Is the discopathy associated with Modic changes an infectious process? Results from a prospective monocenter study.

Background: The local infectious origin and the putative role of Cutibacterium acnes (CA) of a particular subtype of discopathy (Modic 1) are still debated.

Purpose: To establish the association of CA in intervertebral disc (IVD) and Modic 1 discopathy in patients with low back pain.

Methods: The prevalence of bacteria in IVD samples obtained by anterior approach in patient with chronic low back pain harboring Modic type 1, 2 or no Modic changes was compared to that measured in IVD samples obtained by posterior approach for sciatica.

Evaluation of short-term efficacy of extraspinal cementoplasty for bone metastasis: A monocenter study of 31 patients.

Objective: To study the effect on pain of per-cutaneous cementoplasty for painful extraspinal bone metastasis.

Method: 43 patients with extraspinal bone metastasis were included between April 2006 and October 2014 in this retrospective monocenter study. The primary endpoint was pain level measured on a 0-10 numeric rating scale at week 1 after cementoplasty as compared with pre-cementoplasty.