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
-
The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the outcome of surgical decompression for spinal stenosis in diabetic and non-diabetic elderly patients. This is a retrospective chart analysis conducted in a university affiliated referral hospital. The participants were consecutive patients, age 65 and older, undergoing laminectomy for spinal stenosis during 1990-2000. ⋯ It is concluded that surgical treatment of elderly diabetic patients suffering from spinal stenosis improves BADL and ameliorates pain, but the results remain worse than those observed in non-diabetics. The outcome of diabetic patients depends upon the presence of other comorbidities, concurrent diabetic neuropathy, duration of diabetes and insulin treatment. Successful postoperative pain reduction remained the strongest factor associated with patients' satisfaction.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Effectiveness of behavioral graded activity after first-time lumbar disc surgery: short term results of a randomized controlled trial.
Behavioral approaches to treating patients following lumbar disc surgery are becoming increasingly popular. The treatment method is based on the assumption that pain and pain disability are not only influenced by somatic pathology, if found, but also by psychological and social factors. A recent study highlighted the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral interventions, as compared to no treatment, for chronic low back patients. ⋯ For Global Perceived Effect there was a borderline statistically significant difference to the advantage of the UC group. On functional status and all other outcome measures there were no relevant differences between interventions. The number of re-operations was negligible, indicating that it is safe to exercise after first-time disc surgery.
-
This study aimed to evaluate the use of mobility-provocation radiostereometry (RSA) in anterior cervical spine fusions and compare the results to deformation studies on the same patients and plain flexion-extension radiographs. Mobility-provocation RSA was used to evaluate anterior cervical spine fusions in 45 patients. The motions recorded at 3 and 12 months postoperatively were compared to RSA measurements of deformation of the fusion over time and to plain flexion-extension radiographs in the same patients taken 3 months postoperatively. ⋯ The corresponding 95% and 99% confidence limits for the difference between the two methods were 5.8 degrees and 7.2 degrees. The study showed that the use of mobility-provocation RSA did not add any information over that obtained by deformation RSA studies. Conventional radiography is too inaccurate to measure inducible displacement in this patient population.
-
The role of spinal implants in the presence of infection is critically discussed. In this study 20 patients with destructive vertebral osteomyelitis were surgically treated with one-stage posterior instrumentation and fusion and anterior debridement, decompression and anterior column reconstruction using an expandable titanium cage filled with morsellised autologous bone graft. The patients' records and radiographs were retrospectively analysed and follow-up clinical and radiographic data obtained. ⋯ Patient-perceived disability caused by back pain averaged 7.9 (range 0-22) in the Roland-Morris score at follow-up. In cases of vertebral osteomyelitis with severe anterior column destruction the use of titanium cages in combination with posterior instrumentation is effective and safe and offers a good alternative to structural bone grafts. Further follow-up is necessary to confirm these early results.
-
The objective of this cross-sectional study was to study associations between low back pain (LBP) and modes of transport to school and leisure activities among adolescents. The study population included all adolescents in eighth and ninth grade in two geographic areas in eastern Norway. Eighty-eight adolescents participated (mean age 14.7 years), making the response rate 84%. ⋯ Walking/bicycling more than 8 km weekly to regular activities was inversely associated with LBP in multivariate analysis (OR 0.3; 95% confidence interval 0.1-1.0). No associations were found between passive journeys and LBP. The results raise the question for future research of whether lack of active transport may be one cause behind the increase in juvenile LBP.