Systemic inflammatory response syndrome in patients with spinal cord injury: does its presence at admission affect patient outcomes? Clinical article.

Object: The object in this study was to determine whether the presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) on admission is related to subsequent clinical outcome in terms of length of stay (LOS), complications, and mortality.

Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed the charts of 193 patients with acute traumatic SCI who had been hospitalized at their institution between 2006 and 2012. Patients were excluded from analysis if they had insufficient SIRS data, a cauda equina injury, a previous SCI, a preexisting neurological condition, or a condition on admission that prevented appropriate neurological assessment.

Transient common peroneal nerve palsy following skeletal tibial traction in a morbidly obese patient - case report of a preventable complication.

Today, skeletal tibial traction remains a mainstay of initial management following high-energy, major orthopaedic lower extremity trauma. Historically utilized as definitive fracture management, recent advances in surgical technology have moved skeletal tibial traction into the realm of temporary management, with benefits including fracture reduction, pain relief, and restoration of disturbed surrounding soft tissues, lowering wound complication and compartment syndrome rates. However, no procedure is without its risks.

Endometriosis of the vastus lateralis muscle.

We report an unusual case of a woman who sought medical attention for a painful mass within her anterolateral left thigh. The patient's symptoms waxed and waned with her menses. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 3 cm mass isointense to muscle and surrounded by a rim of decreased signal intensity on T1-weighted images.

Effect of nicotine on spinal disc cells: a cellular mechanism for disc degeneration.

Study Design: Experimental investigation to determine the effect of nicotine on intervertebral spinal disc nucleus pulposus (NP) cells cultured in vitro. OBJECTIVES.: To evaluate the effects of nicotine on cell proliferation, extracellular matrix production, and viability of NP cells in three-dimensional alginate constructs cultured in vitro.