Spine
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This prospective 2-year follow-up study evaluated patients treated surgically for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). ⋯ Back pain incidence was higher than reported for healthy adolescents. Oswestry Disability Index was within normal adult limits. Pain varied by curve type, related to the maximum angle of trunk inclination and the maximum apical vertebral translation. After surgery, back pain and ODI were unchanged, but concerns regarding scoliosis were reduced.
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The results of short anterior rigid rod instrumentation used to treat thoracolumbar scoliosis in 24 patients were reviewed retrospectively. ⋯ Anterior correction and fusion using solid rod instrumentation constitute effective and safe treatment of thoracolumbar scoliosis. As compared with posterior systems, it provides correction and rebalance of the trunk through a shorter fusion segment.
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Peripheral sensory functions in patients with radiculopathy resulting from lumbar disc herniation and in control individuals were analyzed using current perception threshold testing. ⋯ Current perception threshold testing showed that the functions of A-beta, A-delta, and C fibers deteriorated in patients with lumbar radiculopathy. This technique may be useful for quantifying sensory nerve dysfunction in patients with radiculopathy.
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Changes in expression of voltage-dependent ion channel subunits were examined in the radicular pain state. Furthermore, antinociceptive effects of gabapentin on radicular pain were compared with effects on peripheral neuropathic pain. ⋯ The reduction of Na(v)1.9 found in all three models may link to the neuropathic pain state, including radicular pain. The lower sensitivity to gabapentin in rats with peripheral neuropathic pain might be partly explained by the marked upregulation of Ca(v)alpha2delta in the dorsal root ganglions, suggesting that gabapentin may be more effective in radicular pain treatment.
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Rat and human intervertebral disc specimens were examined immunohistochemically. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was also performed on rat disc tissue to demonstrate the existence of Fas ligand. ⋯ We demonstrated the existence of Fas ligand on disc cells, which should play a key role in the potential molecular mechanism to maintain immune privilege of the disc. Immune privilege and Fas ligand expression of the intervertebral disc may provide a new insight for basic science research as well as clinical treatments for disc degenerative diseases, including disc herniation with radicular pain.