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J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2018 Dec 17. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

From the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY (Dr. Iyer), and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL (Dr. Louie, Dr. Nolte, and Dr. Phillips).

Low back pain resulting from intervertebral disk degeneration is a cause of substantial disability and productivity loss. Over the past few years, growing evidence exists which suggests that low-grade bacterial infection, particularly infection with Cutibacterium acnes, may be associated with degenerative disk disease in the lumbar spine. Positive cultures are obtained in approximately 30% of intervertebral disk specimens removed at the time of surgery. Read More

J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

From the Department of Orthopaedics, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, MI.

Cutibacterium acnes, long thought to be skin flora of pathological insignificance, has seen a surge in interest for its role in spine pathology. C acnes has been identified as a pathogen in native spine infection and osteomyelitis, which has implications in the management compared with more commonly recognized pathogens. In addition, It has also been recognized as a pathogen in postoperative and implant-associated infections. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Nov 24. Epub 2018 Nov 24.

Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, China-INI, Xicheng District, P.R. China. Electronic address:

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the efficacy of oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) in the treatment of degenerative lumbar disease.

Methods: Twenty-two patients with degenerative lumbar disease who underwent OLIF between October 2016 and January 2017 were included. Radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging were performed preoperatively and postoperatively. Read More

Int J Surg 2018 Dec 22;60:224-230. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Department of Education, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address:

Objectives: Lumbar interbody fusion (LIF) is a treatment option for patients with degenerative disc disease (DDD). However, the effects of the most common LIF procedures-posterior LIF, transforaminal LIF, and anterior LIF-for the treatment of patients with DDD remain controversial. This study evaluated the pain and function caused by the LIF procedures for the treatment of patients with DDD. Read More

J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2019 Feb;27(3):e96-e104

From Dickson-Diveley Midwest Orthopaedic Clinic, Leawood, KS (Dr. Koreckij), the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Beaumont Hospital-Royal Oak, Royal Oak, MI (Dr. Gandhi), and Michigan Orthopaedic Institute, Southfield, MI (Dr. Park).

Anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion has been and remains the benchmark surgical management of cervical degenerative disk disease. However, an increased use of cervical disk arthroplasty (CDA) has been found in the past few years. The purported benefits of CDA included preserved motion, less adjacent-level degeneration, and less morbidity. Read More

PLoS One 2018 24;13(9):e0203714. Epub 2018 Sep 24.

Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Station, Texas, United States of America.

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is performed to relieve pain caused by degenerative disk disease and nerve obstruction. As an alternative to bone graft, autologous concentrated bone marrow aspirate (CBMA) is used to achieve vertebral fusion with a satisfactory success rate. This has been attributed in part to bone marrow-resident mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) with the capacity to differentiate into osteoblasts and generate bone tissue. Read More

Eur Spine J 2018 Nov 7;27(11):2772-2780. Epub 2018 Sep 7.

Department of Orthopaedics, Tenth People's Hospital of TongJi University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.

Purpose: Retrospective kinematic analysis of treated level, adjacent levels, and overall cervical spine after single-level dynamic cervical implant (DCI) stabilization versus anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).

Methods: Between June 2009 and March 2013, 70 consecutive patients with a symptomatic single-level cervical degenerative disk disease (DDD) were enrolled in this study and divided into DCI (n = 35) group and ACDF (n = 35) group. All cases were followed up for more than 5 years. Read More

J Chiropr Med 2018 Jun 14;17(2):97-105. Epub 2018 Jun 14.

Department of Research, Logan University, Chesterfield, Missouri.

Objective: The purpose of this paper was to review the literature regarding the mechanisms leading to degeneration in intervertebral disks and to discuss contributing mechanical and biological factors.

