Failure rates and complications of interspinous process decompression devices: a European multicenter study.

OBJECT Spacers placed between the lumbar spinous processes represent a promising surgical treatment alternative for a variety of spinal pathologies. They provide an unloading distractive force to the stenotic motion segment, restoring foraminal height, and have the potential to relieve symptoms of degenerative disc disease. The authors performed a retrospective, multicenter nonrandomized study consisting of 1108 patients to evaluate implant survival and failure modes after the implantation of 8 different interspinous process devices (IPDs).

Interspinous spacer decompression (X-STOP) for lumbar spinal stenosis and degenerative disk disease: a multicenter study with a minimum 3-year follow-up.

Interspinous distraction devices provide an effective treatment for patients suffering from lumbar spinal stenosis and/or degenerative disk disease. The aim of this multicenter study was the prospective evaluation of patients treated for symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis with interspinous process decompression (IPD) implants compared with a population of patients managed with conservative treatment. 542 patients affected by symptomatic lumbar spine degenerative disease were enrolled in a controlled trial.

Packing of intervertebral spaces with oxidized regenerated cellulose to prevent the recurrence of lumbar disc herniation.

Objective: To investigate the impact of packing of intervertebral spaces with oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC) on the incidence of recurrence of lumbar disc herniation (LDH).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 158 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for a newly diagnosed LDH and had a minimum of 18 months of follow-up. Single-level (151 patients) and two-level (7 patients) procedures accounted for 165 microdiscectomies.

Anterior cervical fusion with carbon fiber cage containing coralline hydroxyapatite: preliminary observations in 45 consecutive cases of soft-disc herniation.

Object: The purposes of bone substitutes for anterior cervical fusion (ACF) are immediate biomechanical support and osteointegration of the graft. The authors report their preliminary results in performing ACF in which carbon fiber cages (CFCs) containing coralline hydroxyapatite (HA) are used as bone substitute.

Methods: During a 24-month period, anterior microsurgical discectomy was performed in 45 consecutive patients for soft-disc cervical herniation.

Efficacy of the morphine-Adcon-L compound in the management of postoperative pain after lumbar microdiscectomy.

Objective: Epidural analgesia is a pharmacological technique for operative and postoperative pain control. It has been used with lumbar microdiscectomy to facilitate management of surgical pain, shorten patient recovery time, and increase patient satisfaction with the procedure and the hospital stay. Adcon-L (Gliatech, Inc.

Anterior pituitary adenomas in patients aged more than 65 years: analysis of growth fraction (using the MIB-1 monoclonal antibody) and of clinical features in comparison to younger patients.

Aims And Background: The incidence of pituitary adenomas (PA). in patients aged more than 65 years is relatively low. The goal of this study was to evaluate the growth fraction and the clinical features of PA affecting old patients and to compare the results to those of younger subjects.