Spine
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
European comparison of costs and quality in the treatment of acute back pain.
Retrospective multicenter observational study. ⋯ There was considerable waste in treating acute back pain. The Netherlands had highest quality and lowest resource utilization in providing treatment for acute back pain.
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Comparative Study
Biomechanical comparison of transarticular facet screws to lateral mass plates in two-level instrumentations of the cervical spine.
In vitro biomechanical comparison of transarticular facet screws to lateral mass plates in two level instrumentations of the cervical spine. ⋯ This study proves that transarticular facet screws and lateral mass plates are equivalent in two-level instrumentations of the cervical spine. This is the first biomechanical study to test transarticular facet screws in this context.
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Inception cohort study. ⋯ During a period of 3 months, 24% of the patients had not recovered. Psychological factors and neurological signs were strongly associated with nonrecovery at 3 months. In addition to the traditional examination of neurological symptoms and signs, psychological factors should be considered already at the initial visit of an episode of low back pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The efficacy of corticosteroids in periradicular infiltration for chronic radicular pain: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial.
A randomized, double-blind controlled trial. ⋯ Clinical improvement occurred in both groups of patients. Corticosteroids did not provide additional benefit.
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Cross-sectional study of 37 patients to measure serum levels of nickel and chromium after posterior spinal arthrodesis using stainless steel implants. ⋯ Elevated levels of nickel and chromium can be measured after posterior instrumented spinal arthrodesis. The levels diminish rapidly with time from surgery but still remained above normal levels 4 years after surgery. Long-term implication of this metal ion exposure is unknown and should be studied further.