Spine
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Prospective, 2-factor design. The first factor was the group with 2 levels, spine surgery and control. The second factor was timing with 3 levels, baseline, 1-week follow-up, and 6-week follow-up. ⋯ Substrate utilization shifts to fat oxidation in adolescents following spinal surgery, indicating lipids would be the alimentation of choice immediately after surgery. Caloric requirements increase 9% above the baseline measurements. Anterior/posterior surgeries and single surgeries (anterior or posterior alone) have the same increase in kcal/kg/day. Because of the substrate utilization change by the body after surgery, a preponderance of these calories should initially be given as lipids. After approximately 6 weeks, both resting energy expenditure and respiratory quotient returned to preoperative levels following spinal surgery in adolescents, indicating special nutrition is not required beyond 6 weeks.
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To assess the report of low back pain (LBP) over 1 year and its predictors in individuals reporting symptoms during an initial cross-sectional survey. ⋯ In this community-based study, LBP symptoms after 1 year are common and symptoms of those experiencing LBP at follow up do not improve over time. Predictors of experiencing LBP and of LBP symptoms after 1 year included baseline pain characteristics and psychosocial factors.
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A retrospective clinical follow-up study of patients who underwent intraspinal surgery with reconstruction of the laminar roof using titanium miniplates. ⋯ The reconstruction of the laminar roof using the technique described is safe, well suitable to serve as a standard posterior approach to intraspinal pathologies, and offers distinct advantages over laminectomy. However, some patients, particularly those with intramedullary cervical lesions, could develop spinal malalignment after surgery despite reconstruction of the laminar roof and sufficient bony healing of the laminae.
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A biomechanical study of lumbar threaded interbody cage construct under varying compressive preloads of similar magnitudes to those experienced in vivo during daily activities. ⋯ In vivo during activities of daily living, interbody cage constructs are subject to varying compressive preloads due to external loads generated by paraspinal musculature, and our results suggest that the stability created by the cage (reduction in segmental angular motion) is not constant. The cage construct is likely to be least stable in extension during activities that impart low compressive preloads to the lumbar spine. Supplemental translaminar facet screw fixation will enhance stability of the motion segment treated with threaded cages, particularly during conditions of low compressive preloads, the very condition in which the cage alone is least effective in providing stability.
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Facet orientation in the thoracolumbar spine: three-dimensional anatomic and biomechanical analysis.
Thoracolumbar facet orientations were measured and analyzed. ⋯ Transverse and longitudinal facet angles were measured directly from 240 human vertebral columns (males/females, blacks/whites). The specimens' osteologic material is part of the Hamann-Todd Osteological Collection housed at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (Cleveland, OH). A total of 4,080 vertebrae (T1-L5) from the vertebral columns of individuals 20 to 80 years of age were measured, using a Microscribe three-dimensional apparatus (Immersion Co., San Jose, CA). Data were recorded directly on computer software. Statistical analysis included paired t tests and analysis of variance. RESULTS.: Facet orientation is independent of gender, age, and ethnic group. Asymmetry in facet orientation is found in the thorax. All thoracolumbar facets are positioned in an oblique plane. In the transverse plane, all facets from T1 to T11 are positioned with an anterior inclination of approximately 25 degrees to 30 degrees from the frontal plane. The facets of T12-L2 are oriented closer to the midsagittal plane of the vertebral body (mean range, 25.89 degrees-33.87 degrees), while the facets of L3-L5 are oriented away from that plane (mean range, 40.40 degrees-56.30 degrees). Facet transverse orientation at the thoracolumbar junction is highly variable (approximately 80% with approximately 101 degrees and approximately 20% with 35 degrees). All facets are oriented more vertically from T1 (approximately 150 degrees) to L5 (approximately 170 degrees). The facet sagittal orientations of the lumbar zygoapophyseal joints are not equivalent. CONCLUSIONS.: Asymmetry in facet orientation is a normal characteristic in the thorax.