Proximal Junctional Kyphosis: Inter- and Intraobserver Reliability of Radiographic Measurements in Adult Spinal Deformity.

Study Design: Reliability study of radiographic measures of proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) in patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD).

Objective: To assess impacts of level of proximal endpoint and vertebral fracture on reliability of measurement of junctional kyphosis.

Summary Of Background Data: Radiographic assessment is important in determining management of patients with PJK or proximal junctional failure (PJF).

Proximal junctional kyphosis and failure-diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

Technical advancements have enabled the spinal deformity surgeon to correct severe spinal mal-alignment. However, proximal adjacent segment pathology (ASP) remains a significant issue. Examples include proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) and proximal junctional failure (PJF).

Is Cervical Sagittal Imbalance a Risk Factor for Adjacent Segment Pathomechanics After Multilevel Fusion?

Study Design: A biomechanical study using human spine specimens.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess whether the presence of cervical sagittal imbalance is an independent risk factor for increasing the mechanical burden on discs adjacent to cervical multilevel fusions.

Summary Of Background Data: The horizontal offset distance between the C2 plumbline and C7 vertebral body (C2-C7 Sagittal Vertical Axis (SVA)) or the angle made with vertical by a line connecting the C2 and C7 vertebral bodies (C2-C7 tilt angle) are used as radiographic measures to assess cervical sagittal balance.

Postural Consequences of Cervical Sagittal Imbalance: A Novel Laboratory Model.

Study Design: A biomechanical study using human spine specimens.

Objective: To study postural compensations in lordosis angles that are necessary to maintain horizontal gaze in the presence of forward head posture and increasing T1 sagittal tilt.

Summary Of Background Data: Forward head posture relative to the shoulders, assessed radiographically using the horizontal offset distance between the C2 and C7 vertebral bodies (C2-C7 [sagittal vertical alignment] SVA), is a measure of global cervical imbalance.

Effect of physiological loads on cortical and traditional pedicle screw fixation.

Study Design: Human cadaveric biomechanical study.

Objective: To determine the fixation strength of laterally directed, cortical pedicle screws under physiological loads.

Summary Of Background Data: Lateral trajectory cortical pedicle screws have been described as a means of obtaining improved fixation while minimizing soft-tissue dissection during lumbar instrumentation.

Prevalence of chronic symptoms of ciguatera disease in French Polynesian adults.

Ciguatera is a tropical disease caused by seafood poisoning, for which the duration of symptoms remains to be determined. The objectives of this prospective study were to determine the prevalence of symptoms at different time points and to identify factors associated with chronic symptoms observed in adults suffering from this disease. At the time of onset, we observed a dose-response relationship including a strong association between the delay of appearance of symptoms and a severity index (P < 0.

Temporal trends and epidemiological aspects of ciguatera in French Polynesia: a 10-year analysis.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to report the temporal trends of the incidence of ciguatera poisoning from 1992 to 2001 in French Polynesia.

Methods: This retrospective study analysed 7842 cases of ciguatera disease recorded over a period of 10 years.

Results: The annual incidence varied from 26.