Spine
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The authors investigated gait abnormalities and mechanical hypersensitivity associated with invertebral disc herniation in a rat model of radiculopathy. Further evaluation involved assessing how nucleus pulposus (NP) injury affected systemic cytokine expression and molecular changes at the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). ⋯ This model of radiculopathy provides evidence of altered gait in a model of noncompressive disc herniation. Systemic inflammation was absent, but mechanical allodynia, local inflammation, and autoreactive immune activation were observed. Future work will involve therapeutic interventions to rescue animals from the phenotype of inflammatory radiculopathy.
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Prospective longitudinal study, mean follow-up period; 11.7 +/- 0.8 years was conducted from 1995 to 2007. ⋯ Progression of degeneration of cervical spine on MRI was frequently observed during 10-year period, with development of symptoms in 34% of subjects. No factor related to progression of degeneration of cervical spine was identified except for age.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Magnetic resonance imaging interpretation in patients with symptomatic lumbar spine disc herniations: comparison of clinician and radiologist readings.
Retrospective review of imaging data from a clinical trial. ⋯ Radiology reports frequently fail to provide sufficient detail to describe disc herniation morphology. Agreement between MRI readings by clinical spine specialists and radiologists was excellent when comparing herniation vertebral level and location within level, but only fair comparing herniation morphology.
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Retrospective population-based cohort study. ⋯ Analgesic-related deaths are responsible for more deaths and more potential life lost among workers who underwent lumbar fusion than any other cause. Risk of analgesic-related death was especially high among young and middle-aged workers with degenerative disc disease.
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A case of a 3-part fracture of the axis combining an odontoid dens and a hangman fracture is reported. ⋯ This single time procedure was able to achieve primary stability of the fractures of the axis and offers the possibility of an early mobilization of the patient with a good outcome. This approach allowed a better preservation of the cervical range of motion compared with a classic posterior fusion.