Methods: The inclusion criteria for the literature review were research studies conducted in the last 3 decades with free full-text available in English. Review articles and articles pertaining to temporomandibular joints and joints of the body other than the intervertebral disk were excluded. Read More

Orthopedics 2018 Nov 21;41(6):344-350. Epub 2018 Aug 21.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the superiority of total disk replacement (TDR) using a cervical disk prosthesis vs anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF). Ninety-six patients with a diagnosis of degenerative disk disease with radiculopathy or myeloradiculopathy at 2 contiguous levels from C-3 to C-7 were randomly allocated to the TDR group (n=48) or the ACDF group (n=48). Outcome measures were recorded preoperatively and 1 week and 3, 6, 12, 24, and 81 months postoperatively. Read More

Orthopedics 2018 Sep 16;41(5):e655-e662. Epub 2018 Jul 16.

Fusion outcomes and costs of stand-alone anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF), transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) in association with posterior fusion, and anterior/posterior (A/P) fusion were compared using clinical, radiographic, and billing data. Adult patients with symptomatic 1- or 2-level degenerative disk disease in isolation or in association with a grade 1 or 2 degenerative or lytic spondylolisthesis and canal and/or foraminal stenosis who underwent elective stand-alone ALIF, TLIF, or A/P fusion were compared. The analysis focused primarily on fusion rates and costs and secondarily on radiographic and clinical parameters. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2018 Apr 21;50:102-104. Epub 2018 Feb 21.

Department of Neurology, centre clinical de Soyaux, 2 chemin de Fregeneuil, 16800 Soyaux, France.

Although not as frequent as sciatica, cruralgia remains one of the most frequent reasons why people consult a neurosurgeon. It should be kept in mind, however, that every anterior leg pain is not cruralgia and thus several diagnoses must be discarded, such as of musculoskeletal diseases of hip, pelvis and femur. In the last years of the 19th century, André Léri, a French neurologist, described Leri's sign as it is used widely even today in everyday clinical practice. Read More

Clin Spine Surg 2018 Oct;31(8):E409-E412

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Bethesda, MD.

Study Design: This is a retrospective case control study.

Objective: Identify risk factors and assess their relative impact on the development of degenerative disk disease (DDD).

Summary Of Background Data: DDD is responsible for widespread disability in the civilian and military population. Read More

J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg 2018 Nov 14;79(6):496-501. Epub 2018 Jun 14.

Department of Neurosurgery, San Filippo Neri Hospital of Roma, via Martinotti 20 Roma, Italy, Roma 00135, Italy.

Background:  Anterior cervical fusion (ACF) with autologous bone was reported > 50 years ago. The continuous development of materials with elastic properties close to that of the cortical bone improves induction of osteogenesis and simplifies the technique of interbody fusion. To determine the safety and efficiency of stand-alone trabecular metal (TM) (or porous tantalum) cages for ACF, we performed a retrospective analysis of 88 consecutive patients with one-level or two-level degenerative disk disease (DDD) causing cervical myelopathy treated by interbody fusion with stand-alone TM cages. Read More

Eur Spine J 2018 07 26;27(7):1667-1668. Epub 2018 May 26.

Orthopaedic and Traumatology Department, Institute of Orthopedics "Carlos E. Ottolenghi", Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Potosi, 4215, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Eur Spine J 2018 07 25;27(7):1665-1666. Epub 2018 May 25.

Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, No. 76 Nanguo Road, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, China.

J Biomech Eng 2018 Sep;140(9)

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam 1105 AZ, The Netherlands.

Intervertebral disk (IVD) degeneration is commonly described by loss of height and hydration. However, in the first stage of IVD degeneration, this loss has not yet occurred. In the current study, we use an ex vivo degeneration model to analyze the changes in IVDs mechanical behavior in the first phase of degeneration. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Aug 19;116:136-139. Epub 2018 May 19.

Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Lumbar total disk replacement is considered for the treatment of lumbar degenerative disk disease with the hope that by preserving motion, the long-term fusion complication of adjacent segment disease can be avoided. The complications of lumbar total disk replacement can be divided into approach-related and long-term complications. Little has been described about the complications and treatment for complications >10 years after the device has been implanted. Read More

Zhongguo Gu Shang 2018 Apr;31(4):386-390

Department of Orthopaedics, Hospital of Tradctional Chinese Medicine of Suzhou City, Suzhou 215001, China;

As a self-protective mechanism of cells, autophagy of cells can maintain cell stability by degrading self-aging substances, and it can be highly induced. The ability of autophagy to degraded cells will decrease with age. The resorption phenomenon after lumbar disc herniation is one of the effective mechanisms in conservative treatment of lumbar disc herniation. Read More

Cureus 2018 Mar 8;10(3):e2288. Epub 2018 Mar 8.

Fairview Health Services, Fairview Ridges Hospital.

Background Obesity is an increasing public health concern associated with increased perioperative complications and expense in lumbar spine fusions. While open and mini-open fusions such as transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) and minimally invasive TLIF (MIS-TLIF) are more challenging in obese patients, new MIS procedures like oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusion (OLLIF) may improve perioperative outcomes in obese patients relative to TLIF and MIS-TLIF. Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of obesity on perioperative outcomes in OLLIF, MIS-TLIF, and TLIF. Read More

Eur Spine J 2018 06 18;27(Suppl 2):222-228. Epub 2018 Apr 18.

Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, "Sapienza", University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Purpose: The most effective interbody fusion technique for degenerative disk disease (DDD) is still controversial. The purpose of our study is to compare pure lateral (LLIF) and oblique lateral (OLIF) approaches for the treatment of lumbar DDD from L1-L2 to L4-L5, in terms of clinical and radiological outcomes.

Materials And Methods: 45 patients underwent lumbar interbody fusion for pure lumbar DDD from  L1-L2 to L4-L5 through LLIF (n = 31, mean age 62. Read More

BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2018 Apr 17;19(1):119. Epub 2018 Apr 17.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 899 Pinghai Road, Suzhou, China.

Background: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is the classic surgical treatment for symptomatic cervical degenerative disc disease (CDDD). However, there is controversy over the best surgical management in patients with two noncontiguous symptomatic levels of CDDD.

Methods: From April 2011 to May 2014, 44 patients with two noncontiguous symptomatic levels of CDDD underwent skip-level ACDFs. Read More

J Chiropr Med 2018 Mar 1;17(1):54-62. Epub 2018 Feb 1.

Logan University, Chesterfield, Missouri.

Objective: The purpose of this narrative literature review is to discuss the literature regarding the potential role that cytokines play in degenerative disk disease.

Methods: The inclusion criteria were studies that used inflammatory mediators in advancing disk disease processes. Research studies were limited to the last 3 decades that had free full-text available online in English. Read More

J Clin Orthop Trauma 2018 Mar 12;9(Suppl 1):S149-S151. Epub 2017 Oct 12.

Rottal Inn Kliniken, Department of Neurosurgery, Bavaria, Germany.

Background: The incidence of Disc herniation is about 2-3% of population. Each year 300,000 procedures performed in USA. The aim of this paper is to describe the utility of endoscopic procedure in treatment of lumbar disc herniation. Read More

Open Orthop J 2018 16;12:91-98. Epub 2018 Mar 16.

Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital São José - Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul.

Background: Previous studies on the correlation between cervical sagittal balance with improvement in quality of life showed significant results only for parameters of the anterior translation of the cervical spine (such as C2-C7 SVA).

Objective: We test whether a new parameter, , can predict clinical success in this type of surgery.

Methods: The focused group involved patients who underwent surgical treatment of cervical degenerative disk disease by the posterior approach, due to myelopathy, radiculopathy or a combination of both. Read More

Radiol Res Pract 2018 8;2018:7638505. Epub 2018 Feb 8.

Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Patras, Patras, Greece.

Introduction: Low back pain (LBP) is common in children and adolescents. There are many factors that cause LBP, including structural disorders, degenerative changes, Scheuermann's disease, fractures, inflammation, and tumors. Magnetic Resonance Imaging is the gold standard for diagnosing spinal abnormalities and is mandatory when neurological symptoms exist. Read More

Comput Med Imaging Graph 2018 Jun 17;66:73-81. Epub 2018 Mar 17.

