Spine
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Retrospective case series. ⋯ CSC visualized on MRI correlates poorly with the upper extremity reflex examination in patients with cervical myelopathy. Of the pathological reflexes, Hoffman sign has the strongest association with CSC, but still was only positive in 67% of cases. More sensitive clinical measures need to be developed to more accurately associate CSC detected on MRI to the clinical severity of cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
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Comparative Study
Outcomes of bracing in juvenile idiopathic scoliosis until skeletal maturity or surgery.
Retrospective comparative study. ⋯ The average age at diagnosis of 88 patients with JIS was 8.4 ± 1.4 years, with a female to male ratio of approximately 8:1. Pretreatment, Risser score was zero for 80 patients (91%); 72 (92%) of the females were premenarche; and primary Cobb angles ranged from 20° to 71°. Of the 88 patients, 60 (68%) had used a thoracolumbosacral orthosis exclusively; 28 (32%) patients used "other braces" (Milwaukee, Charleston, or a combination of braces), with an average treatment duration of 3.6 ± 1.9 years.As per Scoliosis Research Society definitions, a "non-curve-progression" (≤5° change) group consisted of 25 (28%) patients; and a "curve-progression" group consisted of 63 (72%) patients where the curve had progressed 6° or more.Of the 88 patients, 44 (50%) underwent surgery. The operative rate was higher for patients with curves 30° or more than those with curves 20° to 29° prior to brace treatment (37/58 [64%] vs. 7/30 [23%], respectively; P = 0.001); other braces compared with thoracolumbosacral orthosis (19/28 [68%] vs. 25/60 [42%], respectively; P = 0.02); Lenke I and III curves compared with Lenke VI curves (33/54 [61%] vs. 2/14 [14%], respectively; P = 0.007).
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A retrospective case series. ⋯ Scoliosis Research Society patient questionnaire-22 scores and radiographical parameters other than the correction rate were equivalent between the 2 groups. A short fusion strategy, in which the upper instrumented vertebra is 1-level caudal to the upper EV, is applicable to posterior correction and fusion surgery with pedicle-screw constructs for Lenke type 5C curves.
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Retrospective study. ⋯ Direct open posterior lumbar interbody fusions were done safely with statistically significant reduction in average pain and ODI scores. Surgical times were approximately 2 hours with minimal blood loss, allowing patients to be comfortably discharged the same day without a drain.
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A retrospective clinical study. ⋯ To a certain degree, the diaphragmatic compression and the visceral compression could be compensated for by turning to flattening or even developing into kyphosis of the lumbar lordosis before surgery, which could be corrected by a spinal osteotomy. Sagittal rotation of diaphragm in ankylosing spondylitis kyphosis could also be improved by a spinal osteotomy.