Stand-alone anterior lumbar interbody fusion for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine: results with a 2-year follow-up.

Study Design: Retrospective chart review.

Objective: To report outcomes of a consecutive series of patients diagnosed with degenerative disc disease (DDD) between L4 and S1, treated with stand-alone anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF, either 1 or 2 levels) and use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 for bony fusion with instrumented fixation.

Summary Of Background Data: Degeneration of the lumbar spine is described as lumbar spondylosis, or DDD.

Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor correlates with the advance of clinical osteosarcoma.

Purpose: Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignancy in orthopaedic surgery. Studies suggest that expression of VEGF and high vascularity within osteosarcoma may correlate with poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was a correlation of VEGF expression with clinical tumour stage and metastasis.

Thromboembolic events in patients with cervical carcinoma: Incidence and effect on survival.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether thromboembolic events (TE) in cervical cancer patients are associated with survival by comparing the survival of patients with and without thromboembolic events over a seven year period.

Methods: Utilizing a retrospective chart review we identified patients with any diagnosis of a TE, associated risk factors for TE development and overall survival. We also collected clinico-pathological data including stage, histology, height, weight, smoking history, radiation and chemotherapy treatment data and the temporal relationship of the development of TE to the time of cancer diagnosis.