Eye Clinic, Multidisciplinary Department of Medical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Second University of Naples, Italy. Electronic address:

Retinitis Pigmentosa is an eye disease that presents with a slow loss of vision and then evolves until blindness results. The automatic detection of the early signs of retinitis pigmentosa acts as a great support to ophthalmologists in the diagnosis and monitoring of the disease in order to slow down the degenerative process. A large body of literature is devoted to the analysis of Retinitis Pigmentosa. Read More

Eur Spine J 2018 Mar 23. Epub 2018 Mar 23.

Orthopaedic and Traumatology Department, Institute of Orthopedics "Carlos E. Ottolenghi", Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Potosi, 4215, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Purpose: The authors describe a percutaneous technique to treat advanced degenerative disk disease in elderly patients.

Method: A step-by-step technical description based on our experience in selected cases.

Result: Postoperative imaging results are presented as well as indications and recommendations. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Jun 10;114:e403-e411. Epub 2018 Mar 10.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Baoding No.1 Central Hospital, Baoding, Hebei, China.

Objective: To compare outcomes between K-rod dynamic stabilization system (KDSS) and posterior lumbar intervertebral fusion (PLIF) for lumbar degenerative disease.

Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed 98 patients who underwent lumbar surgery from March 2012 to June 2014, including 48 in the KDSS group and 50 in the PLIF group. All patients were followed up for at least 2 years. Read More

Int Orthop 2018 05 11;42(5):1091-1097. Epub 2018 Feb 11.

Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orthopaedic Implants, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the position of single cage inserted using oblique-oriented technique in transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) on digital images of computed tomography (CT).

Methods: From January to August 2015, 44 consecutive patients with degenerative lumbar disease who underwent TLIF in the L4/5 level were retrospectively studied in our department. The single cage was inserted using the oblique-oriented technique; as the main purpose of the study, its position was analyzed using post-operative digital computed tomography images. Read More

Eye Contact Lens 2018 Sep;44(5):286-291

Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (Y.-L.W. and S.-M.S.), National University of Singapore, Singapore; Vision Sciences (Y.-L.W. and A.C.-H.Y.), R&D AMERA, Essilor International, Singapore; School of Optometry and Ophthalmology (Y.D.), Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, China; Singapore Eye Research Institute (Y.D., C.S., C.-W.W., P.V., D.T., Q.V.H., E.L., and S.-M.S.), Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore; Department of Ophthalmology (C.S., D.T., and S.-M.S.), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore; Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School (C.S., C.-W.W., D.T., Q.V.H., E.L., and S.-M.S.), National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science (K.O.-M.), Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan; and Department of Ophthalmology (Q.V.H.), Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY.

Objectives: To examine the progression pattern of disc and retinal lesions in highly myopic Chinese adolescents over a 10-year period in Singapore.

Methods: This longitudinal study included Chinese participants who showed high myopia (spherical equivalent [SE] worse than or equal to -5 diopters [D]), no history of refractive surgery, and available fundus photographs at both 2006 (baseline) and 2016 (10-year follow-up) visits. Forty-four adolescents (aged 12-16 years at baseline) who were re-examined later at follow-up were included. Read More

Orthop Nurs 2018 Jan/Feb;37(1):70-71

Orthop Nurs 2018 Jan/Feb;37(1):68-69

Patrick Graham, MSN, RN, APN/ANP-BC, Advanced Practice Nurse, Center for Comprehensive Orthopedic and Spine Care, Northwestern Medical Group, Chicago, IL.

Clin Spine Surg 2018 02;31(1):6-13

Center for Spine Health at the Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH.

In the United States, cervical total disk arthroplasty (TDA) is US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved for use in both 1 and 2-level constructions for cervical disk disease resulting in myelopathy and/or radiculopathy. TDA designs vary in form, function, material composition, and even performance in?vivo. However, the therapeutic goals are the same: to remove the painful degenerative/damaged elements of the intervertebral discoligamenous joint complex, to preserve or restore the natural range of spinal motion, and to mitigate stresses on adjacent spinal segments, thereby theoretically limiting adjacent segment disease (ASDis). Read More

Ann Agric Environ Med 2017 Dec 11;24(4):610-617. Epub 2017 May 11.

