The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society
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Increasing evidence suggests transplanting viable cells into the degenerating intervertebral disc (IVD) may be effective in treating disc degeneration and back pain. Clinical studies utilizing autologous or allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells to treat patients with back pain have reported some encouraging results. Animal studies have shown that cells injected into the disc can survive for months and have regenerative effects. Studies to determine the advantages and disadvantages of cell types and sources for therapy are needed. ⋯ This study showed that cell transplantation with nHDF into degenerated IVDs can significantly increase markers of disc regeneration (disc height, collagen type I and II gene expression, and proteoglycan contents). Transplantation with RDFs showed similar regenerative trends, but these trends were not significant. This study also showed that the human cells transplanted into the rabbit discs did not induce a higher immune response than the rabbit cells. These results support that the IVD is immune privileged and would tolerate allogeneic or xenogeneic grafts.
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Validity and responsiveness of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) have been investigated in several orthopaedic subspecialties. PROMIS has shorter completion time and greater research flexibility for the heterogeneous adult spinal deformity (ASD) population versus the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Scoliosis Research Society 22-item questionnaire (SRS-22r). ⋯ Our results indicate that PROMIS is a valid measure with comparable responsiveness to that of the SRS-22r and ODI during the early period after ASD surgery. However, a domain that reflects how ASD patients perceive their self-image should be developed and validated.
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The concept of dynamic stabilization (DS) of the lumbar spine for treatment of degenerative instability has been introduced almost two decades ago. Dynamic stabilization follows the principle of controlling movement in the coronal plane by providing load transfer of the spinal segment without fusion and, at the same time, reducing side effects such as adjacent segment disease (ASD). So far, only little is known about revision rates after DS due to ASD and screw loosening (SL). ⋯ Reoperation rates after DS of the lumbar spine are comparable with rigid fixations. The younger the patient and the more segments are involved, the lower the LL and the more previous surgeries were found, the higher was the risk of revision. Risk of revision was almost twice as high in men compared with women. We therefore conclude that for clear clinical indication and careful evaluation of preoperative imaging data, DS using the Cosmic system seems to be a possible option. The presented data will help to further tailor indication and patient selection.
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Epidural steroid injection has been used to treat back or radicular pain from lumbar and lumbosacral disc herniation (LDH). However, the superiority of transforaminal injection (TFESI) to caudal injection (CESI) remains controversial. ⋯ Comprehensive reviews of selected articles revealed better clinical benefits with TFESI than with CESI, possibly because TFESI had the ability to deliver medication directly into the target area. Because of a low level of evidence and no significant results on meta-analysis, TFESI could be weakly recommended over CESI.
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Distal junctional kyphosis (DJK) is a primary concern of surgeons correcting cervical deformity. Identifying patients and procedures at higher risk of developing this condition is paramount in improving patient selection and care. ⋯ In a surgical cohort of patients with cervical deformity, we found a 23.8% incidence of DJK. Different procedures and patient malalignment predicted incidence of DJK up to 1 year. Preoperative T1 slope-cervical lordosis, cervical kyphosis, SVA, and cervical lordosis all strongly predicted DJK at specific cut-off points. Knowledge of these factors will potentially help direct future study and strategy aimed at minimizing this potentially dramatic occurrence.