The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society
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Up to a fifth of the patients who had discectomy undergo spinal fusion because of disabling low back pain. ⋯ In the context of postdiscectomy low back pain, PPLIF has proven, thus far, to be a safe procedure with improved clinical results.
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Lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (DD) precedes degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine. Various factors in addition to normal aging are reported to be associated with DD, and recently atherosclerosis and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (cardiovascular risk factors) have received much attention; however, the links between these risk factors and DD are unclear. ⋯ Aging, high BMI, high LDLc, occupational lifting, and sports activities are associated with DD. The results of this study raise our index of suspicion that cardiovascular risk factors and particular physical loading may contribute to DD; however additional studies are required to further investigate associations between DD and these factors.
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A growing population of patients with osteoporosis and fragility fractures has developed. Fragility fractures, including vertebral compression fractures, have been associated with increased mortality. Early operative interventions for patients sustaining hip fractures have been found to reduce mortality. ⋯ Kyphoplasty did not seem to effect the survival of patients with a vertebral compression fracture.