Journal of orthopaedic science : official journal of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Epidural neuroplasty versus physiotherapy to relieve pain in patients with sciatica: a prospective randomized blinded clinical trial.
Epidural neuroplasty seems to be one of the promising minimally invasive techniques for adhesiolysis in patients with chronic sciatica with or without low back pain. However, because no data exist from randomized studies the aim was to investigate whether this procedure is superior to conservative treatment with physiotherapy. ⋯ Epidural neuroplasty results in significant alleviation of pain and functional disability in patients with chronic low back pain and sciatica based on disc protrusion/prolapse or failed back surgery on a short-term basis as well as at 12 months of follow-up.
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A few studies have reported the relation between the atlantoaxial (C1/2) angle and cervical alignment (C2-C7) angle after a Magerl and Brooks (M&B) surgical procedure to treat atlantoaxial subluxation (AAS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, no study has examined an optimum preoperative C1/2 angle reduction. We aimed to assess the relation between the C1/2 angle reduction and the C2-C7 angle change in patients with progressive RA who underwent the M&B procedure. ⋯ Surgeons performing the M&B procedure need to select patients carefully and avoid complete or overreduction of the C1/2 angle to prevent serious postoperative SAS and myelopathy.