Clinic and Polyclinic of Neuro-orthopedic and Neurology, Institute of Rheumatology, Warsaw, Poland.

Background: The work is designed to uncover the pattern of mutual relation among trace elements and epidemiological data in the degenerated intervertebral disk tissue in humans. Hitherto the reason of the degenerative process is not fully understood. Trace elements are the basic components of the biological compound related both its metabolism as well as environmental exposure. Read More

J Int Adv Otol 2017 Dec 14;13(3):368-373. Epub 2017 Dec 14.

Department of Speech and Language Therapy, TEI of Epirus, Ioannina, Greece.

Objective: Cervical spondylosis and cervical disk herniation are the most frequent forms of degenerative disease in the cervical spine. Surgical treatment mainly includes anterior cervical disk fusion. However, information concerning vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) recording in patients undergoing cervical spine surgery is limited. Read More

J Orthop Res 2018 May 10;36(5):1356-1369. Epub 2018 Jan 10.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, Minnesota, 55905.

Degenerative disk disease of the spine is a major cause of back pain and disability. Optimization of regenerative medical therapies for degenerative disk disease requires a deep mechanistic understanding of the factors controlling the structural integrity of spinal tissues. In this investigation, we sought to identify candidate regulatory genes controlling extracellular matrix synthesis in spinal tissues. Read More

Neurosurg Clin N Am 2018 Jan 27;29(1):145-152. Epub 2017 Oct 27.

Department of Neurosurgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan. Electronic address:

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) eventually affects not only activities of daily living but also quality of life. DCM is usually a gradually progressive, sometimes irreversible, disease of the cervical spinal cord, although there is always a risk of acute deterioration caused by minor trauma. There is still not enough evidence regarding the prognosis of mild DCM without surgical treatment, and conservative treatment seems a reasonable option, although patients need to be followed closely because some do deteriorate over time. Read More

Asian Spine J 2017 Oct 11;11(5):715-721. Epub 2017 Oct 11.

Department of Orthopaedics/Spine, Spatial Medicabil Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.

Study Design: Retrospective clinical cohort study.

Purpose: To investigate whether the combined use of dynamic pedicle screws and polyaxial pedicle screws was effective on adjacent segment pathology (ASP).

Overview Of Literature: Various screw and rod models have been recently developed for preventing adjacent segment disease, and hybrid systems have been described along with posterior instrumentation in the fusion segment. Read More

J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg 2018 Jul 17;79(4):296-301. Epub 2017 Oct 17.

Department of Neurosurgery, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.

Purpose:  We report our experience with a novel surgical device for the treatment of lumbar degenerative microinstability. Facet Wedge (DePuy Synthes, Raynham, Massachusetts, United States) is a novel technique of intra-articular lumbar facet fixation that provides a minimally invasive alternative to standard posterior fixation.

Materials And Methods:  From November 2014 to July 2015, 38 patients underwent single-level Facet Wedge implantation. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Jan 4;109:188-196. Epub 2017 Oct 4.

NeuroSpine Surgery Research Group, Prince of Wales Private Hospital, Barker Street, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.

Low back pain is the principal cause of long-term disability worldwide. We intend to address one of its main causes, degenerative disk disease, a spinal condition involving degradation of an intervertebral disk. Following unsuccessful conservative treatment, patients may be recommended for surgery. Read More

Cureus 2017 Jul 21;9(7):e1502. Epub 2017 Jul 21.

Department of Family Medicine, University of Arizona.

