Plasma disc decompression compared with fluoroscopy-guided transforaminal epidural steroid injections for symptomatic contained lumbar disc herniation: a prospective, randomized, controlled trial.

Object: Patients with radiculopathy, with or without back pain, often do not respond to conservative care and may be considered for epidural steroid injection therapy or a disc decompression procedure. Plasma disc decompression (PDD) using the Coblation SpineWand device is a percutaneous, minimally invasive interventional procedure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes with PDD as compared with standard care using fluoroscopy-guided transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) over the course of 2 years.

Percutaneous sacroplasty for osteoporotic sacral insufficiency fractures: a prospective, multicenter, observational pilot study.

Background Context: Sacral insufficiency fractures (SIFs) can cause low back pain in osteoporotic patients. Symptomatic improvement may require up to 12 months. Treatment includes limited weightbearing and bed rest, oral analgesics, and sacral corsets.

Efficacy and safety of percutaneous sacroplasty for painful osteoporotic sacral insufficiency fractures: a prospective, multicenter trial.

Study Design: A prospective observational cohort study of consecutive osteoporotic patients with sacral insufficiency fractures (SIFs).

Objective: Assess the safety and efficacy of sacroplasty in treating osteoporotic SIFs.

Summary Of Background Data: SIFs can cause low back pain in osteoporotic patients.

Painless foot drop: an atypical etiology of a common presentation.

Weakness of the dorsiflexor muscles of the foot is a relatively common presentation. In most cases, the etiology involves a peripheral injury to the common peroneal nerve. These patients usually present with lower motor neuron findings on evaluation.

Anatomy of the intervertebral foramen.

The intervertebral foramen serves as the doorway between the spinal canal and periphery. It lies between the pedicles of neighboring vertebrae at all levels in the spine. A number of categorization schemes have been attempted to describe the boundaries of the intervertebral foramen.

Side effects and complications after percutaneous disc decompression using coblation technology.

Objective: To report the short-term side effects and complications after percutaneous disc decompression utilizing coblation technology.

Design: Following institutional review board approval, consecutive patients who were to undergo percutaneous disc decompression using coblation technology (nucleoplasty) were prospectively enrolled. Patients were questioned preoperatively, postoperatively, and 24 hrs, 72 hrs, 1 wk, and 2 wks postprocedure by an independent reviewer regarding 17 possible symptom complications, which included bowel or bladder symptoms, muscle spasm, new pain, numbness/tingling or weakness, fevers/chills, rash/pruritus, headaches, nausea/vomiting, bleeding, and needle insertion site soreness.

Inciting events initiating injection-proven sacroiliac joint syndrome.

Objective: To determine the inciting events leading to the development of sacroiliac joint syndrome (SIJS).

Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive cohort series from an academic interdisciplinary spine center. Consecutive patients presenting with low back or buttock pain with or without leg symptoms who met specific inclusion and exclusion criteria for the diagnosis of SIJS were included in the study.

Abdominal pain secondary to a sacral perineural cyst.

Background Context: Perineural cysts are commonly found in the sacral region and are incidently discovered on imaging studies performed for the evaluation of low back and/or leg pain.

Purpose: To report on a patient presenting with abdominal pain secondary to a large sacral perineural cyst.

Study Design/setting: Case report.