European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
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Reporting financial disclosures has become standard practice in both journal publications and during oral forum at scientific meetings. Despite this, the effect of reporting a financial disclosure of any member of an authorgroup, on the tone of the conclusion of an article has gained little attention. This study was performed to determine what effect reporting a financial disclosure has on the conclusion of an article. ⋯ Reporting a financial disclosure is a potential source of bias. Authors with disclosed financial relationships less often publish articles with a neutral/negative conclusion. This source of bias should certainly be taken into account during the critical appraisal of articles, particularly when the quality of the literature is being assessed.
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Analyzing and comparing the range of motion and movement pattern of subjects who underwent an anterior cervical fusion using trabecular metal with control subjects. ⋯ Subjects who have an anterior cervical fusion with trabecular metal show significant quantitative as well as qualitative differences in cervical kinematics during active axial rotation and lateral bending compared to control subjects.
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As a powerful bone-inducing cytokine, rhBMP-2 has been used as a bone graft substitute in combination with animal-derived collagen to achieve interbody or posterolateral spinal fusion. Successful interspinous process fusion using rhBMP-2 in combination with synthetic carrier materials would offer a safe, minimally invasive spinal fusion option for the treatment of spinal disorders. The aims of the present study were to achieve interspinous process fusion by implanting rhBMP-2-retaining degradable material instead of bone grafting and to evaluate efficacy for vertebral stabilization. ⋯ Solid interspinous process fusion was achieved in rabbit models by 8 weeks after implanting the biodegradable bone-inducing material. These results suggest a potential new less-invasive option without bone grafting for the treatment of lumbar disorders.