Surgeon Recommendation and Outcomes of Decompression With vs Without Fusion in Patients With Degenerative Spondylolisthesis.

Importance: The ability of surgeons to choose the right patient for fusion in addition to decompression when operating for degenerative spondylolisthesis with symptomatic spinal stenosis is debated. The addition of fusion increases risk, morbidity, and costs but has been claimed to give better results for selected patients.

Objective: To investigate whether following surgeons' opinions regarding fusion was associated with clinical outcomes.

Adjacent Level Canal Area Changes up to 2 years after Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Decompressive Surgery.

Study Design: A secondary analysis of data from the NORDSTEN-spinal stenosis trial (SST).

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the dural sac cross-sectional area (DSCA) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of adjacent segments decreases after decompressive surgery due to lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) up to 2 years postoperatively, and to investigate possible associations with baseline variables, including preoperative patient and radiological characteristics, and surgical method used.

Summary Of Background Data: Decompressive surgery for LSS is currently the most common spinal surgery procedure; however, there is limited knowledge on changes in the DSCA over time adjacent to a decompressed segment.

Efficacy of a Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor in Chronic Low-Back Pain With Modic Type 1 Changes: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: The efficacy of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors for treating chronic low-back pain with Modic changes is uncertain. This study investigated the superiority of infliximab over placebo in patients with Modic type 1 changes.

Methods: In this multicenter, randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial, patients aged 18 to 65 years with moderate to severe chronic low-back pain and Modic type 1 changes were enrolled from five Norwegian public hospitals between January 2019 and October 2022.

Healthcare Utilisation in Danish Primary Care Among Patients With Low Back or Neck/Thoracic Spine Pain Before and After Assessment in Secondary Care.

Objectives: To describe characteristics and primary healthcare utilisation in Danish patients with low back pain (LBP) or neck/thoracic spine pain (NTP) 8 years before and 2 years after assessment in secondary care.

Methods: In this cohort study, we included patients aged ≥ 18 who were assessed at an outpatient spine clinic from 2013 to 2021 and linked self-reported information with national registry data. We calculated the prevalence of all-cause healthcare utilisation in primary care.

A randomized trial on three different minimally invasive decompression techniques for lumbar spinal stenosis. Five years follow-up from the NORDSTEN-SST.

Purpose: The short-term clinical outcome for midline-preserving posterior decompression techniques was comparable. The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term clinical results after three different midline-preserving posterior decompression techniques.

Material: In the NORDSTEN spinal stenosis trial (NORDSTEN-SST) 437 patients were randomized to three different midline-retaining posterior decompression techniques: Unilateral laminotomy with crossover (UL), bilateral laminotomy (BL) and spinous process osteotomy (SPO).