Effectiveness and Safety of Ankle Arthrodesis Versus Arthroplasty: A Prospective Multicenter Study.

Background: Newer designs and techniques of total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) have challenged the assumption of ankle arthrodesis (AA) as the primary treatment for end-stage ankle arthritis. The objective of this study was to compare physical and mental function, ankle-specific function, pain intensity, and rates of revision surgery and minor complications between these 2 procedures and to explore heterogeneous treatment effects due to age, body mass index (BMI), patient sex, comorbidities, and employment on patients treated by 1 of these 2 methods.

Methods: This was a multisite prospective cohort study comparing outcomes of surgical treatment of ankle arthritis.

Step Activity After Surgical Treatment of Ankle Arthritis.

Background: Ambulatory activity is reduced in patients with ankle arthritis. In this study, we measured step activity over time in 2 treatment groups and secondarily compared step activity with results of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Methods: Patients who were treated with either ankle arthrodesis or ankle arthroplasty wore a step activity monitor preoperatively and at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months postoperatively.

A phase III trial of as a potential treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of tirasemtiv, a fast skeletal muscle troponin activator, vs. placebo in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Methods: VITALITY-ALS (NCT02496767) was a multinational, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Interleukin-8 as a therapeutic target for chronic low back pain: Upregulation in human cerebrospinal fluid and pre-clinical validation with chronic reparixin in the SPARC-null mouse model.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is the leading global cause of disability and is associated with intervertebral disc degeneration (DD) in some individuals. However, many adults have DD without LBP. Understanding why DD is painful in some and not others may unmask novel therapies for chronic LBP.

Correction to: Is the new ASNM intraoperative neuromonitoring supervision "guideline" a trustworthy guideline? A commentary.

The article Is the new ASNM intraoperative neuromonitoring supervision "guideline" a trustworthy guideline? A commentary, written by Stanley A. Skinner, Elif Ilgaz Aydinlar, Lawrence F. Borges, Bob S.

Posterolateral Versus Transforaminal Interbody L4/5 Fusion: Correlation With Subsequent Surgery.

Study Design: This is a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To compare posterolateral versus transforaminal interbody fusion (PLF vs. PLF+TLIF) of the L4/5 segment regarding rates of subsequent surgery, clinical and radiographic parameters, and patient satisfaction.

Selective Thoracic Fusion for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Long-Term Radiographic and Functional Outcomes.

Introduction: Selective thoracic fusions (STFs) were introduced by Moe to treat the structural thoracic curve when a more flexible lumbar component existed. It is unknown how the curves behave and how the patients function beyond 20 years after surgery.

Methods: Of the 152 eligible patients with STF, 67 were traced and contacted and 40 completed outcome questionnaires (Oswestry Disability index [ODI], Scoliosis Research Society-30 [SRS-30]) and had follow-up standing radiographs.

A53T Mutant Alpha-Synuclein Induces Tau-Dependent Postsynaptic Impairment Independently of Neurodegenerative Changes.

Abnormalities in α-synuclein are implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Because α-synuclein is highly concentrated within presynaptic terminals, presynaptic dysfunction has been proposed as a potential pathogenic mechanism. Here, we report novel, tau-dependent, postsynaptic deficits caused by A53T mutant α-synuclein, which is linked to familial PD.

Outcomes After Spine Surgery Among Patients Who Have Had Prior Bariatric Surgery.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: We hypothesized that spine surgery patients with a history of bariatric surgery do not differ in expectations of surgery, perceived benefit of surgical intervention, or physician determined outcome of surgery from patients with no history of bariatric surgery.

Methods: Patients seen in our spine clinic between January 1, 2 009 and December 30, 2 010 were reviewed.

Long-term Outcome of Early Fusions for Congenital Scoliosis.

Study Design: The current literature on outcomes of early fusions for early-onset scoliosis (EOS) has a short follow-up of 7.7 to 12.5 years, with many patients not at the end of growth.

