Qualitative Evaluation of Paraspinal Musculature After Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression: A Prospective Study.

Background: To quantify fatty infiltration and degree of paraspinal muscle degeneration in patients submitted to tubular microdiscectomy and conventional open microdiscectomy.

Methods: A prospective cohort of patients was submitted to microdiscectomy for lumbar disc herniation after failure of conservative treatment. Selection of the technique was based on the surgeon's preference.

Bacterial identification in herniated intervertebral discs: a prospective cohort study.

Background Context: Reports of Cutibacterium acnes isolated in cultures of intervertebral disc samples suggest it as possibly responsible for inflammatory conditions causing Modic changes on spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Purpose: Our objective was to investigate the prevalence of C. acnes in samples of intervertebral disc of patients with lumbar disc herniation; to investigate prognostic factors and the relationship of Modic changes with infection 1 year after microdiscectomy.

ACE I/D polymorphism is a risk factor for the clinical severity of COVID-19 in Brazilian male patients.

Background: The renin-angiotensin system is potentially involved in the pathogen-host interaction in the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, since the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) 2 serves as a receptor for the virus. The impact of the pandemic in specific regions and ethnic groups highlights the importance of investigating genetic factors that disrupt the balance of the system in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially in genes with ethnic frequency variations. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the influence of the ACE I/D polymorphism on the incidence and severity of COVID-19 in a sample of the Brazilian population.

Low Back Pain in Medical Students and Professors During the Pandemic: Retrospective Cohort Study.

 This study aimed to determine the prevalence of low back pain before and during the pandemic, comparing both periods.  A questionnaire was administered, containing questions about the presence of low back pain, sociodemographic characteristics and environmental factors that could be related to such pain.  Among the 978 responses obtained, the prevalence of low back pain during the pandemic was 69.

Quality assessment of systematic reviews of surgical treatment of cervical spine degenerative diseases: an overview.

Objective: To gather all systematic reviews of surgical treatment of degenerative cervical diseases and assess their quality, conclusions and outcomes.

Methods: A literature search for systematic reviews of surgical treatment of degenerative cervical diseases was conducted. Studies should have at least one surgical procedure as an intervention.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) to determine microbiome of herniated intervertebral disc.

Background Context: There is apparent causality between chronic infection of the intervertebral disc and its degenerative process. Although disc is considered a sterile tissue, collected samples of uninfected patients sent to culture testing resulted positive.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the microbiome of the intervertebral disc by using and validating the next-generation sequencing (NGS) molecular test, controlled with tissue culture and clinical presentation of patients.

Infection after Lumbosacral Arthrodesis with a PEEK TLIF Interbody Fusion Device: Case Report.

Spondylodiscitis is an uncommon but serious complication after spine surgeries, and its main etiologic agent is . Fungal infections are rare and mostly caused by . We report the clinical case of a 69-year-old male patient who underwent a L2-S1 arthrodesis for degenerative scoliosis correction.

Posttraumatic Arachnoid Cyst in the Thoracic Spine with Medullary Compression: Case Report.

Arachnoid cysts are rare; they can occur at all levels of the dural sac, and can have a congenital, traumatic, iatrogenic or inflammatory origin. In the present article, we report a patient presenting a compressive thoracic myelopathy due to an unusual intradural arachnoid cyst with posttraumatic manifestation and its resolution, in addition to a literature review on the subject. These cysts mainly occur at the thoracic spine, followed by the lumbar, lumbosacral and thoracolumbar spines.

TRANSFORAMINAL INTERSOMATIC LUMBAR ARTHRODESIS: COMPARISON BETWEEN AUTOGRAFT AND CAGE IN PEEK.

Objective: To compare the postoperative outcomes of transforaminal intersomatic lumbar arthrodesis with structured iliac bone autograft and PEEK device.

Methods: The total of 93 medical records of patients undergoing transforaminal intersomatic fusion between January 2012 and July 2017 with at least 1 year of postoperative follow-up, with complete medical record, containing clinical file and radiological exams, were reviewed.

Results: From the medical records evaluated, 48 patients underwent the procedure with structured iliac autograft (group 1) and 45 with PEEK device (group 2).

Degenerative Cervical Disorder-Stand-alone Cage Versus Cage and Cervical Plate: A Systematic Review.

Study Design: Systematic review.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes following discectomy and anterior cervical fusion for the treatment of cervical degenerative disorder performed with stand-alone cages and anterior cervical plates.

Methods: Electronic searches were performed in the MEDLINE, LILACS, and Cochrane Systematic Reviews databases, according to PRISMA guidelines, with no language or date restriction.

Medical Interns and COVID-19: results of national research.

OBJECTIVE Assess the impact of COVID-19 on medical students' internships in public and private institutions in Brasil, in addition to estimating the quality of the measures taken by their respective Universities in the face of the problem and the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE). METHODS A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative analysis study carried out with 317 students undergoing medical internship from March 31, 2020, to April 12, 2020. The survey was conducted through an online questionnaire using the SurveyMonkey tool with 20 questions.

Inadequacies of musculoskeletal medicine curriculum for undergraduate medical students: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders account for up to one in four of general-practice consultations and almost one third of complaints in primary-care clinical practice. However, an insufficient amount of time and importance is given to their teaching in most medical schools.

Objective: To evaluate the acquisition of musculoskeletal competences in our institution, in order to identify flaws and propose changes to correct and improve the musculoskeletal curriculum.

