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An analysis by the Evidence-based Practice Center at Oregon Health & Science University has found that previously published clinical trial studies about a controversial bone growth product used in spinal surgeries overstated the product's effectiveness. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-06-previous-overstated-evidence-medtronic-spinal.html Surgery Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:48:25 EST news290764070 Interspinous spacer implantation—a less-invasive alternative surgical option for spinal stenosis—has a lower complication rate than spinal fusion, reports a study in the May 1 issue of Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-spinal-spacer-procedure-complications-higher.html Surgery Tue, 07 May 2013 12:13:40 EST news287147555 A new study suggests that the type of bio-cellular grafts increasingly used by surgeons to repair damaged tissue may be useful for treating low-back pain (LBP). However, not all sufferers responded equally to the novel therapy. Results reported today at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine ranged from complete pain relief to no improvement. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-experimental-bone-marrow-grafts-low-back-pain.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:56:40 EST news284918194 (HealthDay)—For octogenarian patients with lumbar disc herniation, unilateral laminectomy and discectomy seems safe and effective, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-lumbar-disc-herniation-surgery-effective.html Surgery Mon, 08 Apr 2013 18:30:01 EST news284661587 (HealthDay)—A substantially high number of patients undergoing spinal fusion have a vitamin D deficiency or inadequacy, according to a study published in the March 15 issue of Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-vitamin-d-common-spinal-fusion.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:50:01 EST news283717350 (AP)—Dr. Jacquelin Perry, a world-renowned orthopedic surgeon who pioneered treatments to help polio patients regain movement, has died at age 94 in California. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-polio-surgeon-jacquelin-perry-dies.html Other Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:50:02 EST news282569770 (HealthDay)—The effect of osteoporosis therapies (bisphosphonate drugs and intermittent parathyroid hormone [PTH]) on spinal fusion is unclear, according to a review published in the February issue of The Spine Journal. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-impact-osteoporosis-tx-spinal-fusion.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:12:30 EST news281362334 Follow-up data on patients with degenerative disease of the upper (cervical) spinal vertebrae show little or no evidence of worsening degeneration over time, according to a study in the February 15 issue of Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-degenerative-cervical-spine-disease.html Cancer Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:40:02 EST news280496870 (HealthDay)—Requiring patients interested in spinal surgery to first see a rehabilitation physician reduces the number of spinal surgeries, reduces costs, and leaves patients largely satisfied, according to a study published in the Feb. 1 issue of Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-pre-op-physiatry-spinal-surgery.html Surgery Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:30:01 EST news279292204 The "July effect"—the notion that the influx of new residents and fellows at teaching hospitals in July of each year adversely affects patient care and outcomes—was examined in a very large data set of hospitalizations for patients undergoing spine surgery. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) and the University of Virginia Health System (Charlottesville, VA) found a negligible effect on periprocedural outcomes among patients treated by spine surgery. Detailed results of their thorough study are furnished in the article "The effect of July admission on inpatient outcomes following spinal surgery. Clinical article," by Jennifer S. McDonald, Ph.D., Michelle J. Clarke, M.D., Gregory A. Helm, M.D., Ph.D., and David F. Kallmes, M.D., published today online, ahead of print, in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-july-effect-negligible-outcomes-spine.html Surgery Tue, 29 Jan 2013 10:23:55 EST news278677427 (HealthDay)—Patients seeing a spine surgeon are most influenced by low back pain intensity when considering whether to proceed with spinal fusion surgery, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-pain-intensity-influential-fusion-decision.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 24 Jan 2013 18:20:01 EST news278272579 (HealthDay)—Omega-3 fatty acid (n-3FA) supplements do not correlate with higher perioperative blood loss during spinal fusion procedures, according to a study published in the December issue of the European Spine Journal. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-omega-supplements-dont-surgical-blood.html Health Sun, 16 Dec 2012 16:30:01 EST news274893546 (HealthDay)—Undergoing spinal fusion surgery does not affect the risk of stroke within the three years after surgery, according to a study published in the December issue of the European Spine Journal. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-spinal-fusion-surgery.html Cardiology Mon, 10 Dec 2012 16:40:01 EST news274378941 (HealthDay)—Currently, there is no test available to reliably predict which patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) will achieve a good clinical outcome after spinal fusion surgery, according to the results of a literature review published online Nov. 5 in The Spine Journal. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-dont-outcome-spine-fusion-pain.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 15 Nov 2012 17:10:01 EST news272217588 (HealthDay)—Injections of teriparatide are more effective than oral bisphosphonate for bone union after instrumented lumbar posterolateral fusion in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis, according to a study published in the Nov. 1 issue of Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-teriparatide-ups-bone-union-women.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Sat, 03 Nov 2012 11:50:01 EST news271140192 (HealthDay)—The overall mortality rate associated with spinal surgery is 1.8 per 1,000 and varies based on factors such as patient age and primary diagnosis, according to a study published in the Nov. 1 issue of Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-spinal-surgery-tied-mortality-quantified.html Surgery Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:40:02 EST news271078749 (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing spinal fusion by minimally-invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF), the procedure is safe and effective based on a follow-up of at least two years, according to research published online Sept. 6 in the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-efficacy-minimally-invasive-spinal-fusion.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 03 Oct 2012 19:10:01 EST news268502681 (HealthDay)—In patients who have undergone spinal fusion surgery with intraoperative fluoroscopic guidance and have no postoperative problems, postoperative radiographs do not provide additional clinical information and are not cost-effective, according to a study published in the July issue of The Spine Journal. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-radiography-unnecessary-spinal-fusion-surgery.html Surgery Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:14:30 EST news267095648 (HealthDay) -- In the three years following spinal fusion surgery, the incidence of stroke is similar to or insignificantly lower than that of controls, according to a study published in the June issue of The Spine Journal. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-spinal-fusion-surgery.html Cardiology Thu, 09 Aug 2012 17:00:04 EST news263745468 (HealthDay) -- Morbid obesity increases the risk of multiple complications in spinal fusion surgery, particularly in patients undergoing anterior cervical or posterior lumbar procedures, according to research published in the May 15 issue of Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-morbid-obesity-ups-complication-spinal.html Overweight and Obesity Tue, 05 Jun 2012 04:50:01 EST news258086475 (HealthDay) -- For patients who undergo instrumented spinal fusion, the rates of infection are higher among those who receive posterior lumbar interbody fusion compared with those who receive posterior or posterolateral fusion, according to a study published online May 10 in the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-instrumented-spinal-fusion-method-impacts.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 21 May 2012 13:11:40 EST news256824662 Spine surgery patients who got a bone growth stimulating agent as part of a clinical trial were three to five times more likely to develop cancer two to three years after being implanted with the product, according to a new analysis. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-cancer-bone-growth-product.html Cancer Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:20:01 EST news239637919 A new study indicates that many patients undergoing spine surgery have low levels of vitamin D, which may delay their recovery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-vitamin-d-common-spine-surgery.html Health Thu, 03 Nov 2011 05:19:05 EST news239516307 Neurosurgery researchers at UC Davis Health System have used a new, leading-edge stem cell therapy to promote the growth of bone tissue following the removal of cervical discs -- the cushions between the bones in the neck -- to relieve chronic, debilitating pain. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-neurosurgeons-adult-stem-cells-neck.html Neuroscience Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:13:30 EST news234540776