term by pain at the iliac-crest donor site and by junctional degeneration. Total disc replacement has the potential to provide long-lasting relief to these patients. The purpose of this study was to present the clinical and radiographic results assessed seven to eleven years following a Prodisc total lumbar disc replacement. ⋯ The Prodisc lumbar total disc replacement appears to be effective and safe for the treatment of symptomatic degenerative disc disease. Gender and multilevel surgery did not affect the outcomes, whereas prior lumbar surgery or an age of less than forty-five years was associated with slightly worse outcomes. Longer follow-up of this cohort of patients and randomized trials comparing disc replacement with arthrodesis are needed.