Spine
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Reanalysis of data derived from longitudinal cohort studies. ⋯ We recommend the 5-item CWOM as a brief clinical measure for whiplash because it is quick to administer and score, and has excellent measurement properties. The CWOM may need to be supplemented with other questionnaires (e.g., when assessment of psychological or emotional health is required).
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Peridural methylprednisolone and wound infiltration with bupivacaine for postoperative pain control after posterior lumbar spine surgery: a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial.
A randomized, double-blind placebo controlled trial in multimodal analgesia for postoperative pain was conducted. ⋯ Administration of methylprednisolone-bupivacaine provided a favorable effect immediately after posterior lumbosacral spine surgery for discectomy, decompression, and/or spinal fusion without complication.
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We present the positional magnetic resonance imaging findings of a prospective case series of patients undergoing surgery with the Dynesys spinal stabilization device (Zimmer, Inc., Warsaw, IN). ⋯ In vivo, the Dynesys Stabilization System allows movement at the instrumented level, albeit reduced, with no significant increased mobility at the adjacent segments. There was reduction of the anterior disc height without a significant increase of the posterior disc height.
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In vitro studies of the effects of proinflammatory cytokines on the production of nerve growth factor (NGF) by human intervertebral disc (IVD) cells. ⋯ Our results demonstrate, for the first time, that human AF and NP cells constitutively express NGF protein and mRNA, and that the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta and TNF-alpha stimulate the production of NGF. The precise role of NGF produced by IVD cells in the generation of discogenic pain or on the metabolism of IVD cells, especially under certain physiologic conditions in which cytokines are up-regulated, needs to be clarified in future experimentation.
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Retrospective review of the medical, radiographic, surgical, and postoperative records of patients who underwent resection of multilevel intradural extramedullary spinal cord tumors of the ventral cervical and cervicothoracic spine via a modified paramedian transpedicular approach at the University of California, San Francisco, between 2003 and 2005. ⋯ The modified paramedian transpedicular approach with partial dorsal corpectomy we describe here is a variation of traditional thoracic posterolateral transpedicular extracavitary approaches and offers direct access to lesions of the ventral cervicothoracic spinal canal. This approach avoids the morbidity of anterior transcervical, transoral, or transthoracic procedures, while providing a view of the entire ventral cervicothoracic canal, and can be performed safely and effectively in select patients.