Impact of surgical risk factors for non-union on lumbar spinal fusion outcomes using cellular bone allograft at 24-months follow-up.

Background: The current report investigates fusion rates and patient-reported outcomes following lumbar spinal surgery using cellular bone allograft (CBA) in patients with risk factors for non-union.

Methods: A prospective, open label study was conducted in subjects undergoing lumbar spinal fusion with CBA (NCT02969616) to assess fusion success rates and patient-reported outcomes in subjects with risk factors for non-union. Subjects were categorized into low-risk (≤ 1 risk factors) and high-risk (> 1 risk factors) groups.

Twenty-four-month interim results from a prospective, single-arm clinical trial evaluating the performance and safety of cellular bone allograft in patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion.

Background: Autologous bone grafts are the gold standard for spinal fusion; however, harvesting autologous bone can result in donor site infection, hematomas, increased operative time, and prolonged pain. Cellular bone allografts (CBAs) are a viable alternative that avoids the need for bone harvesting and may increase fusion success alone or when used as an adjunct material. The present study examined the efficacy and safety of CBA when used as an adjunct graft material to lumbar arthrodesis.

Mycobacterium bovis hip bursitis in a lung transplant recipient.

We present a report of extrapulmonary Mycobacterium bovis infection in a lung transplant recipient. M. bovis is acquired predominantly by zoonotic transmission, particularly from consumption of unpasteurized foods.

Measuring severe maternal morbidity: validation of potential measures.

Background: Both maternal mortality rate and severe maternal morbidity rate have risen significantly in the United Sates. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention introduced International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, criteria for defining severe maternal morbidity with the use of administrative data sources; however, those criteria have not been validated with the use of chart reviews.

Objective: The primary aim of the current study was to validate the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, criteria for the identification of severe maternal morbidity.

Pharmacological treatment of heart failure.

This article provides an overview of heart failure (HF) and pharmacological treatment of systolic left ventricular dysfunction. The purpose of this article is to provide nurses the knowledge of current treatment recommendations and the Five Million Lives campaign sponsored by the National Institute of Healthcare Improvement. This initiative is a national campaign to protect 5 million patients from medical harm by promoting evidence-based standards of practice to improve the healthcare of Americans.

Hypocaloric feeding of the critically ill.

During critical illness, the stress response causes accelerated gluconeogenesis and lipolysis, leading to hyperglycemia and elevated serum triglyceride levels. The traditional nutrition support strategy of meeting or exceeding calorie requirements may compound the metabolic alterations of the stress response. Hypocaloric nutrition support has the potential to provide nutrition support without exacerbating the stress response.

Functional changes during acute rehabilitation in patients with stroke.

The purpose of this study was to analyze functional change levels and determine Spearman rank order correlation coefficients about information gleaned from physical therapy discharge notes for a group of 212 patients with stroke who received physical therapy during an acute rehabilitation stay. Functional changes were determined in the categories of wheelchair skills, transfer ability, bed (mat) mobility, and ambulation. Comparisons also were made between a subgroup of the most severely involved patients and a subgroup of the least involved patients.