Lung Function in Traditional Shellfish Divers in Southern Chile-A Cross-Sectional Study.

The long-term effects of diving on human lung function are controversially discussed. We investigated the lung function of traditional shellfish divers in southern Chile and identified risk factors for reduced lung volumes in divers. In a cross-sectional study, we assessed lung function in traditional shellfish divers and fishermen from two fishing communities.

Cervical fusion for treatment of degenerative conditions: development of appropriate use criteria.

Background Context: High quality evidence is difficult to generate, leaving substantial knowledge gaps in the treatment of spinal conditions. Appropriate use criteria (AUC) are a means of determining appropriate recommendations when high quality evidence is lacking.

Purpose: Define appropriate use criteria (AUC) of cervical fusion for treatment of degenerative conditions of the cervical spine.

Executive Function among Chilean Shellfish Divers: A Cross-Sectional Study Considering Working and Health Conditions in Artisanal Fishing.

Knowledge about professional diving-related risk factors for reduced executive function is limited. We therefore evaluated the association between decompression illness and executive functioning among artisanal divers in southern Chile. The cross-sectional study included 104 male divers and 58 male non-diving fishermen from two fishing communities.

Revision Surgery for Vestibular Schwannomas.

 To describe clinical outcomes of patients undergoing revision surgery for vestibular schwannomas.  Retrospective case series.  Tertiary private neurotologic practice.

Preoperative Assessment of Cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (cVEMPs) Help in Predicting Hearing Preservation After Removal of Vestibular Schwannomas Through a Middle Fossa Craniotomy.

Objective: To determine whether cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) are predictive of hearing preservation in patients undergoing vestibular schwannoma removal through middle fossa craniotomy approach.

Study Design: Retrospective case study.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

Cochlear implantation and auditory brainstem implantation in neurofibromatosis type 2.

Objectives/hypothesis: To report a series of patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), where each patient underwent both cochlear implantation and auditory brainstem implantation for hearing rehabilitation, and to discuss factors influencing respective implant success.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Methods: Ten NF2 patients with both cochlear implantations and auditory brainstem implantations were retrospectively reviewed.

Effects of motion segment level, Pfirrmann intervertebral disc degeneration grade and gender on lumbar spine kinematics.

MRI allows non-invasive assessment of intervertebral disc degeneration with the added clinical benefit of using non-ionizing radiation. What has remained unclear is the relationship between assessed disc degeneration and lumbar spine kinematics. Kinematic outcomes of 54 multi-segment (L1-Sacrum) lumbar spine specimens were calculated to discover if such an underlying relationship exists with degeneration assessed using the Pfirrmann grading system.

Relaxation response of lumbar segments undergoing disc-space distraction: implications to the stability of anterior lumbar interbody implants.

Study Design: A biomechanical study of human cadaveric lumbar spine segments undergoing disc-space distraction for insertion of anterior lumbar interbody implants.

Objective: To measure the distraction force and its relaxation during a period of up to 3 hours after disc-space distraction as a function of the distraction magnitude and disc level.

Summary Of Background Data: Interbody implants depend on compressive preload produced by disc-space distraction (annular pretension) for initial stabilization of the implant-bone interface.

Transmastoid labyrinthectomy for disabling vertigo in a patient with internal auditory canal pathology.

Objective: Document the use of transmastoid labyrinthectomy to treat disabling vertigo secondary to a lesion in the internal auditory canal.

Patient: A 69-year-old man with nonserviceable left hearing experienced disabling attacks of vertigo refractory to medical measures. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a small left intracanalicular lesion with an irregular configuration and modest enhancement, suggesting either an unusual acoustic neuroma or a cavernoma.

Evaluation of pullout strength and failure mechanism of posterior instrumentation in normal and osteopenic thoracic vertebrae.

Object: There is limited data on the pullout strength of spinal fixation devices in the thoracic spine among individuals with different bone quality. An in vitro biomechanical study on the thoracic spine was performed to compare the pullout strength and the mechanism of failure of 4 posterior fixation thoracic constructs in relation to bone mineral density (BMD).

Methods: A total of 80 vertebrae from 11 fresh-frozen thoracic spines (T2-12) were used.

An evidence-based medicine approach in determining factors that may affect outcome in lumbar total disc replacement.

Study Design: Literature research.

Objective: To analyze the available evidence about a variety of factors that might affect outcome of lumbar artificial disc replacement.

Summary Of Background Data: Evaluating the scientific merit of new technology is important for a clinician considering incorporating these techniques.

What is the correlation of in vivo wear and damage patterns with in vitro TDR motion response?

Study Design: This study combined the evaluation of retrieved total disc replacements (TDRs) with a biomechanical study using human lumbar spines. Thirty-eight CHARITE TDRs were retrieved from 32 patients after 7.3 years average implantation.

Growth of benign and malignant schwannoma xenografts in severe combined immunodeficiency mice.

Objectives: Models for the development of new treatment options in vestibular schwannoma (VS) treatment are lacking. The purpose of this study is to establish a quantifiable human VS xenograft model in mice.

Study Design And Methods: Both rat malignant schwannoma cells (KE-F11 and RT4) and human malignant schwannoma (HMS-97) cells were implanted near the sciatic nerve in the thigh of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice.

Cyclin D(1) and D(3) expression in vestibular schwannomas.

Objectives: The G1 regulators of the cell cycle, cyclin D(1) and D(3), have been implicated in the regulation of Schwann cell proliferation and differentiation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate cyclin D(1) and D(3) protein expression and the corresponding clinical characteristics of vestibular schwannomas.

Study Design And Methods: Tissue sections of 15 sporadic vestibular schwannomas were prepared.

Response of Charité total disc replacement under physiologic loads: prosthesis component motion patterns.

Background Context: Total disc replacement (TDR) has been recommended to reduce pain of presumed discogenic origin while preserving spinal motion. The floating core of Charité TDR is professed to allow the replication of the kinematics of a healthy disc under physiologic loads. While segmental motion after Charité TDR has been measured, little is known about the effects of a physiologic compressive preload on vertebral motion and the motion of prosthesis components after TDR.