Clinical outcomes of lumbar diseases specific test in patients who undergo endoscopy-assisted tubular surgery with lumbar herniated nucleus pulposus: an analysis using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ).

PURPOSE: This study was to evaluate clinical outcomes using a patient-oriented test that scores health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for patients after minimally invasive surgery using microendoscopic discectomy (MED) for lumbar disc hernia. Few studies regarding MED in terms of disease-specific quality of life measures using Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) have been published. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the surgical and clinical outcomes with regard to reducing pain and improving the functional status for 31 patients who underwent MED for lumbar disc hernia was conducted. These patients were evaluated at 3-year follow-up. The evaluations were based on a visual analogue scale (VAS), the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scoring system, and the JOABPEQ, which is an objective, patient-oriented test that assesses HRQOL in patients with lumbar disorders. RESULTS: A low rate of improvement was seen only in mental health until 1 year, the low rate of improvement in mental health and was independently correlated with body mass index (BMI), pre-operative scores on the Brief Scale for Psychiatric problems in Orthopaedic Patients (BS-POP), and scores on the BS-POP at 12 months post-operatively. CONCLUSIONS: All categories of VAS, JOA scores, and all domains of JOABPEQ were significantly higher over 3 years than those obtained pre-operatively. But only mental health domain showed mild improvement until 1 year. Moreover, BMI showed a negative correlation with improvements in the mental health domain post-operatively. As patients may be mentally exhausted from lumbar disc herniation, pre-operative mental health may be improved by surgical treatment.

One-year follow-up for the therapeutic efficacy of pregabalin in patients with leg symptoms caused by lumbar spinal stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Pregabalin is a well-accepted treatment option for patients with neuropathic pain. However, the therapeutic efficacy of pregabalin for reducing the incidence of spinal surgery to treat leg symptoms in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to analyze the therapeutic efficacy of pregabalin for reducing the incidence of spinal surgery for leg symptoms in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis during the first year of treatment. METHODS: Consecutive patients diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis at our hospital from January to June 2009 were treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug monotherapy and formed the control group (n = 47; 22 males, 25 females). Patients diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis at our hospital between August 2010 and October 2011 were treated with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and pregabalin combination therapy and formed the pregabalin group (n = 49; 27 males, 22 females). The proportions of patients who underwent spinal surgery during the first year of treatment were assessed and compared between the two groups using the Mann-Whitney U test. In addition, the periods in which patients decided to undergo spinal surgery were compared using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Six patients (12.2%) in the pregabalin group and 22 patients (46.8%) in the control group underwent spinal surgery during the first year of treatment (P = 0.0035). The period in which patients decided to undergo spinal surgery was significantly delayed in the pregabalin group compared with the control group in those for whom spinal surgery was necessary (P = 0.0128). CONCLUSIONS: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and pregabalin combination therapy may result in a lower incidence of spinal surgery during the first year of treatment or a delayed period before undergoing spinal surgery if necessary compared with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug monotherapy in patients with leg symptoms caused by lumbar spinal stenosis.

Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema syndrome caused by crystal-induced arthritis of the wrist: a case report.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a rare case of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome caused by gouty arthritis. CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND INTERVENTION: A 76-year-old man presented with swelling and pain in the dorsum of feet and hands bilaterally. From the laboratory and radiologic findings, the diagnosis of gout-induced RS3PE syndrome was made. Conservative therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and intra-articular corticosteroid injection in the wrist joint completely and rapidly resolved all symptoms. The patient was successfully treated with oral administration of NSAIDs and a one-time intra-articular corticosteroid injection in the left wrist joint. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrated the importance of considering the possibility of crystal-induced arthritis such as gout and pseudogout, as well as malignant disease, when diagnosing the primary disease responsible for RS3PE syndrome.

Recovery of paraplegia following postoperative epidural hematomas in lumbar canal stenosis surgery by closed kinetic chain (CKC) exercises: A case report.

RATIONALE: A postoperative spinal epidural hematoma (PSEH) is among the most devastating complications following spine and spinal cord surgery, and it should be considered before performing microendoscopic decompression as part of minimally invasive surgery, since early recovery is one of the advantages of this procedure. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 70-year-old woman with lumbar spinal stenosis at L4-5 underwent tubular surgery with the assistance of endoscopic laminectomy (MEL), but 2 days after the surgery, the patient noticed decreased lower limb sensation and power of the right leg, and she developed numbness from the level of L5 and weakness from the L4, 5 myotome distally. DIAGNOSES: An epidural hematoma at the L4-5 surgical site was found on magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine and evacuated operatively. This rare complication appears to be the result of a PSEH. In the present case, complete neurological recovery was not achieved, despite rapid surgery. INTERVENTIONS: The patient's course and physical therapy, which focused on attitude maintenance practice and muscle-strengthening exercise of the closed kinetic change (CKC) type from the early stage of paraplegia, were specifically examined. OUTCOMES: The patient recovered complete motor function with attitude maintenance practice and muscle strengthening exercises after 3 months. CKC exercise in particular may contribute to improving caudal muscle weakness, including the L4, 5 innervated area (e.g., tibialis anterior [TA], extensor hallucis longus [EHL], flexor hallucis longus [FHL], gastrocnemius [GC], etc.). LESSONS: Prevention of PSEH is needed to not only avoid neurological deterioration, but also avoid delaying the patient's recovery. CKC exercise may contribute to improving the prolonged paralysis associated with a PSEH. Future studies should involve larger numbers of patients to evaluate the clinical features of PSEH and treatment by rehabilitation with more effective muscle exercises and stretches.

