In-depth information related to spine medicine and spine surgery, such as artificial discs, spine fusion and kyphoplasty.
Posterior motion preservation spine surgery: alternative to spinal fusion
Updated March 26, 2007
The intent of posterior motion preservation is to provide a better treatment alternative than spine fusion for patients with pain and loss of function caused by certain back problems, such as lumbar spinal stenosis, facet pain, and degenerative disc disease. Most of these devices are in development or clinical trials, and some are already in use in Europe, or are in use in combination with spinal fusion in the US. Read more...
By: Stephen Hochschuler, MD
FDA approves the ProDisc lumbar artificial disc
August 21, 2006
On August 14, 2006, the PRODISC-L Total Disc Replacement became the second artificial disc approved by the U.S. FDA. The PRODISC-L is indicated for use at a single vertebral level as a treatment for patients with functionally disabling pain from lumbar degenerative disc disease. Read more...
By: Jack Zigler, MD
Cervical disc replacement update
August 17, 2006
The goal in cervical disc replacement is to remove the problematic disc as well as provide a normal range of motion. The hope is that providing a normal range of motion can prevent the risk of adjacent level disease that can develop after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Read more...
By: Alok D. Sharan, MD and Jeffrey A. Goldstein, MD
Low back pain relief using a pneumatic vest
February 14, 2006
Some patients find significant low back pain relief
after taking weight off the spine by resting. This
article reports on recently published research about
the effectiveness of using a pneumatic vest to provide
low back pain relief by unweighting the spine while
allowing the patient to stay more active. Read more...
By: John J. Triano, DC, PhD
Rechargeable
spinal cord stimulators for chronic pain
September 23, 2005
Spinal cord stimulators are small devices implanted under a patient’s skin
with the purpose of stopping pain signals from reaching the brain and thus alleviating
chronic or neuropathic pain. They may be recommended if conservative treatments
fail to relieve chronic pain. Read
more...
By: Thomas M. Wascher, MD, FACS
Lumbar
Artificial Disc Surgery for Chronic Back Pain
August 4, 2005
An artificial disc offers several theoretical benefits over spinal fusion for
treatment of chronic back pain, including the potential for enhanced pain relief
and to avoid premature degeneration at adjacent levels of the spine. This article
provides an in-depth review of lower back disc replacement surgery and clinical
trials. Read
more...
By: Jack Zigler, MD
Disc
nucleus replacement as an alternative to artificial
disc replacement
June 14, 2005
Disc nucleus replacement is a new type of surgery for
low back pain from degenerative disc disease. Unlike
artificial disc replacement, which involves replacing
the entire disc, disc nucleus replacement surgery replaces
just the inner part of the disc. Read more...
By: John
Sherman, MD
Effectiveness of glucosamine
and chondroitin sulfate for osteoarthritis
April 19, 2005
Although there is not yet a proven treatment to stop or slow the progression
of osteoarthritis, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate nutritional supplements
may provide a viable alternative for some patients. An FDA study on the effects
and safety of glucosamine and chondroitin dietary supplements is currently underway,
and many physicians support their use because of the low incidence of serious
side effects (compared to other medications, such as COX-2 inhibitors and other
NSAIDs). Read more...
By: Thomas E. Hyde, DC
Spinal disc
replacement with the CHARITÉ Artificial
Disc
Updated March 30, 2005
The goal of the CHARITÉ Artificial Disc replacement
surgery is to reduce or alleviate chronic low back
pain from degenerative disc disease by restoring the
intervertebral disc height and neuroforaminal height
while returning physiologic motion (similar to that
of a healthy disc) in that segment of the spine. This
artificial disc surgery requires complete removal of
the unhealthy disc in order to implant the new artificial
disc. Read more...
By: Paul McAfee, MD
All about the
Charité artificial disc: now approved for
use in the U.S.
November 17, 2004
Artificial disc replacement surgery is now available in the US for select patients
with ongoing back pain from degenerative disc disease. As with any new surgical
procedure, a number of factors should be considered before any patient has artificial
disc surgery, including the surgeon's relevant training, the surgeon's skills,
patient selection and appropriate indications, and more. Read
more...
By: Stephen Hochschuler, MD and Paul McAfee, MD
Preventing
post-laminectomy spinal deformity in children with
intramedullary spinal cord tumors
May 5, 2004
The study found that instrumented spinal fusion as part of the same surgery to
remove the tumor was usually effective in preventing development of spinal deformity. Read
more...
