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Cureus 2022 Apr 16;14(4):e24189. Epub 2022 Apr 16.

Internal Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, USA.

Septic arthritis of the facet joint (SAFJ) is an uncommon etiology of low back pain that usually affects the elderly population and immunocompromised patients but is rare in immunocompetent and young patients. When such a clinical presentation occurs, it is imperative to diagnose the source of the infection. We report a case of septic arthritis of the left third and fourth lumbar vertebrae facet joint due to in a young immunocompetent adult, and the source of infection was found to be subacute infective endocarditis of a bicuspid aortic valve which was undiagnosed till now. Read More

Med Pr 2022 May 17. Epub 2022 May 17.

Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China (College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering).

Background: Brush cutters are widely used in Chinese landscape gardening and agricultural laboring which leads the operators being exposed to many risks. Low back pain (LBP) is particularly common and can lead to substantial personal, community and financial burdens. The aim of the presented study was to measure the activity and function of each torso muscle of the operator when using the bush cutter, so as to evaluate the muscle injury of the operator during using several common brush cutters for different landscape tasks. Read More

ACS Appl Bio Mater 2022 May 16. Epub 2022 May 16.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, United States.

Low back pain is the most common health problem with a prevalence of over 80% worldwide and an estimated annual cost of $100 billion in the United States. Intervertebral disc degeneration accounts for a major cause of low back pain. However, there is still a lack of safe and effective treatment to tackle this devastating condition. Read More

Front Surg 2022 28;9:890689. Epub 2022 Apr 28.

Department of Spine Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.

Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: We evaluated the feasibility, safety, and accuracy of full-endoscopic posterior lumbar interbody fusion (FE-PLIF) by assessing the learning curve and initial clinical outcomes.

Summary Of Background Data: Low back pain is one of the crucial medical conditions worldwide. Read More

Chiropr Man Therap 2022 May 13;30(1):26. Epub 2022 May 13.

VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Tacoma, WA, USA.

Objective: To identify and descriptively compare medication recommendations among low back pain (LBP) clinical practice guidelines (CPG).

Methods: We searched PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Review, Index to Chiropractic Literature, AMED, CINAHL, and PEDro to identify CPGs that described the management of mechanical LBP in the prior five years. Two investigators independently screened titles and abstracts and potentially relevant full text were considered for eligibility. Read More

Oxid Med Cell Longev 2022 29;2022:1045999. Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Department of Orthopeadics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.

Purpose: The pathological role of axial stress in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is controversial, and there was no quantified study until now. Here, we tried to clarify the correlation between IDD or low back pain (LBP) and axial stress at different duration and magnitude in vitro and in vivo.

Method: In vitro, the gene expression of aggrecan, matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and substance P (SP) was measured when nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) were compressed under gradual severity. Read More

Radiol Case Rep 2022 Jun 25;17(6):2269-2272. Epub 2022 Apr 25.

Department of Cardiology, Mohammed VI University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Oujda, Mohammed First University, Oujda, Morocco.

Vitamin K antagonists (VKA) are recommended in patients with mechanical heart valves. Major bleeding events remain the most life-threatening complication of this therapy and sometimes it can occur in unusual anatomic areas. Spontaneous retroperitoneal hematoma is one of the rare complications of anticoagulation therapy, which needs to be recognized early and managed promptly. Read More

Global Spine J 2022 May 4:21925682221094533. Epub 2022 May 4.

Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, 26683Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.

This was a retrospective observational study that assessed the clinical outcome of ageing patients who received ultrasound-guided (USG) mechanical needling with sterile water injection. In addition, the clinical outcome of age-and gender matched patients randomly selected from patients who received needling with sterile water was compared to the patients injected with lidocaine in a 1:1 ratio. This present study aimed to explore the clinical effects of USG mechanical needling with sterile water injection for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Read More

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 2022 02 17;166. Epub 2022 Feb 17.

Erasmus MC, afd. Huisartsgeneeskunde, Rotterdam.

