Spine
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The possibility to prevent nucleus pulposus-induced functional and structural nerve root injury by selective tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibition was assessed in an experimental model in the pig spine. ⋯ The data clearly indicate that tumor necrosis factor-alpha is involved in the basic pathophysiologic events leading to nerve root structural and functional changes after local application of nucleus pulposus. The study therefore provides a basic scientific platform with potential clinical implications regarding the use of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha medication as treatment in patients with disc herniation and sciatica.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
The impact of physical function and pain on work status at 1-year follow-up in patients with back pain.
A randomized, controlled trial. ⋯ Return to work was related to physical function and pain. More importance seemed to be attributed to physical performance in the intervention group than in the controls as a basis for returning patients to work.
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Comparative Study
A comparison of symptom checklist 90-revised profiles from patients with chronic pain from whiplash and patients with other musculoskeletal injuries.
A quasi-experimental design was used to compare the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised profiles (SCL-90-R) from a group of patients with whiplash injuries (n = 67) and a group with mixed musculoskeletal pain (n = 91). ⋯ The current study failed to support the validity of a distinctive SCL-90-R profile for patients with whiplash injuries. Instead, the results suggest that the psychological consequences of experiencing chronic pain from whiplash-associated disorders are similar to the psychological consequences of chronic pain from other musculoskeletal injuries.
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Balance performance in unstable sitting and trunk muscle response to quick force release were measured in 16 patients with chronic low back pain and 14 matched healthy control subjects. ⋯ Patients with chronic low back pain demonstrated poorer postural control of the lumbar spine and longer trunk muscle response times than healthy control volunteers. Correlation between these two phenomena suggests a common underlying pathology in the lumbar spine.
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Case Reports
Traumatic atlantoaxial rotatory dislocation with odontoid fracture: case report and review.
A case of traumatic rotatory dislocation associated with odontoid fracture is reported. ⋯ As the pivot of rotatory subluxation changed after odontoid process osteosynthesis, posterior C1-C2 arthrodesis was performed. The patient probably could have been treated in a single-stage procedure using posterior C1-C2 transarticular fixation with bicortical interspinous graft.