Tubular surgery with the assistance of endoscopic surgery via a paramedian or midline approach for lumbar spinal canal stenosis at the L4/5 level.

BACKGROUND: Lumbar spinal canal stenosis surgery has recently improved with the use of minimally invasive techniques. Less invasive procedures have emerged, and microendoscopic decompression through smaller incisions is frequently performed. Tubular surgery with the assistance of endoscopic surgery procedures has led to particularly remarkable changes in surgery, with reduced tissue trauma and morbidity. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of two different minimally invasive decompressive surgical techniques (microendoscopic bilateral decompression surgery using the unilateral approach [microendoscopic laminectomy (MEL)] and microendoscopy-assisted muscle-preserving interlaminar decompression (MILD; ME-MILD)) using spinal endoscopy for lumbar spinal canal stenosis measured using a visual analog scale (VAS), the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, and the JOA Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ), which is based on a patient-oriented scoring system. STUDY DESIGN: This study was a retrospective review of prospectively collected surgical data. METHODS: The study included 81 patients (MEL 39 patients, 20 men and 19 women, mean age 68.9 years; and ME-MILD 42 patients, 22 men and 20 women, mean age 73.1 years) with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). The indications for surgery were moderate-to-severe stenosis, persistent neurological symptoms, and failure of conservative treatment over 3 months, with a JOA score under 15 points or intermittent claudication at 100 m. This study included patients having LSS at a single vertebral level (L4/5). RESULTS: Low back pain, buttock-leg pain, and numbness were significantly improved in terms of the VAS score from 3 months with both MEL and ME-MILD. In all periods, JOA scores over 3 years of follow-up were significantly higher than those obtained before surgery with both MEL and ME-MILD, and there were improvements of low back pain and walking function. CONCLUSIONS: These observations demonstrate that ME-MILD is a safe and very effective minimally invasive technique for degenerative LSS, similar to MEL.

Therapeutic efficacy of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy versus exercise therapy in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain: a prospective study.

Therapy for chronic, nonspecific low back pain is mainly conservative: medication and/or exercise.　Pharmacotherapy, however, has side effects, and the quantities of concomitant drugs in older persons require attention.　Although exercise promises improved function, its use to alleviate pain is controversial.　Thus, we compared the efficacy of pharmacotherapy versus exercise for treating chronic nonspecific low back pain.　The pharmacotherapy group (n=18: 8 men, 10 women) were prescribed celecoxib monotherapy.　The exercise group (n=22: 10 men, 12 women) undertook stretching exercises.　Because of drop-outs, the NSAID group (n=15: 7 men, 8 women) and the exercise group (n =18: 8 men, 10 women) were finally analyzed.　We applied a visual analog scale, Roland-Morris disability scores, and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey.　We used a paired t-test for within-group analyses and an unpaired t-test for between-group analyses.　Pain relief was achieved after 3 months of pharmacotherapy or exercise.　Quality of life improved only in the exercise group.　Recovery outcomes for the two groups were not significantly different.　Efficacy of exercise therapy for strictly defined low back pain was almost equivalent to that of pharmacotherapy and provided better quality of life.

Four-year follow-up of pregnancy-associated osteoporosis: a case report.

A 22-year-old woman presented with complaints of severe pain in a wide region of the thoracolumbar spine. She developed severe pain in the thoracolumbar spine region 2 months after her first delivery and was referred 1 month later. A lateral thoracic X-ray showed depressed degenerative vertebrae (T7, T9). One month after the initial examination, thoracic sagittal magnetic resonance imaging showed low intensity areas on T1-weighted imaging and iso-high intensity areas on T2-weighted imaging at T5, 7, 8, 9 and 11. Bone mineral density measured by ultrasound was low (%YAM 76%). The bone metabolic markers were high, suggesting accelerated osteoclast activity. These findings prompted a diagnosis of pregnancy-associated osteoporosis. She was asked to stop breastfeeding and to wear a lumbar brace, and treatment with nutritional calcium, activated vitamin D3, and risedronate sodium was started. Her low back pain almost disappeared after treatment. Bone metabolic markers showed normalization 8 months after the initial examination. Risedronate sodium was stopped 2 years and 2 months after the initial examination. Teriparatide treatment was started because her bone mineral density remained low; however, the osteoblast marker P1NP was not increased 5 months after the start of teriparatide treatment.

Therapeutic efficacy of pregabalin in patients with leg symptoms due to lumbar spinal stenosis.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of pregabalin in patients with leg symptoms due to lumbar spinal stenosis. Study subjects were classified into two groups according to their pharmacotherapy: the pregabalin group, treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and pregabalin combination therapy, and the control group, treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug monotherapy. The two groups were compared in terms of the duration of pain after the onset of leg symptoms and the type of neurogenic intermittent claudication, whether radicular-, caudal-, or mixed-type. Numerical rating scale and Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire scores were evaluated before and 3 months after treatment. After 3 months of treatment, there were significant differences in the numerical rating scale for radicular- and mixed-types, but not for caudal-type, between the two groups in the subjects with leg symptoms for greater than 3 months. There were significant differences between the two groups in Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire scores for mixed-type, but not for radicular- and caudal-types, in the subjects with leg symptoms for less than 3 months and for radicular- and mixed-types, but not for caudal-type, in the subjects with leg symptoms for greater than 3 months. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and pregabalin combination therapy may be more effective than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug monotherapy for the relief of leg symptoms due to lumbar spinal stenosis, preventing aggravation of subjective symptoms and improving quality of life for patients with radicular- and mixed-types in subjects with leg symptoms for greater than 3 months, although it may be necessary to consider alternative therapy for patients with caudal-type.