Neurological recovery after early versus delayed surgical decompression for acute traumatic spinal cord injury.

The aim of this study was to determine whether early surgical treatment results in better neurological recovery 12 months after injury than late surgical treatment in patients with acute traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). Patients with tSCI requiring surgical spinal decompression presenting to 17 centres in Europe were recruited. Depending on the timing of decompression, patients were divided into early (≤ 12 hours after injury) and late (> 12 hours and < 14 days after injury) groups.

Orthopedic Interventions for Foot Deformities in Non-Ambulant People with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: A Retrospective Study on Indications, Post-Operative and Long-Term Outcomes.

Background: Progressive equinovarus deformities are common in people with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD); they may provoke pain, pressure spots, cause problems with wearing footwear, and may lead to an unstable sitting position.

Objective: Explore indications and compare complications and long-term outcomes after soft tissue and osseous interventions in people with DMD.

Methods: Retrospective, monocenter, longitudinal study.

Clinical relevance of occipital condyle fractures.

Context: No consensus about classification, treatment, and clinical relevance of occipital condyle fractures (OCFs) exists.

Aims: The aim of the study was to determine radiological, clinical, and functional outcome of OCFs and thereby determine its clinical relevance.

Settings And Design: This was a retrospective analysis of a prospective follow-up study.

Reliability, validity and responsiveness of the Dutch version of the AOSpine PROST (Patient Reported Outcome Spine Trauma).

Purpose: To validate the Dutch version of AOSpine PROST (Patient Reported Outcome Spine Trauma).

Methods: Patients were recruited from two level-1 trauma centers from the Netherlands. Next to the AOSpine PROST, patients also filled out SF-36 for concurrent validity.

[Dysphagia caused by osteophytes of the cervical spine].

Background: Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a systemic condition characterised by ossification of the ligaments around the spinal column due to unknown aetiology. This is often asymptomatic, but it can cause dysphagia in rare cases.

Case Description: A 64-year-old man was referred to the ENT department with progressive dysphagia symptoms he had had for years.

Recovery after traumatic thoracic- and lumbar spinal cord injury: the neurological level of injury matters.

Study Design: Multicenter prospective cohort.

Objective: To discern neurological- and functional recovery in patients with a traumatic thoracic spinal cord injury (TSCI), conus medullaris syndrome (CMS), and cauda equina syndrome (CES).

Setting: Specialized spinal cord injury centers in Europe.

Neurological recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury: what is meaningful? A patients' and physicians' perspective.

Study Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Objectives: Most studies on neurological recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) assess treatment effects using the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS grade) or motor points recovery. To what extent neurological recovery is considered clinically meaningful is unknown.

Highest ambulatory speed using Lokomat gait training for individuals with a motor-complete spinal cord injury: a clinical pilot study.

Background: Motor impairment and loss of ambulatory function are major consequences of a spinal cord injury (SCI). Exoskeletons are robotic devices that allow SCI patients with limited ambulatory function to walk. The mean walking speed of SCI patients using an exoskeleton is low: 0.

Pathogenesis of Idiopathic Ventral Herniation of Spinal Cord: Neuropathologic Analysis.

Background: Idiopathic ventral herniation of the spinal cord is rarely seen as a cause of gradually increasing neurologic deficit. Its cause has never been clarified. It could be the result of a developmental disorder at 30- to 60-day gestational age.

Discontinuous ventilator weaning of patients with acute SCI.

Study Design: Retrospective, single centre cohort study.

Objectives: To determine factors associated with ventilator weaning success and failure in patients with acute spinal cord injury (SCI); determine length of time and attempts required to wean from the ventilator successfully and determine the incidence of pneumonia.

Setting: BG Klinikum Hamburg, Level 1 trauma centre, SCI Department, Germany.

The diagnostic value of F-FDG-PET/CT and MRI in suspected vertebral osteomyelitis - a prospective study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing vertebral osteomyelitis.

Methods: From November 2015 until December 2016, 32 patients with suspected vertebral osteomyelitis were prospectively included. All patients underwent both F-FDG-PET/CT and MRI within 48 h.

The Pathogenesis of Ventral Idiopathic Herniation of the Spinal Cord: A Hypothesis Based on the Review of the Literature.

Idiopathic ventral herniation of the spinal cord (SC) is not often encountered in daily practice. Its clinical prevalence, however, will increase through increasing awareness and more frequent use of MRI. A clear explanation of its pathophysiology has never been formulated.

What's the best surgical treatment for patients with cervical radiculopathy due to single-level degenerative disease? A randomized controlled trial.

