Spine
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Prospective validity study. ⋯ Based on these findings, we recommend use of live fluoroscopy to observe dynamic contrast flow during transforaminal epidural steroid injections.
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An immature bovine model was used to evaluate multilevel anterolateral flexible tethering in a growing spine. ⋯ Tethering resulted in vertebral wedging while maintaining spinal flexibility. Although changes in proteoglycan synthesis, collagen type distribution, and disc thickness were observed, the tethered discs had similar water content to control discs and did not demonstrate gross morphologic signs of degeneration. Growth modulation is an attractive treatment option for growing patients with scoliosis, avoiding multilevel fusions or brace wear. Strategies for fusionless scoliosis correction should preserve disc health, as adolescent patients will rely on these discs for decades after treatment.
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A retrospective clinical study. ⋯ The treatment of fixed cervical kyphosis with myelopathy using circumferential spinal osteotomies and instrumented reconstruction is technically demanding; however, restoration and maintenance of a neutral or lordotic cervical profile and excellent clinical outcomes are achievable.
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A retrospective evaluation of diffusion-weighted imaging, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps, and T2-weighted images in patients with cervical compression myelopathy. ⋯ ADC maps demonstrated internal changes in the early stages of chronic spinal cord compression, but had limitations for the detection of intramedullary changes in late-stage myelopathy.
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Cross-sectional retrospective review of 539 patients with lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). ⋯ Lumbar interspinous bursitis (Baastrup disease) is uncommon but not infrequent in symptomatic patients undergoing lumbar spine MRI. Patients with MRI evident Baastrup disease tend to be older, have central canal stenosis, bulging discs, and anterolisthesis. Further investigations determining the clinical significance of this finding are necessary.