Transpedicle instrumentation in the degenerative spine.

Controversy continues regarding the use of pedicle instrumentation in fusion surgery on the degenerative lumbar spine. Recently, however, published reports are increasingly demonstrative of the positive effect of pedicle fixation on fusion and outcome success in the management of these disorders. Recent developments in surgical technique and implant design have improved operative risk and implant related complications.

Extended proximal femoral osteotomy. A new technique for femoral revision arthroplasty.

An osteotomy technique for removal of distally fixed cemented and cementless femoral components is described. The anterolateral proximal femur is cut for one third of its circumference, extended distally, and levered open on an anterolateral hinge of periosteum and muscle. This creates an intact muscle-osseous sleeve composed of the gluteus medius, greater trochanter, anterolateral femoral diaphysis, and vastus lateralis, and exposes the fixation surface as well as distal cement.

Removal of a well-fixed cementless femoral component with an extended proximal femoral osteotomy.

Removal of a stable, well-fixed cementless femoral arthroplasty component occasionally is necessary because of infection, component malposition, persistent pain, or incompatibility with a femoral revision component. Restricted access to ingrowth surfaces may make implant removal exceedingly difficult and increases the risk of iatrogenic damage to the proximal femur. A new extended proximal femoral osteotomy technique is described for use in removing well-fixed cementless femoral components.

Cost justifying the electronic billing decision.

Many patient accounts professionals have a "gut" feeling that electronic billing systems save hospitals time and money. But they need more than a gut feeling to convince hospital management to invest in such systems. The key is to make some objective financial estimates of the potential impact that electronic billing can have on hospitals.

Evaluation of commercial enzyme immunoassays compared to immunofluorescence and double diffusion for autoantibodies associated with autoimmune diseases.

A commercially available enzyme immunoassay system for detecting autoantibodies to double-stranded DNA, deoxyribonucleoprotein, Smith, ribonuclearprotein, Sjögren's syndrome-associated antigens A and B, and scleroderma-associated antigen 70 was compared to the conventional immunofluorescence assay for double-stranded DNA and double diffusion assays for extractable nuclear antigens. There was excellent correlation between methods, but it appears that the enzyme immunoassays are more sensitive. Based on the results of this study, the authors recommend performing anti-nuclear antibody screening at two dilutions, with enzyme immunoassay follow-up of appropriate patient sera that are positive on anti-nuclear antibody testing.

Immunoserology of infectious diseases.

The immune response to microorganisms not only participates in the elimination of unwanted organisms from the body, but also assists in diagnosis of infectious diseases. The nonspecific immune response is the first line of defense, assisting the body until the specific immune response can be mobilized to provide protective mechanisms. The specific immune response involves humoral or cell-mediated immunity or both, dependent on the nature of the organism and its site of sequestration.