Background: To investigate the efficacy of adding supplemental fusion or arthroplasty after cervical anterior discectomy for symptomatic mono-level cervical degenerative disease (radiculopathy), which has not been substantiated in controlled trials until now.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial is reported with 9 years follow up comparing anterior cervical anterior discectomy without fusion, with fusion by cage standalone, or with disc prosthesis. Patients suffering from symptomatic cervical disk degeneration at one level referred to spinal sections of department of neurosurgery or orthopedic surgery of a large general hospital with educational facilities were eligible.

Substantial clinical benefit for Neck Disability Index revisited: establishing the goal for treatment?

Purpose: It is difficult for clinicians to inform patients about the success rate of a treatment as a cervical anterior discectomy procedure. Ideally, a proportion of good outcome as rated by patients is known. Patient-reported outcome measurements are helpful.

Ten Meters Walking Speed in Spinal Cord-Injured Patients: Does Speed Predict Who Walks and Who Rolls?

Background: Walking speed is assumed to be a key factor in regaining ambulation after spinal cord injury (SCI). However, from the literature it remains unclear which walking speed usually results in independent community ambulation.

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to determine at which walking speed SCI patients tend to walk in the community instead of using a wheelchair.

A New Craniothoracic Mattress for Immobilization of the Cervical Spine in Critical Care Patients.

Current immobilization techniques of the cervical spine are associated with complications including pressure ulcers, discomfort, and elevated intracranial pressures with limited access to the thorax and airway. In this study, a newly developed craniothoracic immobilizer (Pharaoh mattress) for critical care patients with cervical injury was tested for its restriction of cervical movement, peak interface pressures, comfort, and radiolucency, and compared with headblocks strapped to a spineboard. Cervical movement was measured by roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis in 5 fresh frozen cadavers.

Symptomatic Adjacent Segment Disease After Anterior Cervical Discectomy for Single-level Degenerative Disk Disease.

Study Design: A prospective cohort of 142 patients underwent either anterior cervical discectomy alone, anterior cervical discectomy with fusion by cage stand-alone, or anterior cervical discectomy with arthroplasty. We then followed up on their condition for a mean of 9.1±1.

Reporting the results of meta-analyses: a plea for incorporating clinical relevance referring to an example.

Background Context: The results of meta-analyses are frequently reported, but understanding and interpreting them is difficult for both clinicians and patients. Statistical significances are presented without referring to values that imply clinical relevance.

Purpose: This study aimed to use the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) to rate the clinical relevance of a meta-analysis.

Restriction of Cervical Intervertebral Movement With Different Types of External Immobilizers: A Cadaveric 3D Analysis Study.

Study Design: Cadaveric radiostereometric analysis study.

Objective: To quantify the ability of five commonly used immobilizers to restrict cervical spine movement, including intervertebral movement, in three directions.

Summary Of Background Data: Evidence about the ability of many clinically used cervical immobilizers to restrict cervical movement is limited.

The Qualification of Outcome after Cervical Spine Surgery by Patients Compared to the Neck Disability Index.

Objective: The Neck Disability Index (NDI) is a patient self-assessed outcome measurement tool to assess disability, and that is frequently used to evaluate the effects of the treatment of neck-related problems. In individualized medicine it is mandatory that patients can interpret data in order to choose a treatment. A change of NDI or an absolute NDI is generally meaningless to a patient.

A comparison of the diagnostic value of MRI and F-FDG-PET/CT in suspected spondylodiscitis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT scan) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing spondylodiscitis and its complications, such as epidural and paraspinal abscesses.

Methods: From January 2006 to August 2013 patients with a clinical suspicion of spondylodiscitis, with an infection, or with fever of unknown origin were retrospectively included if F-FDG-PET/CT and MRI of the spine were performed within a 2-week time span. Imaging results were compared to the final clinical diagnosis and follow-up data were collected.

The effect of radiotherapy, and radiotherapy combined with bisphosphonates or RANK ligand inhibitors on bone quality in bone metastases. A systematic review.

Purpose: The role of radiotherapy in stabilizing metastatic bones is unclear. This systematic review assessed the effects of (1) radiotherapy, (2) radiotherapy combined with bisphosphonates, and (3) radiotherapy combined with RANK ligand (RANKL) inhibitors on bone quality and bone strength in bone metastases originating from solid tumors.

Methods: Pubmed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library were searched.

The ability of external immobilizers to restrict movement of the cervical spine: a systematic review.

Purpose: To review the ability of various types of external immobilizers to restrict cervical spine movement.

Methods: With a systematical review of original scientific articles, data on range of motion, type of used external immobilization device and risk of bias were extracted. The described external immobilization devices were grouped and the mean restriction percentage and standard deviation were calculated.

Poor Radiological and Good Functional Long-term Outcome of Surgically Treated Scheuermann Patients.

Study Design: Cohort study.

Objective: To analyze long-term clinical and radiological outcomes of surgically treated Scheuermann patients.

Summary Of Background Data: Long-term clinical and radiological outcomes of surgery for Scheuermann kyphosis are unknown.