Spine
-
Retrospective analysis of a prospectively accrued series of 213 consecutive patients who underwent intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring with electromyography and somatosensory-evoked potentials during thoracolumbar spine surgery. ⋯ Intraoperative electromyographic activation has a high sensitivity for the detection of a newpostoperative neurologic deficit but a low specificity. In contrast, somatosensory-evoked potentials have low sensitivity but high specificity. Combined intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring with electromyography and somatosensory-evoked potentials is helpful for predicting and possibly preventing neurologic injury during thoracolumbar spine surgery.
-
Comparative Study
Similarities and differences in the treatment of spine trauma between surgical specialties and location of practice.
Questionnaires administered to practicing orthopedic and neurosurgical spine surgeons from various regions of the United States and abroad. ⋯ More commonalities were identified in the management of spinal trauma than previously reported. When found, variability in opinion was related to professional and regional differences.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Economic evaluation of a behavioral-graded activity program compared to physical therapy for patients following lumbar disc surgery.
An economic evaluation was conducted alongside a randomized controlled trial. ⋯ This study concludes that there are no differences between the two treatment conditions on any of the clinical outcome measures but that behavioral-graded activity is associated with higher costs. Consequently, there is no reason for the implementation of behavioral-graded activity as the standard treatment for patients following lumbar disc surgery.
-
A 10+-year longitudinal study of 100 adult volunteers. ⋯ Our study substantiates previous results showing that the strongest determinant of lumbar lordosis is sacral alignment. Appropriate lumbar lordosis was estimated to be 80% of sacral inclination using standing radiographs, and the proposed lumbopelvic congruity could measure stability in sagittal spinal alignment. This study provides practical data for the assessment of sagittal spinal alignment in the aging spine.