Validity of two-dimensional analysis using a tablet computer for estimation of foot arch height during walking.

[Purpose] To examine the validity of two-dimensional analysis using a tablet computer for the estimation of arch height during walking by comparing it with a motion capture system and static foot alignment screenings. [Participants and Methods] Fourteen healthy males and 15 healthy females participated in this study. The arch height of the right foot while walking was simultaneously measured using a tablet computer and motion capture system.

Surgical results of the resection of spinal meningioma with the inner layer of dura more than 10 years after surgery.

Most spinal meningiomas arise from the thoracic dura in middle-aged and elderly women. Simpson grade 1 resection is recommended to avoid recurrence. For ventral and ventrolateral tumors, reconstruction after total dural resection is difficult, and spinal fluid leakage is likely.

Validity of Measurement for Trailing Limb Angle and Propulsion Force during Gait Using a Magnetic Inertial Measurement Unit.

Propulsion force and trailing limb angle (TLA) are meaningful indicators for evaluating quality of gait. This study examined the validity of measurement for TLA and propulsion force during various gait conditions using magnetic inertial measurement units (IMU), based on measurements using a three-dimensional motion analysis system and a force platform. Eighteen healthy males (mean age 25.

Effectiveness of simple tracing test as an objective evaluation of hand dexterity.

This study aimed to demonstrate that the simple tracing test (STT) is useful for assessing the hand dexterity in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) by comparing STT scores between healthy volunteers and CSM patients. This study included 25 CSM patients and 38 healthy volunteers. In the STT, the participants traced a sine wave displayed on a tablet device at a comfortable pace, and the tracing accuracy, changes in the total sum of pen pressures, and tracing duration were assessed.

Extraforaminal L5 Nerve Root Compression Caused by Intervertebral Osteophyte Accompanied by Lumbosacral Transitional Vertebra: A Case Treated by Anterior Approach.

Background: Several authors have reported the occurrence of extraforaminal L5 nerve root compression between lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV) and sacral ala, but reports on a lesion caused by an intervertebral osteophyte on the ventral and contralateral side of a unilateral abnormality by LSTV are hardly available.

Case Description: A 67-year-old woman presented with pain along the distribution of the L5 nerve root; straight leg raise test, femoral nerve stretch test, and Kemp test were positive on the left. Following plain radiographs, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and selective nerve root block, an osteophyte bridging the L5 and S1 vertebral bodies in the ventral side was identified compressing the L5 nerve root.

Biomechanical characterization of slope walking using musculoskeletal model simulation.

Purpose: Upslope and downslope walking are basic activities necessary for normal daily living in community, and they impose greater joint load on the lower extremities than during level walking. Thus, the purpose of this study was to quantify the resultant and shear forces in the hip and knee joints during slope walking.

Methods: Twelve healthy volunteers were evaluated when walking under level and 10° up- and downslope conditions.

Risk Factors for Postoperative Ileus after Scoliosis Surgery.

Introduction: One complication after scoliosis surgery is ileus; however, few reports have described the frequency of and risk factors for this complication. We conducted a retrospective clinical study with logistic regression analysis to confirm the frequency of and risk factors for ileus after scoliosis surgery.

Methods: After a retrospective review of data from patients who underwent surgical correction of spinal deformity from 2009 to 2014, 110 cases (age range, 4-73 yr; median, 14 yr) were included in the study.

Prevalence and Location of Neuropathic Pain in Lumbar Spinal Disorders: Analysis of 1804 Consecutive Patients With Primary Lower Back Pain.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study of 1804 consecutive patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of pathological pain and its distribution features in patients with chronic lumbar spinal disorders.

Summary Of Background Data: Clinical spinal disorders can involve pathological neuropathic pain (NeP) as well as physiological nociceptive pain (NocP), as they have varied pathology, including spinal cord injury, stenosis, and compression.

The Effects of a Lateral Wedge Insole on Knee and Ankle Joints During Slope Walking.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a lateral wedge insole reduces the external knee adduction moment during slope walking. Twenty young, healthy subjects participated in this study. Subjects walked up and down a slope using 2 different insoles: a control flat insole and a 7° lateral wedge insole.

Risk factors for venous thromboembolism after spine surgery.

The efficacy and safety of chemical prophylaxis to prevent the development of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) following spine surgery are controversial because of the possibility of epidural hematoma formation. Postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) after spine surgery occurs at a frequency similar to that seen after joint operations, so it is important to identify the risk factors for VTE formation following spine surgery. We therefore retrospectively studied data from patients who had undergone spinal surgery and developed postoperative VTE to identify those risk factors.

Japanese 2011 nationwide survey on complications from spine surgery.

Background: The Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research (JSSR) previously carried out two nationwide surveys in 1994 and 2001 on complications from spine and spinal cord surgery. More than 10 years have now elapsed since 2001. Rapidly ageing populations have major impacts on society, particularly in the medical field.

A newly developed robot suit hybrid assistive limb facilitated walking rehabilitation after spinal surgery for thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament: a case report.

