The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society
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Multicenter Study
Two-year fusion and clinical outcomes in 224 patients treated with a single-level instrumented posterolateral fusion with iliac crest bone graft.
Reported fusion rates for spine fusions using iliac crest bone graft (ICBG) vary between 40% and 100% because of different fusion techniques, patient comorbidity, diagnosis and assessment criteria. ⋯ In a large series of patients who had primary single-level instrumented posterolateral fusion with ICBG, evidence of bridging bone on fine-cut CT scans improved with time to 83.9% at 24 months. Significant improvement from baseline was noted in all clinical outcome measures at all time intervals with 75% achieving minimum clinically important difference (MCID) for ODI and 66% achieving MCID for SF-36 PCS.
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Low back pain (LBP) is associated with high health-care utilization and lost productivity. Numerous interventions are routinely used, although few are supported by strong evidence. Cost utility analyses (CUAs) may be helpful to inform decision makers. ⋯ Few CUAs were identified for LBP, and there was heterogeneity in the interventions compared, direct cost components measured, indirect costs, other methods, and results. Reporting quality was mixed. Currently published CUAs do not provide sufficient information to assist decision makers. Future CUAs should attempt to measure all known direct cost components relevant to LBP, estimate indirect costs such as lost productivity, have a follow-up period sufficient to capture meaningful changes, and clearly report methods and results to facilitate interpretation and comparison.
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Review Case Reports
En bloc resection of primary tumors of the cervical spine: report of two cases and systematic review of the literature.
Survival data and rates of recurrence after en bloc resection for cervical spinal tumors are limited to single case reports and small case series, making the true risk of recurrence after this procedure unknown. ⋯ In this systematic review of the literature, en bloc resection provided good disease-free survival rates in patients with primary tumors of the cervical spine. However, there are insufficient data on long-term subjective outcomes in these patients, and larger series are needed to determine the efficacy compared with piecemeal resection techniques. Other investigators should be encouraged to publish their results so that combined analyses like these may be performed with larger sample sizes.
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Case Reports
A novel alternative for removal of the AxiaLif (TranS1) in the setting of pseudarthrosis of L5-S1.
Minimally invasive spine surgery continues to be a growing trend for orthopedic and neurosurgical spinal interventions. Technological advances have allowed surgeons to perform L5-S1 fusions via posterolateral or anterior approaches through less invasive techniques. The development of the AxiaLIF system (TranS1, Inc., Wilmington, NC) is predicated on the application of minimally invasive techniques to attain fusion at L5-S1 and L4-S1 levels with a novel corridor of approach, described as the presacral "safe zone." ⋯ This novel technique of avoiding a scarred down presacral corridor in the hands of surgeons unfamiliar with the technique allows for safe removal of the AxiaLif (TranS1) implant coupled with revision to anterior lumbar interbody fusion through the same incision.
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Lumbar facet joint synovial cysts are benign degenerative abnormalities of the lumbar spine. Previous reports have supported operative and nonoperative management. Facet joint steroid injection with cyst rupture is occasionally performed, but there has been no systematic evaluation of this treatment option. ⋯ This study presents the largest clinical series of nonsurgical treatment for lumbar facet joint synovial cysts. Lumbar facet joint steroid injection with attempted cyst rupture is correlated with avoiding subsequent surgery in half of treated patients. Successful cyst rupture does not appear to have added benefit, and it was associated with worse disability 3 years postinjection. Long-term outcomes are similar, regardless of subsequent surgery.