Emotion Regulation and Psychological Dependence on Pain Medication among Hospital Outpatients with Chronic Spinal Pain: The Influence of Rumination about Pain and Alexithymia.

: To examine the extent to which pain acceptance, pain catastrophising and alexithymia moderate associations between pain intensity and psychological pain medication dependence. : Participants (106 hospital outpatients with chronic spinal pain) completed the Leeds Dependence Questionnaire (LDQ) to measure psychological dependence on pain medication, and the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire-8 (CPAQ-8), the Pain Catastrophising Scale (PCS) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20), plus the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). : Multiple linear regression showed that degree of psychological dependence (measured dimensionally across the range of LDQ scores) was associated with TAS subscale difficulty identifying feelings (DIF) ( = 0.

Hospitalisation for degenerative cervical myelopathy in England: insights from the National Health Service Hospital Episode Statistics 2012 to 2019.

Purpose: Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is the most common cause of adult spinal cord dysfunction worldwide. However, the current incidence of DCM is poorly understood. The Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) database contains details of all secondary care admissions across NHS hospitals in England.

Cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections for radicular pain : a systematic review.

Aims: Cervical radiculopathy is a significant cause of pain and morbidity. For patients with severe and poorly controlled symptoms who may not be candidates for surgical management, treatment with transforaminal epidural steroid injections (CTFESI) has gained widespread acceptance. However, a paucity of high-quality evidence supporting their use balanced against perceived high risks of the procedure potentially undermines the confidence of clinicians who use the technique.

Patient-reported factors associated with degree of pain medication dependence and presence of severe dependence among spinal outpatients.

To identify risk factors for pain medication dependence. Chronic spinal pain outpatients (n = 106) completed the Leeds Dependence Questionnaire (LDQ) and measures of potential risk factors. Participants with high (n = 3) and low (n = 3) dependence were interviewed.

The Relative Merits of Posterior Surgical Treatments for Multi-Level Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy Remain Uncertain: Findings from a Systematic Review.

Objectives: To assess the reporting of study design and characteristics in multi-level degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) treated by posterior surgical approaches, and perform a comparison of clinical and radiographic outcomes between different approaches.

Methods: A literature search was performed in Embase and MEDLINE between 1995-2019 using a sensitive search string combination. Studies were selected by predefined selection criteria: Full text articles in English, with >10 patients (prospective) or >50 patients (retrospective), reporting outcomes of multi-level DCM treated by posterior surgical approach.

Facet joint cyst haematoma: a rare cause of cauda equina syndrome.

Facet joint cysts are a feature of lumbar spondylosis and are an uncommon cause of radiculopathy. Facet joint cyst haematoma is a very rare entity and has previously been reported as a subacute cause of leg pain, back pain, sensory deficit and lower limb weakness. We present the unique case of facet joint cyst haematoma presenting as cauda equina syndrome.

Advancing spinal fellowship training: an international multi-centre educational perspective.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to review the importance of contemporary spine surgery fellowships and educational strategies to assist with fellowship design and delivery.

Methods: Spine surgery fellowship includes trainees from orthopaedic and neurosurgical backgrounds and is increasingly indicated for individuals wishing to pursue spine surgery as a career, recognizing how spinal surgery evolved significantly in scope and complexity. We combine expert opinion with a review of the literature and international experience to expound spine fellowship training.

The Importance of Determining Trainee Perspectives on Procedural Competencies During Spine Surgery Clinical Fellowship.

Study Design: Longitudinal survey.

Objective: It remains important to align competence-based objectives for training as deemed important by clinical fellows to those of their fellowship supervisors and program educators. The primary aim of this study was to determine trainee views on the relative importance of specific procedural training competencies.

Closure of the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc using a novel suture application device-in vivo porcine and ex vivo biomechanical evaluation.

Background Context: Defects in the annulus fibrosus (AF) remain a challenge in the surgical treatment of lumbar disc herniations with persistent defects, allowing potential re herniation of nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue. A cervical porcine model was chosen to simulate human lumbar intervertebral disc (IVD).

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the technical feasibility of closure of the AF of the IVD using a novel minimally invasive Kerrison-shaped suture application device.

Corpectomy with adjacent-level kyphoplasty to treat metastatic lung cancer in three contiguous cervical vertebrae causing focal neurologic compromise.

Study Design Case report. Objectives Decompression of metastatic spinal cord compression has been shown to improve quality of life and prolong ambulation in patients undergoing palliative treatment. We report a case of metastatic cervical myelopathy treated with a combined approach using corpectomy and stabilization together with balloon kyphoplasty to allow adequate decompression and immediate stability in a patient with significant destruction of adjacent vertebral bodies.