Physicians are often faced with managing difficult conditions such as chronic lower back pain. Intervertebral disk herniation typically occurs horizontally, leading to impingement of the spinal cord which can potentially cause radicular symptoms or other spinal cord pathologies; however, disk herniations can also occur vertically and extend through the endplate of an adjacent cranial or caudal vertebra: a phenomenon known as a Schmorl's node. Although Schmorl's nodes can be seen in many asymptomatic individuals, they can be a cause of degenerative disk disease and low back pain. Read More

Clin Spine Surg 2018 Mar;31(2):E121-E126

Center for Diagnostic Imaging, Minneapolis, MN.

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. Read More

PM R 2018 Apr 14;10(4):331-337. Epub 2017 Sep 14.

Emory Spine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.

Background: The intervertebral disk is the largest avascular structure in the body. It relies on passive diffusion from arteries at the periphery of the disk for nutrition. Previous studies have suggested a correlation between vascular disease and lumbar degenerative disk disease (DDD), but the association with facet arthritis and stenosis has not been evaluated. Read More

Global Spine J 2017 Sep 31;7(6):572-586. Epub 2017 May 31.

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Study Design: Review.

Objectives: Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a major cause of disability, particular in elderly patients. Awareness and understanding of CSM is imperative to facilitate early diagnosis and management. Read More

PLoS One 2017 29;12(8):e0183603. Epub 2017 Aug 29.

Radboud university medical center, Department of Neurosurgery, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Background: To investigate the efficacy of adding supplemental fusion or arthroplasty after cervical anterior discectomy for symptomatic mono-level cervical degenerative disease (radiculopathy), which has not been substantiated in controlled trials until now.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial is reported with 9 years follow up comparing anterior cervical anterior discectomy without fusion, with fusion by cage standalone, or with disc prosthesis. Patients suffering from symptomatic cervical disk degeneration at one level referred to spinal sections of department of neurosurgery or orthopedic surgery of a large general hospital with educational facilities were eligible. Read More

PLoS One 2017 28;12(8):e0183697. Epub 2017 Aug 28.

Laboratory of Neurosurgery, Irkutsk Scientific Center of Surgery and Traumatology, Irkutsk, Russia.

Purpose: To assess the utility of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps for the assessment of patients with advanced degenerative lumbar spine disease and describe characteristic features of ADC maps in various degenerative lumbar spinal conditions.

Methods: T1-weighted, T2-weighted and diffusion weighted (DWI) MR images of 100 consecutive patients admitted to the spinal surgery service were assessed. ADC maps were generated from DWI images using Osyrix software. Read More

Neurocirugia (Astur) 2018 Mar - Apr;29(2):93-102. Epub 2017 Jul 24.

Servicio de Neurocirugía, Hospital Universitario de Burgos, Burgos, España.

Obesity (BMI>30Kg/m) is a pandemic with severe medical and financial implications. There is growing evidence that relates certain metabolic processes within the adipose tissue, preferentially abdominal fat, with a low-intensity chronic inflammatory state mediated by adipokines and other substances that favor disk disease and chronic low back pain. Obesity greatly conditions both the preoperative evaluation and the spinal surgical technique itself. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2017 Jul;96(30):e7222

aDepartment of Orthopaedics, First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, Beijing bDepartment of Orthopaedics cEducation Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, the People's Republic of China.

The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between high-intensity zone (HIZ) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a lumbar disc and positive pain response assessed by discography for the diagnosis and treatment of discogenic low back pain (LBP). Thirty-seven patients aged 21 to 59 years with chronic LBP but without any neurological symptoms or lumbar disc herniation who underwent MRI and subsequent discography were included in this study. During discography, concordant pain was regarded as positive, whereas discordant pain and no pain were regarded as negative. Read More

Arthrosc Tech 2017 Jun 15;6(3):e599-e605. Epub 2017 May 15.

Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospital Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

The sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) has a complete intra-articular disk that can be damaged either as a result of trauma or as part of ongoing degenerative joint disease. Although often asymptomatic, SCJ disk tears may lead to mechanical symptoms and pain. Previously, isolated symptomatic SCJ disk tears have only occasionally been mentioned in the literature with a few associated case reports of diskectomy by open arthrotomy. Read More