Most patients with thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) exhibit delayed recovery of gait dysfunction after spinal injury. The hybrid assistive limb (HAL) is a new robot suit controlling knee and hip joint motion by detecting very weak bioelectric signals on the surface of the skin. This study is to report the feasibility and benefits of patient-assistive HAL walking rehabilitation for facilitating locomotor function after spinal surgery.

Distractive flexion injuries of the subaxial cervical spine treated with a posterior procedure using cervical pedicle screws or a combined anterior and posterior procedure.

The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of patients with distractive flexion (DF) injuries of the subaxial cervical spine who had undergone a posterior procedure using cervical pedicle screw (CPS) fixation with those who had undergone a combined anterior and posterior procedure. Recommendations for the surgical treatment of DF injuries of the subaxial cervical spine remain controversial. There are few clinical reports of posterior CPS fixation for DF injuries.

Accumulation of p62 in degenerated spinal cord under chronic mechanical compression: functional analysis of p62 and autophagy in hypoxic neuronal cells.

Intracellular accumulation of altered proteins, including p62 and ubiquitinated proteins, is the basis of most neurodegenerative disorders. The relationship among the accumulation of altered proteins, autophagy, and spinal cord dysfunction by cervical spondylotic myelopathy has not been clarified. We examined the expression of p62 and autophagy markers in the chronically compressed spinal cord of tiptoe-walking Yoshimura mice.

Combined posterior and delayed staged mini-open anterior short-segment fusion for thoracolumbar burst fractures.

Study Design: A prospective study.

Objectives: To assess the outcome of patients with a single thoracolumbar burst fracture treated with circumferential short-segment fusion consisting of posterior reduction, short-segment fusion, and delayed staged mini-open anterior short-segment fusion.

Summary Of Background Data: The surgical treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures remains controversial.

Conservative treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy for cervical spondylotic amyotrophy.

Study Design: Small case series of patients with cervical spondylotic amyotrophy (CSA) managed by conservative treatment with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy.

Objective: To study the effects of conservative treatment with HBO therapy of CSA patients.

Setting: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Imakiire General Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan.

Intradural neurenteric cyst--two case reports of surgical treatment.

Intradural neurenteric cysts are rare congenital lesions and arise from incomplete separation of the developing notochord and foregut in the embryo. Neurenteric cysts are often seen in conjunction with other forms of occult spinal dysraphism. The cases of a 48-year-old male with pain in the right shoulder and numbness in both hands and a 7-year-old girl with subacute muscle weakness of the lower extremities are presented.

High mobility group box 1 is upregulated after spinal cord injury and is associated with neuronal cell apoptosis.

Study Design: Cerebrocortical culture and rat spinal cord injury (SCI) model were used to examine the expression of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), TNF-alpha, and Rage by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical examination. In addition, relationship between upregulation of HMGB1 and neural cells apoptosis was evaluated after SCI.

Objective: To evaluate the upregulation of HMGB1, TNF-alpha, and Rage after SCI.

Ependymal cyst in the conus medullaris.

The immunohistological features and surgical treatment of an intramedullary ependymal cyst in the conus medullaris is presented. An intramedullary ependymal cyst is a rare lesion of dysembryoplastic origin. There have been only seven patients reported with pathologically proven ependymal cysts in the conus medullaris.

Traumatic lumbosacral dislocation treated with posterior lumbar interbody fusion using intersomatic cages.

A 35-year-old man was struck by a car on his right side and presented with paraparesis of both lower extremities. Radiographic examination revealed multiple transverse process fractures and anterior displacement of L5 on S1. Computed tomography revealed a bilateral anterior facet dislocation of the fifth lumbar vertebra on the sacrum.

Stem cell factor prevents neuronal cell apoptosis after acute spinal cord injury.

Study Design: A rat spinal cord injury (SCI) model and immunohistochemistry were used to examine the levels of expression of stem cell factor and c-kit. In addition, we examined whether intraperitoneal administration of stem cell factor could prevent neural cells apoptosis after acute SCI.

Objective: To evaluate the antiapoptotic effect of stem cell factor after SCI.

Expression of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 in mouse spinal cord under chronic mechanical compression: possible involvement of the stress-activated mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in spinal cord cell apoptosis.

Study Design: To examine apoptosis signal cascade in neurons and oligodendrocytes under the chronic spinal cord compression of tiptoe-walking Yoshimura (TWY) mouse, which is model of progressive cervical cord compression.

Objective: To clarify the biologic mechanisms of apoptosis, which may produce destructive changes in the spinal cord under chronic mechanical compression, with a resulting irreversible neurologic deficit.

Summary Of Background Data: The stress-activated mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways including ASK1 transmitted apoptosis signals after acute spinal cord injury.

Dorsally sequestered cervical disc herniation.

Study Design: A case report of dorsally sequestered cervical disc herniation.

Objective: To present an unusual case of dorsally sequestered cervical disc herniation and to briefly review the literature on this condition.

Summary Of Background Data: There have been few reports of migration of cervical disc herniation to the posterior surface of the spinal canal.

Spinal cord infarction following endoscopic variceal ligation.

Study Design: A case report of spinal cord infarction following endoscopic variceal ligation.

Objectives: To describe an exceedingly rare case of spinal cord infarction following endoscopic variceal ligation.

Setting: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kagoshima, Japan.