Outcome assessment in neuromuscular spinal deformity.

Patient-based outcome measures are important tools quantifying the disease-specific and/or global quality of life (QOL) effects of spinal deformity treatment. In patients with neuromuscular disorders such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and myelomeningocele, treatment effects must be differentiated from underlying disease functional impairments. In general, the goals of spinal surgery in these patients are to improve QOL by enhancing sitting balance and posture, improving lung and gastrointestinal function, and reducing pain and deformity.

Prospective randomized study comparing the Teleflex Medical SaphLITE Retractor to the Ethicon CardioVations Clearglide Endoscopic System.

Background: Several minimally invasive saphenous vein harvesting techniques have been developed to reduce morbidities associated with coronary artery bypass grafting. This prospective, randomized study was designed to compare two commonly used minimally invasive saphenous vein harvesting techniques, the SaphLITE Retractor System (Teleflex Medical) and the Clearglide Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting System (Ethicon CardioVations, Inc.).

Back pain and backpacks in school children.

Objective: Back pain in adults is common and well studied. In contrast, back pain in children has received comparatively little scientific study, despite recent media attention. The purpose of this study is to see what factors influence the prevalence of back pain in middle school children, with particular attention to the weight of children's backpacks and the availability of school lockers.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis of bone in children and adolescents.

The purpose of this paper was to analyze the orthopaedic aspects of Langerhans cell histiocytosis and to assess the outcome after treatment. Fifty-six patients with Langerhans cell histiocytosis involving the bone were retrospectively studied. Three groups were identified with regard to the type of bone involvement.