Molecular alterations of human lumbar yellow ligament related to the process of intervertebral disk degeneration and stenosis.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to analyze the layers of yellow ligament in lumbar canal stenosis and disk herniation.

Methods: Eighteen ligaments were harvested from patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis. Twenty-nine normal samples from lumbar spine disk herniation patients served as control.

Home-based exercise therapy for treating non-specific chronic low back pain.

Objective: To evaluate pain, functional capacity, and quality of life of patients with non-specific chronic low back pain, after home-based exercise therapy with different kinds of supervision.

Method: Thirty individuals of both gender, between 18 and 65 years old, performed the proposed exercises three times a week, for eight weeks. Group A (N = 17) performed the exercises after a single supervised session.

Assessment of fatty infiltration of the multifidus muscle in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis through evaluation by magnetic resonance imaging compared with histological analysis: a diagnostic accuracy study.

To evaluate fat infiltration in the multifidus muscle close to the scoliotic curve as seen in MRI compared with the histological evaluation in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). The evaluation of fatty infiltration in the multifidus muscle of patients with AIS by MRI was compared with biopsy. Fatty infiltration was greater in concave side than in the convex side in both MRI (P=0.

Changes in human intervertebral disc biochemical composition and bony end plates between middle and old age.

Objective: This study evaluates molecular, nutritional and biochemical alterations in human intervertebral discs between middle and old age.

Methods: Twenty-eight human lumbar intervertebral discs from donors were evaluated and separated into two groups: Middle-aged (35-50 years old, relatively non-degenerate discs of Pfirrmann grades 1-3, n = 15) and Old-aged (≥80 years old, all degenerate Pfirrmann grade 4 or 5, n = 13). Parameters which might be expected to to be related to nutrient supply and so the health of disc cells (eg the porosity of the vertebral endplate, cell viability and cell density) and to disc extracellular composition (ie quantification of glycosaminoglycan disaccharides and hyaluronic acid molecular weight) and collagen organization, were analyzed.

Subclinical infection estimation in the intervertebral disc (SPInE-ID): protocol for a prospective cohort.

Introduction: Low back pain and vertebral endplate abnormalities are common conditions within the population. Subclinical infection caused by indolent pathogens can potentially lead to these findings, with differentiation between them notably challenging from a clinical perspective. Progressive infection of the intervertebral disc has been extensively associated with increasing low back pain, with specifically implicated with in relation to sciatica.

Assessment of a Learning Strategy among Spine Surgeons.

Study Design: Pilot test, observational study.

Objective: To evaluate objectively the knowledge transfer provided by theoretical and practical activities during AOSpine courses for spine surgeons.

Methods: During two AOSpine principles courses, 62 participants underwent precourse assessment, which consisted of questions about their professional experience, preferences regarding adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) classification, and classifying the curves by means of the Lenke classification of two AIS clinical cases.

Paracoccidioidomycosis in the spine: case report and review of the literature.

Context:: Paracoccidioidomycosis is a systemic form of mycosis that spreads hematogenously, secondarily to reactivation of lung infection or infection at another site or to new exposure to the causative agent. Few cases of bone involvement have been reported in the literature and involvement of the spine is extremely rare.

Case Report:: We describe a case of a 68-year-old male patient with spondylodiscitis at the levels L4-L5 caused by presence of the fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, which was diagnosed through percutaneous biopsy.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: current concepts on neurological and muscular etiologies.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a frequent disease but its etiology remains unknown. Gender prevalence in females is already known and there are many suggested hypotheses to explain its origin and manifestation, like associated neurologic, muscular and connective tissue disorders. Literature reports have tried to analyze disease prevalence in selected populations, possible ways of inheritance, related genes location and their polymorphisms, which may play a role in the development of the deformity.

Ionic and biochemical characterization of bovine intervertebral disk.

Introduction: Intervertebral disks have been associated with low back pain, and many therapies have been proposed for its treatment. The cellular and molecular knowledge of intervertebral disks composition and precise methods to quantify disk components are important for any type of proposed therapy. Thus, the aim of this study was to correlate glycosaminoglycans presence with the quantitation of cells, ions and collagen fiber distributions in different intervertebral disk sections.

Quality assessment of systematic reviews for surgical treatment of low back pain: an overview.

Background Context: Low back pain is one of the most frequent reasons for medical appointments. Surgical treatment is widely controversial, and new surgical techniques and treatment modalities have been developed within the last decade. Treatment for low back pain should be evidence-based through systematic reviews and meta-analysis.

Options for surgical treatment of cervical fractures in patients with spondylotic spine: a case series and review of the literature.

Introduction: The surgical treatment of unstable cervical fractures is challenging for spinal surgeons. Unstable cervical fractures associated with spondyloarthropathy and deformities that alter function, form and stability present a greater challenge. Having multiple options to manage this difficult situation is important to all spine surgeons and the results of each case depends on the singular characteristics of patients.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis without limb weakness: a differential diagnosis of core myopathy?

Background: Core myopathies are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of congenital myopathies with the common defined histopathological feature of focally reduced oxidative activity on muscle biopsy. It has a low incidence, however, recent articles show broad clinical spectrum, suggesting that the real incidence should be considerably larger than previously described. Due to the important association between scoliosis and paravertebral muscle imbalance, numerous authors study, by biopsy of the spinal rotator muscles, potential changes that may elucidate the etiology of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.