Resistant plantar fasciopathy: shock wave versus endoscopic plantar fascial release.

Purpose: To compare the results of Extracorporeal shock wave (ESWT) with a modified endoscopic plantar fasciotomy technique for the treatment of recalcitrant heel pain.

Method: Sixty-five patients suffering from chronic heel pain that failed to respond to standard nonoperative methods were randomized to undergo either high-energy extracorporeal shock wave therapy (group 1), or modified endoscopic plantar fasciotomy (group 2). The primary outcome measure was the reduction of pain in the two groups from base line to month three post intervention at the first few steps in the morning.

Resistant tennis elbow: shock-wave therapy versus percutaneous tenotomy.

Fifty-six patients who suffered from chronic persistent tennis elbow of more than six months duration were randomly assigned to two active treatment groups. Group 1 (n = 29) received high-energy extracorporeal shock wave treatment (ESWT; 1,500 shocks) at 18 kV (0.22 mJ/mm(2)) without local anaesthesia; group 2 (n = 27) underwent percutaneous tenotomy of the common extensor origin.

Results of instrumented posterolateral fusion in failed back surgery.

The success rate following revision surgery for failed back surgery is inherently low. However, a general consensus for a satisfactory surgical intervention after failed disc surgery has not yet been reached. We present a cohort study of 25 adult cases treated by instrumented posterolateral fusion with or without nerve root exploration/decompression for recurrence or persistence of symptoms after previous disc surgery.

Anterior lumbar interbody fusion using a hybrid graft.

This prospective study evaluates the clinical and radiological results of anterior lumbar interbody fusion using a femoral cortical ring allograft (FCA) packed with cancellous autologous bone (hybrid graft), combined with posterior pedicular fixation but without posterior fusion, for symptomatic degenerative disease of the lumbar spine. Twenty-eight out of 30 consecutive adult patients were followed up for a minimum period of 2 years. Intra- and postoperative complications were seen in 2 out of 28 patients (7%); no complications resulted from the allografts.