By: John Dormans, MD, and Leslie Moroz, Research Coordinator
Artificial
disc for cervical disc replacement
April 12, 2004
The intent of the artificial cervical disc device
is to preserve motion at the disc space. It is an alternative to the use of bone
grafts, plates and screws in pursuit of a fusion following removal of a cervical
disc. Read more...
By: Mark Mikles, MD and
Jeffrey A. Goldstein, MD
Bracing
for scoliosis found less effective for overweight
teens
October 17, 2003
A recent study at Johns Hopkins Children's Center
has shown that bracing treatment for adolescent scoliosis
is significantly less effective for teenagers who are
overweight. Read more...
By: John Dormans, MD, and Leslie Moroz, Research Coordinator
Bone
graft substitutes for spinal fusion: August 2003
update
August 15, 2003
Significant advances in bone graft substitutes for spine
fusion have been made in the last couple of years, and
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved
a number of new products. Read
more...
By: Alexander R. Vaccaro, MD
The
Graston Technique: a new manual therapy for back pain
August 5, 2003
This form of manual therapy for back pain incorporates
the use of stainless-steel instruments. The goal of
the therapy is to separate and break down the scar tissue,
as well as stretch connective tissue and muscle fibers.
Read more...
By: Thomas E. Hyde, DC
Pneumatic
vest - a new lower back pain treatment option
May 28, 2003
Many patients with lower back pain feel worse with activity
that loads the spine (such as walking). For patients
who meet specific criteria there is a new treatment
that is designed to unload some of the weight from the
patient's lumbar spine, thus simulating a state of decreased
weight-bearing on the lower back. Read
more...
By: Andrew J. Cole, MD
PNT - a new, minimally
invasive treatment for lower back pain
August 28, 2002
The treatment involves the delivery of electrical
stimulation directly to the deeper tissues (muscles,
ligaments, tendons) near the spine through several needle
electrodes. The theory is that this type of electrical
stimulation helps curtail the central nervous system
hypersensitivity that leads to persistent pain. Read
more...
By John Revord, MD
Electrical
stimulation for spinal fusion
November 30, 2001
Electrical stimulation is designed to improve the effectiveness
of lumbar spinal fusion. As the number of studies validating
the use of this procedure grows, there is a better understanding
among spine surgeons about how and when to use it. Read
more...
By Neil Kahanovitz, MD
Does smoking cause
low back pain?
July 31, 2001
A new study strengthens the link between smoking
and lower back pain, and also sheds light on the causes
of degenerative lumbar spine problems. Read
more...
By Donald Frisco, MD
Bone graft
substitutes for lumbar spine fusion surgery
February 7, 2001 (Updated
April 28, 2003)
There is a lot of interest in the spine community
to develop a bone graft substitute to use during lumbar
spinal fusion procedures. This article addresses several
viable alternatives. Read
more...
By: Scott D. Boden, M.D.
Research update on
IDET
January 2, 2001
Two peer reviewed studies published in the October 2000
issue of SPINE Journal report on the outcomes of patients
having received Intradiscal Electrothermal Annuloplasty
(IDET) an average of one year after treatment. Read
more...
By Ari Ben-Yishay, MD
Osteoarthritis
treatments - Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements
November 29, 2000
For patients who have evidence of osteoarthritis
in their spine (as seen on an x-ray) and who have had
other causes of back pain and neck pain ruled out by
their health care provider, glucosamine sulfate and
chondroitin sulfate may be a treatment option. Read
more...
By Christopher D. Chaput, MD
Kyphoplasty—a new
treatment for osteoporotic fractures
July 7, 2000 (last updated August 14, 2003)
Kyphoplasty, a new procedure for treating osteoporotic
fractures, is designed to restore height to the bone
thus reducing deformity of the spine. Read
more...
By Courtney W. Brown, MD and Douglas C. Wong, MD
Update on artificial
discs
May 5, 2000
The main objective of an artificial disc is to
replace a painful disc while maintaining the natural
anatomical structure of the spine. The procedure is
being developed as an alternative to lumbar spine fusion.
Read more...
By Stephen H. Hochschuler, MD
Intradiscal Electrothermal
Therapy (IDET)
April 18, 2000
IDET is a new, minimally invasive outpatient
surgical procedure to treat patients with chronic low
back pain caused by tears or small herniations of their
lumbar discs. Read more...
By Ari Ben-Yishay, MD
