Journal of orthopaedic science : official journal of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association
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There is no widely accepted objective evaluation for lumbar spine disorders. New outcome measures should be patient-oriented and should measure symptoms and self-reported functional status in multiple dimensions. The aim of this study was to identify items to be included in the disease-specific quality of life (QOL) questionnaire for the assessments of patients with lumbar spine disorders. ⋯ This study identified the 25 specific questionnaire items that should be included in the questionnaire to evaluate QOL of patients with various lumbar spine disorders.
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Comparative Study
Interrater reliability of identifying indicators of posterior ligamentous complex disruption when plain films are indeterminate in thoracolumbar injuries.
The Spine Trauma Study Group (STSG) has proposed a novel thoracolumbar injury classification system and score (TLICS) in an attempt to define traumatic spinal injuries and direct appropriate management schemes objectively. The TLICS assigns specific point values based on three variables to generate a final severity score that guides potential treatment options. Within this algorithm, significant emphasis has been placed on posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) integrity. The purpose of this study was to determine the interrater reliability of indicators surgeons use when assessing PLC disruption on imaging studies, including computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). ⋯ The interrater reliability of assessing diastasis of the facet joints on CT had fair to moderate agreement. The reliability of assessing the posterior edema-like signal in the region of PLC components was lower but also fair, whereas the reliability of identifying disrupted PLC components was poor.