Enhancing the stability of anterior lumbar interbody fusion: a biomechanical comparison of anterior plate versus posterior transpedicular instrumentation.

Study Design: Biomechanical study using human cadaver spines.

Objective: To assess the stabilizing effect of a supplemental anterior tension band (ATB, Synthes) plate on L5-S1 anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) using a femoral ring allograft (FRA) under physiologic compressive preloads, and to compare the results with the stability achieved using FRA with supplemental transpedicular instrumentation.

Summary Of Background Data: Posterior instrumentation can improve the stability of ALIF cages.

Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve: an anatomic study.

The purpose of our study was to determine the location of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve and its branches at the inguinal ligament and proximal thigh. We think that further defining the location of the nerve and its branches based on certain measurements from known anatomic landmarks would enable us to determine a danger zone that could aid in preventing iatrogenic injury to the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. The anatomic course of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve was studied in 29 cadaver specimens and distances from various landmarks were recorded.

The failed total knee arthroplasty: evaluation and etiology.

Evaluation of a patient with a failed total knee arthroplasty begins with a detailed history of the index knee arthroplasty and with the patient's medical history. The nature of the complaint after arthroplasty can help determine the etiology of failure. The primary causes of failure of total knee arthroplasty are pain, postoperative stiffness, and instability.

Bone transport in the management of posttraumatic bone defects in the lower extremity.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and functional outcomes of traumatic bone defects of the lower extremity managed by internal bone transport using the Ilizarov technique.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 19 patients who underwent internal bone transport for traumatic bone defects in the lower extremity. Mean follow-up was 68.

Issues in surgical treatment of thoraco-lumbar injuries associated with spinal cord injuries in children and adolescents.

To evaluate standards of care in surgical treatment of thoracolumbar injuries (TLIs), we reviewed the cases of 79 surgically treated patients (39 males, 36 females) with TLIs and spinal cord injuries occurring from January 1985 to January 2000. We assessed radiographs of fracture-dislocation reductions; restorations of sagittal and coronal alignment of injured segments; instrumentation levels and strategies; operations, and reoperations. Mean age at time o f injury was 14.