Publications by authors named "L A Leavitt"

Introduction: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is the leading cause of disability in the United States and is associated with a steadily increasing burden of healthcare expenditures. Given this trend, it is essential to evaluate interventions aimed at reducing disability and optimizing healthcare utilization (HCU) in affected populations. This study investigates the impact of prior spinal surgery on functional outcomes and HCU patterns following high-frequency (10 kHz) spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy.

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Background: Annually, about 4000 US children undergo a tracheostomy procedure to provide a functional, safe airway. In the hospital, qualified staff monitor and address problems, but post-discharge this responsibility shifts entirely to caregivers. The stress and constant demands of caregiving for a child with a tracheostomy with or without ventilator negatively affect caregivers.

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  • Intracranial epidermoid cysts (ECs) are uncommon, non-cancerous growths usually located in specific areas of the brain, and they typically develop from leftover ectodermal cells from embryology.
  • Although these cysts are present from birth, symptoms usually appear in middle age due to pressure effects on surrounding brain tissue.
  • The case presented involves a 69-year-old man with an EC that unexpectedly ruptured and impacted brain tissue, highlighting a rare occurrence and contributing new insights to the understanding of these cysts.
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  • - The study focuses on how training primary care physicians in shared decision-making (SDM) and providing electronic reminders affects older adults' preferences for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening.
  • - The researchers assessed the impact of these interventions on the agreement between patients and physicians regarding screening methods, as well as overall screening rates after 12 months.
  • - Conducted as part of the PRIMED clinical trial, the study involved 59 physicians and 466 patients aged 76 to 85, highlighting the challenges in CRC screening decisions for older adults.
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Background: Lumbar medial branch nerve radiofrequency ablation (LRFA) is an interventional procedure used to treat chronic lumbar facet joint pain. Because the medial branch nerves also innervate the multifidus muscle, it has been proposed that LRFA may pose a risk of multifidus atrophy and/or dysfunction. However, the quality and level of evidence to answer this clinical question have not been established.

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