Articles: back-pain.
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To determine the value of "Low Back Pain Rating Scale" as a postal questionnaire, a retrospective study was undertaken of patients who had undergone first-time lumbar disc surgery 14-72 months previously. Rate of response was 86% (261/304). ⋯ Thirty-seven patients were receiving pensions in the postoperative period due to continued back pain. "Low Back Pain Rating Scale" used as a postal questionnaire was found to be useful in determining general overall assessment status in patients who had undergone lumbar surgery. This evaluation method could be used as a quality control in future studies regarding this patient group.
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Palliative medicine · Jan 1994
Case ReportsEpidural infection associated with epidural catheterization in a cancer patient with back pain: case report.
Single epidural injections of local anaesthetic/steroid mixtures and epidural catheterization are useful in controlling pain when other measures fail. However, epidural infection is a recognized risk of these procedures, but can be difficult to diagnose. This case report illustrates the complexity of diagnosis and management of epidural infection.
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Stereotact Funct Neurosurg · Jan 1994
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialA prospective, randomized study of spinal cord stimulation versus reoperation for failed back surgery syndrome: initial results.
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been reported to be effective treatment for the failed back surgery syndrome in a number of retrospective case series. Its retrospectively reported results compare favorably with those of neurosurgical treatment alternatives, such as reoperation and ablative procedures. There has been no direct prospective comparison, however, between SCS and other techniques for pain management. ⋯ The primary outcome measure is the frequency of crossover to the alternative procedure, if the results of the first have been unsatisfactory after 6 months. Results for the first 27 patients reaching the 6-month crossover point show a statistically significant (p = 0.018) advantage for SCS over reoperation. This is one of many potentially important outcome measures, which are to be followed long-term as a larger overall study population accrues.
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Chronic back pain is a major consumer of costly healthcare resources in the Western world. Patients' suffering affects their families and associates, leads to diminished self-confidence, and prevents their effective participation in the workplace. Although medical treatments and analgesics are generally successful in treating acute back pain, and some patients recover spontaneously, conventional approaches are less successful in dealing with chronic pain and may be contraindicated. ⋯ Part 2 provides a step-by-step description of how to incorporate basic psychological techniques and physical therapy procedures for chronic pain sufferers. Patient and therapist cooperate in operant activities, with the patient monitoring progress and carrying out regular home-work assignments as he or she seeks to perform target activities; applied relaxation encourages the patient to cope with pain by disrupting the connection between anxiety, despair, and pain. The techniques outlined are suitable for dealing with other musculoskeletal conditions as well as with chronic back pain.
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The pathophysiology of spinal stenosis and segmental instability is discussed. The critical magnitude of the cross-sectional area of the cauda equina in the lower part of the vertebral canal is related to the dynamic loading of the spine, nerve impulse conduction and nerve root nutrition. Present knowledge of segmental instability is discussed, and an account is given of findings obtained during dynamic measurements with an intervertebral motion device (IMD), which indicate pathological motion patterns to differ from one pair of vertebrae to another.