Validation of the Fusion Risk Score for Thoracic and Lumbar Spine Fusion Procedures.

Study Design: This is a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether the Fusion Risk Score (FRS) is valid for perioperative complications.

Summary Of Background Data: The FRS was previously formulated from a retrospective review of 364 fusion surgeries in patients over age 65.

Recurrent Surgical Site Infections in the Spine After Treatment With the Vacuum-assisted Closure (VAC) System.

Study Design: This study retrospectively reviewed recurrences of surgical site infections (SSI) in spinal patients treated with vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) technology.

Objective: Identify patient and treatment factors associated with recurrence of SSI after VAC treatment.

Summary Of Background Data: Patients treated with VAC can achieve healing of deep spine wound infections; however, some patients develop a recurrent infection.

Frequency and Impact of Adverse Events in Patients Undergoing Surgery for End-Stage Ankle Arthritis.

Background: This study summarized the frequency and functional impact of adverse events (AEs) that occur after surgery for end-stage ankle arthritis (ESAA) to inform decision making.

Methods: This was a multisite prospective cohort study to compare ankle arthroplasty to ankle arthrodesis in the treatment of ESAA among 6 participating sites. We compared the risk and impact of nonankle AEs and ankle-specific AEs versus no AEs controlling for potential confounding factors, including operative procedure using multinomial logistic regression.

Clinical and Radiologic Comparison of Minimally Invasive Surgery With Traditional Open Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Review of 452 Patients From a Single Center.

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of prospective data for parallel, consecutive series of patients (Level III).

Objective: Compare clinical results and radiographic outcomes of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) versus open techniques for transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF).

Summary Of Background Data: Minimally invasive techniques allow transforaminal exposure with decreased soft tissue disruption, but the question remains whether surgical and functional outcomes are equivalent to open techniques.

Evidence for a Role of Nerve Injury in Painful Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: A Cross-Sectional Proteomic Analysis of Human Cerebrospinal Fluid.

Unlabelled: Intervertebral disc degeneration (DD) is a cause of low back pain (LBP) in some individuals. However, although >30% of adults have DD, LBP only develops in a subset of individuals. To gain insight into the mechanisms underlying nonpainful versus painful DD, human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was examined using differential expression shotgun proteomic techniques comparing healthy control participants, subjects with nonpainful DD, and patients with painful DD scheduled for spinal fusion surgery.

Radiographic Hip Anatomy Correlates With Range of Motion and Symptoms in National Hockey League Players.

Background: Hip disorders in athletes have been increasingly recognized.

Purpose: To characterize radiographic hip anatomy for National Hockey League (NHL) players and correlate it with hip range of motion and hip symptoms and/or surgery.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Athletic Hip Injuries.

Historically, athletic hip injuries have garnered little attention; however, these injuries account for approximately 6% of all sports injuries and their prevalence is increasing. At times, the diagnosis and management of hip injuries can be challenging and elusive for the team physician. Hip injuries are seen in high-level athletes who participate in cutting and pivoting sports that require rapid acceleration and deceleration.

Collagen Organization in Facet Capsular Ligaments Varies With Spinal Region and With Ligament Deformation.

The spinal facet capsular ligament (FCL) is primarily comprised of heterogeneous arrangements of collagen fibers. This complex fibrous structure and its evolution under loading play a critical role in determining the mechanical behavior of the FCL. A lack of analytical tools to characterize the spatial anisotropy and heterogeneity of the FCL's microstructure has limited the current understanding of its structure-function relationships.

A water-mediated allosteric network governs activation of Aurora kinase A.

The catalytic activity of many protein kinases is controlled by conformational changes of a conserved Asp-Phe-Gly (DFG) motif. We used an infrared probe to track the DFG motif of the mitotic kinase Aurora A (AurA) and found that allosteric activation by the spindle-associated protein Tpx2 involves an equilibrium shift toward the active DFG-in state. Förster resonance energy transfer experiments show that the activation loop undergoes a nanometer-scale movement that is tightly coupled to the DFG equilibrium.