Oral opioid analgesics vs. spinal steroid injections in the treatment of low back pain syndromes.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the outcomes related to analgesia, function, mortality, and adverse effects of oral opioid analgesics and spinal steroid injections on low back pain syndromes.

Design: Databases including Medline, EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane Library were searched in September 2009 using combinations of terms related to spinal pain and its treatment. A systematic review was performed of randomized controlled trials that enrolled patients with low back pain syndromes and that evaluated patient outcomes after intervention using either oral opioids or spinal steroid injections.

Inpatient rehabilitation after deep brain stimulator placement: a case series.

This case series describes the inpatient rehabilitation of two medically complex patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) who had undergone deep brain stimulator (DBS) placement. Most patients may not require inpatient rehabilitation. However, a short rehabilitation stay might be of use to patients who need to be weaned off medications or who need frequent adjustments of their deep brain stimulators.