Publications by authors named "K Raftery"
Article Synopsis
- Up to 20% of people may experience osteoporotic vertebral fractures, and current bone mineral density (BMD) measurements present challenges in predicting these fractures.
- The study examined how intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration affects stress and strain distribution in adjacent vertebrae by using human cadaveric lumbar specimens and advanced imaging techniques.
- Results indicated that trabecular bone near degenerated IVDs experienced significantly higher strains and altered stress distributions compared to non-degenerated IVDs, suggesting that incorporating IVD metrics could enhance fracture risk assessments.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to investigate the incidence of interbody subsidence in patients who underwent transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF), along with identifying risk factors and evaluating the consequences of subsidence on complications and fusion rates.
- A retrospective analysis was conducted on adult patients who had one- or two-level TLIF from 2017-2019, excluding those with certain conditions or incomplete follow-ups, and used CT scans to measure subsidence after surgery.
- Results indicated that 28% of fusion levels encountered moderate subsidence, while 35% faced severe subsidence, with factors such as cage surface area and material type linked to higher subsidence rates.
There are several considerations to address when conducting functional communication training for challenging behavior in a school setting, such as the need for schedule thinning and maintenance across staff and the need to establish a variety of appropriate classroom skills. There are several strategies for conducting schedule thinning following functional communication training and for transferring effects across people or settings. However, there are few examples of these processes in natural settings with relevant caregivers and with long-term maintenance of effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNucleus replacement devices (NRDs) have potential to treat degenerated or herniated intervertebral discs (IVDs). However, IVD height loss is a post-treatment complication. IVD height recovery involves the nucleus pulposus (NP), but the mechanism of this in response to physiological loads is not fully elucidated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNucleus replacement has been proposed as a treatment to restore biomechanics and relieve pain in degenerate intervertebral discs (IVDs). Multiple nucleus replacement devices (NRDs) have been developed, however, none are currently used routinely in clinic. A better understanding of the interactions between NRDs and surrounding tissues may provide insight into the causes of implant failure and provide target properties for future NRD designs.
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