Lumbar bone marrow edema, also known as Modic type-1 endplate change, has a prevalence of 43% in low back pain populations and 6% in general populations. Besides mechanical factors and genetic predisposition it has been hypothesized that lumbar bone marrow edema is caused by a latent infection of low-virulence anaerobic bacteria in degenerated lumbar intervertebral discs. The hypothesis is supported by the observation that the presence of Cutibacterium acnes is more frequently found in samples of disci with Modic-1 than in discs without and by the positive effects of antibiotics in patients with back pain and Modic-1 as shown in placebo-controlled RCT's. Read More

Arthrosc Tech 2022 Apr 16;11(4):e563-e568. Epub 2022 Mar 16.

Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.

After anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery, achieving full range of motion and strength of the postoperative knee is critical for optimal surgical outcomes. Abnormal tissue growth and scar formation in the postoperative knee can create a block to terminal extension of the knee. Cyclops lesions are areas of granulation tissue with neovascularization and fibrous tissue formation peripherally, most commonly at the anterolateral aspect of the tibial graft site after ACL reconstruction. Read More

Orthop Surg 2022 Apr 29. Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Department of Spinal Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) causes a variety of signs and symptoms, such as low back pain (LBP), intervertebral disc herniation, and spinal stenosis, which contribute to high social and economic costs. IDD results from many factors, including genetic factors, aging, mechanical injury, malnutrition, and so on. The pathological changes of IDD are mainly composed of the senescence and apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs), the progressive degeneration of extracellular matrix (ECM), the fibrosis of annulus fibrosus (AF), and the inflammatory response. Read More

Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult 2022 ;99(2):45-52

National Medical Research Center for Rehabilitation and Balneology, Moscow, Russia.

Underwater traction of the spine is a physiotherapeutic method that combines the effects of mechanical traction and fresh water of indifferent temperature and seems promising for the treatment of pain in the lower back, which is due to the physiological basis of the mechanism of action on the spinal motion segment by eliminating muscle spasm and restoring the biomechanics of the spine.

Objective: To study the effectiveness of underwater horizontal traction in combination with mechanotherapy in patients with non-stenosing unstable degenerative spondylolisthesis of the lumbosacral spine of the 1st degree, accompanied by pain.

Material And Methods: The clinical study included 14 patients (mean age 50. Read More

EClinicalMedicine 2022 May 16;47:101397. Epub 2022 Apr 16.

Department of Intensive Care, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: While an association of the intraoperative driving pressure with postoperative pulmonary complications has been described before, it is uncertain whether the intraoperative mechanical power is associated with postoperative pulmonary complications.

Methods: Posthoc analysis of two international, multicentre randomised clinical trials (ISRCTN70332574 and NCT02148692) conducted between 2011-2013 and 2014-2018, in patients undergoing open abdominal surgery comparing the effect of two different positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) levels on postoperative pulmonary complications. Time-weighted average dynamic driving pressure and mechanical power were calculated for individual patients. Read More

Neurosci Bull 2022 Apr 26;38(4):386-402. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

Department of Physiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.

Myocardial ischemia (MI) causes somatic referred pain and sympathetic hyperactivity, and the role of sensory inputs from referred areas in cardiac function and sympathetic hyperactivity remain unclear. Here, in a rat model, we showed that MI not only led to referred mechanical hypersensitivity on the forelimbs and upper back, but also elicited sympathetic sprouting in the skin of the referred area and C8-T6 dorsal root ganglia, and increased cardiac sympathetic tone, indicating sympathetic-sensory coupling. Moreover, intensifying referred hyperalgesic inputs with noxious mechanical, thermal, and electro-stimulation (ES) of the forearm augmented sympathetic hyperactivity and regulated cardiac function, whereas deafferentation of the left brachial plexus diminished sympathoexcitation. Read More

J Pain Res 2022 19;15:1149-1162. Epub 2022 Apr 19.

Department of Pain Medicine, The Spine and Nerve Center of the Virginias, Charleston, WV, USA.

Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain is a common cause of low back pain. Traditionally, treatment for SIJ joint pain and dysfunction has consisted of physical therapy, medication management, SIJ injections, and SIJ ablations. Improved recognition of the SIJ as an etiology for back pain has led to advances in treatment options. Read More

J Chiropr Med 2021 Sep 6;20(3):108-114. Epub 2022 Apr 6.

Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of people with low back pain (LBP) to modify the pattern of lumbopelvic rotation (LPR) when actively moving their lower limbs in sitting.

Methods: In this repeated-measures study in 38 men with chronic mechanical LBP (mean age, 38.4 ± 10. Read More

J Spine Surg 2022 Mar;8(1):139-148

NeuroSpine Surgery Research Group (NSURG), Sydney, Australia.

Objectives: To collate the current state of knowledge and explore differences in the spatiotemporal gait patterns of degenerative lumbar spine diseases: lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and low back pain (LBP).

Background: LBP is common presenting complaint with degenerative lumbar spine disease being a common cause. In particular, the gait patterns of LSS, LDH and mechanical-type (facetogenic and discogenic) LBP is not established. Read More

J Med Case Rep 2022 Apr 20;16(1):157. Epub 2022 Apr 20.

Geriatric Medicine, St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals, 1 Clayton St, Midland, WA, 6056, Australia.

Background: Veillonella species are an opportunistically pathogenic commensal anaerobic Gram-negative coccus commonly found in the oral, genitourinary, respiratory, and intestinal tract of humans and some animals. Infection is rare, even in immunocompromised hosts, and has been identified to cause a wide array of different infections, including endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and meningitis.

Case Presentation: An 82-year-old Caucasian male retired ex-gymnast presented to the emergency department with a 2-week history of acute on chronic lower back pain without clear precipitant. Read More

J Orthop Case Rep 2021 Jun;11(6):68-71

Department of Orthopaedics, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

Introduction: Thoracolumbar kyphosis is common cause of sagittal spinal malalignment. Neglected tuberculous infection in childhood often presents as kyphotic deformity in adulthood, especially in India, where tuberculosis is endemic. Complete clinical and radiological evaluation is necessary to decide need for surgical intervention. Read More

World Neurosurg 2022 Apr 15. Epub 2022 Apr 15.

School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China.

Objective: Investigations showed that low back pain of occupational drivers might be closely related to the whole-body vibration. Restricted by ethical concerns, the finite element method had become a viable alternative to invasive human experiments. Many mechanical behaviors of the human spine inside of the human body were unclear; therefore, a human whole-body finite element model might be required to better understand the lumbar behavior under whole-body vibration. Read More

World J Clin Cases 2022 Mar;10(9):2923-2930

Department of Cardiology, Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing 312000, Zhejiang Province, China.

Background: Acute stent thrombosis (AST) is a serious complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The causes of AST include the use of stents of inappropriate diameters, multiple overlapping stents, or excessively long stents; incomplete stent expansion; poor stent adhesion; incomplete coverage of dissection; formation of thrombosis or intramural hematomas; vascular injury secondary to intraoperative mechanical manipulation; insufficient dose administration of postoperative antiplatelet medications; and resistance to antiplatelet drugs. Cases of AST secondary to coronary artery spasms are rare, with only a few reports in the literature. Read More

Microbes Infect 2022 Apr 14:104980. Epub 2022 Apr 14.

Department of Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China, 200025; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint Diseases with Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopeadics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China,200025. Electronic address:

Propionibacterium acnes infection in intervertebral discs (IVDs) is a newly identified cause of low back pain (LBP). In the present study, we aimed to determine whether the nerve growth factor (NGF), a critical pro-algesic factor, is involved in P. acnes-induced LBP. Read More

J Orthop Translat 2022 Mar 1;33:162-173. Epub 2022 Apr 1.

Orthopedic Institute and Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China.

Background/objective: Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IVDD) that greatly affected by regional biomechanical environment is a major cause of low back pain. Injectable hydrogels have been commonly studied for treatment of IVDD due to their capability of mimicking extracellular matrix structure to support cellular behavior and clinical prospects in minimally invasive treatment. However, most hydrogels suffer from complicated chemistry, potential uncertainty and toxicity from in-situ gelation, and mismatch with IVD mechanical environment that limit their therapeutic effects or clinical translation in IVDD or intervertebral disc defect repair. Read More

World Neurosurg 2022 Apr 8. Epub 2022 Apr 8.

Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; NeuroSpine Clinic, Prince of Wales Private Hospital, Randwick, Australia; NeuroSpine Surgery Research Group, Sydney, Australia; Wearables and Gait Assessment Research Group, Sydney, Australia.

Objective: Using a chest-based inertial wearable sensor, we examined the quantitative gait patterns associated with lumbar disc herniation (LDH), lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), and chronic mechanical low back pain (CMLBP). 'Pathological gait signatures' were reported as statistically significant group difference (%) from the 'normative' gait values of an age-matched control population.

Methods: A sample of patients presenting to the Prince of Wales Private Hospital (Sydney, Australia) with primary diagnoses of LDH, LSS, or CMLBP were recruited. Read More

Biomaterials 2022 05 30;284:121491. Epub 2022 Mar 30.

Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan; Department of Tissue Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine and Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. Electronic address:

The loss of nucleus pulposus (NP) precedes the intervertebral disk (IVD) degeneration that causes back pain. Here, we demonstrate that the implantation of human iPS cell-derived cartilaginous tissue (hiPS-Cart) restores this loss by replacing lost NP spatially and functionally. NP cells consist of notochordal NP cells and chondrocyte-like NP cells. Read More

JOR Spine 2022 Mar 7;5(1):e1187. Epub 2022 Jan 7.

Biological Systems Engineering Department University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln Nebraska USA.

Background: Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of disability, but treatments for LBP are limited. Degeneration of the intervertebral disc due to loss of neuroinhibitory sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAGs) allows nerves from dorsal root ganglia to grow into the core of the disc. Treatment with a decellularized tissue hydrogel that contains sGAGs may inhibit nerve growth and prevent disc-associated LBP. Read More

JOR Spine 2022 Mar 31;5(1):e1193. Epub 2022 Jan 31.

Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education Wilfrid Laurier University Waterloo Ontario Canada.

Background: Disorders of the intervertebral disc (IVD) are widely known to result in low back pain; one of the most common debilitating conditions worldwide. As a multifaceted condition, both inflammatory environment and mechanical factors can play a crucial role in IVD damage, and in particular, in the annulus fibrosus (AF), the highly collagenous outer ring of the IVD. As a result, a better understanding of how cells from the IVD, and specifically the AF, interact and respond to their environment is imperative. Read More

Adv Healthc Mater 2022 Apr 4:e2102530. Epub 2022 Apr 4.

CÚRAM, SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices, National University of Ireland, Galway, H91W2TY, Ireland.

Intervertebral disc degeneration is a common cause of discogenic low back pain resulting in significant disability. Current conservative or surgical intervention treatments do not reverse the underlying disc degeneration or regenerate the disc. Biomaterial-based tissue engineering strategies exhibit the potential to regenerate the disc due to their capacity to modulate local tissue responses, maintain the disc phenotype, attain biochemical homeostasis, promote anatomical tissue repair, and provide functional mechanical support. Read More

J Healthc Eng 2022 25;2022:6463863. Epub 2022 Mar 25.

Sunshine Union Hospitai,Spinal Surgery, Weifang, Shandong 261000, China.

Lumbar disc herniation is a common and frequently-occurring disease in pain clinics. The incidence rate of affliction is increasing with every passing year. Besides the aged, young people also suffer from long-term pain, which not only affects their daily routines but may also lead to serious impairment. Read More

World Neurosurg 2022 Mar 30. Epub 2022 Mar 30.

Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA. Electronic address:

Objective: Lumbar spondylolysis occurs in 5%-8% of adults. This study aimed to report clinical and radiographic outcomes of direct pars repair in adults with lumbar spondylolysis.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all patients treated for lumbar spondylolysis via open fracture reduction and direct pars repair with cannulated screws using a lag technique. Read More