Does Older Age Affect the Likelihood to Achieve Normal Quality of Life After Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury? A Prospective Observational Cohort Study.

Previous studies suggest that health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is impaired after a traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) and may be worse with older age. This study determines whether the expectations to achieve normal HRQoL in Canadians after a TSCI is indeed influenced by older age. A prospective observational study was conducted on adult patients admitted acutely at a single level-1 trauma center after a TSCI.

Does Wait Time During Acute Care for Transfer to Rehabilitation Admission Impact the Outcomes After a Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury?: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of wait time in acute care for inpatient functional rehabilitation admission on the inpatient functional rehabilitation length of stay and functional outcome after a traumatic spinal cord injury.

Methods: A retrospective cohort including 277 patients admitted to a single level 1 spinal cord injury acute care center was completed. Partial correlations were used between wait time (in days) for transfer to inpatient functional rehabilitation, the inpatient functional rehabilitation length of stay, and the Spinal Cord Independence Measure total score in the chronic period, adjusting for confounding variables.

An evaluation of the representativeness of a national spinal cord injury registry: a population-based cohort study.

Study Design: Population-based cohort study for the western part of Quebec.

Objectives: To determine the impact of declining to participate in a national spinal cord injury (SCI) registry on patient outcomes and continuum of care.

Setting: Level-1 trauma center specialized in SCI care in Montreal, Canada.

Early Impact of Postoperative Bracing on Pain and Quality of Life After Posterior Instrumented Fusion for Lumbar Degenerative Conditions: A Randomized Trial.

Study Design: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate whether bracing after posterior spinal instrumented fusion (PSIF) can improve pain relief and quality of life (QoL) 6 weeks and 3 months postoperatively.

Summary Of Background Data: Braces are commonly prescribed after PSIF in patients with lumbar degenerative conditions with the aim of improving pain relief and QoL.

Treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures by means of anterior fusion and cage.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Objective: To evaluate the outcome of treating acute thoracolumbar burst fractures using anterior corpectomy and reconstruction with a mesh cage and instrumentation.

Summary Of Background Data: There is increasing interest in using an anterior mesh cage with instrumentation after corpectomy for burst fractures.

A phase I/IIa clinical trial of a recombinant Rho protein antagonist in acute spinal cord injury.

Multiple lines of evidence have validated the Rho pathway as important in controlling the neuronal response to growth inhibitory proteins after central nervous system (CNS) injury. A drug called BA-210 (trademarked as Cethrin(®)) blocks activation of Rho and has shown promise in pre-clinical animal studies in being used to treat spinal cord injury (SCI). This is a report of a Phase I/IIa clinical study designed to test the safety and tolerability of the drug, and the neurological status of patients following the administration of a single dose of BA-210 applied during surgery following acute SCI.

Rare metastatic adenocarcinoma to the spine infiltrating three adjacent foramen in lumbar vertebrae.

An 83-year-old man presented with severe back pain and worsening neurodeficit. Lateral radiographs showed the presence of compression fractures of the L1 to L2 vertebral bodies. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed an intravertebral vacuum sign suggestive of ischemic fracture.

Posterior pedicle screw fixation with supplemental laminar hook fixation for the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures.

Surgical treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures with posterior short-segment pedicle fixation usually provides excellent initial correction of kyphotic deformity, but a significant amount of correction can be lost afterwards. This study evaluates the clinical relevance of the short-segment pedicle fixation supplemented by laminar hooks (2HS-1SH) construct in the surgical treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures. Twenty-five patients with a single-level thoracolumbar burst fracture were assessed in this retrospective study.