Spine
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Cadaveric motion segment experiment. ⋯ Two physical aspects of disc degeneration (dehydration and endplate disruption) cause marked segmental instability. Back pain associated with instability may be attributable to stress concentrations in degenerated discs.
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Comparative Study
A new stand-alone anterior lumbar interbody fusion device: biomechanical comparison with established fixation techniques.
Established lumbar fixation methods were assessed biomechanically, and a comparison was made with a new stand-alone anterior lumbar interbody cage device incorporating integrated anterior fixation. ⋯ The Test-device alone provided similar and the Test-device and TS higher stability than the pedicle screw constructs evaluated. These results support progression to clinical trials using the Test-device as a stand-alone implant.
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A cross section of Web sites accessible to the general public was surveyed. ⋯ The information about scoliosis on the Internet is of limited quality and poor information value. Although the majority of the Web sites were academic, the content quality and accuracy scores were still poor. The lowest scoring Web sites were the nonphysician professionals and the unidentified sites, which were often message boards. Overall, the highest scoring Web site related to both quality and accuracy of information was www.srs.org. This Web site was designed by the Scoliosis Research Society. The public and the medical communities need to be aware of these existing limitations of the Internet. Based on our review, the physician must assume primary responsibility of educating and counseling their patients.
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Comparative Study
The sensitivity and specificity of electrodiagnostic testing for the clinical syndrome of lumbar spinal stenosis.
Prospective, masked, double controlled diagnostic trial. ⋯ This first masked study in the 60-year history of needle electromyography also introduces anatomically validated needle placement, quantified and reproducible examination of the paraspinal muscles, and dual control populations to EDX research in spinal disorders. EDX has statistically significant, clinically meaningful specificity for spinal stenosis and detects neuromuscular diseases that may masquerade as stenosis.
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Comparative Study
Correlation of HR-MAS spectroscopy derived metabolite concentrations with collagen and proteoglycan levels and Thompson grade in the degenerative disc.
A quantitative high-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) NMR study of human lumbar discs was conducted to determine biomarkers of disc degeneration. ⋯ Changes in disc chemical composition can be accurately quantified using quantitative HR-MAS NMR spectroscopy ex vivo. This noninvasive method of qualitatively and quantitatively assessing disc degeneration supports the utility of these biomarkers and underlines the need for developing in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) for characterizing intervertebral disc degeneration.