BACKGROUND CONTEXT The prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study design is essential in the interventional spine literature to truly evaluate whether or not a procedure is effective. PURPOSE This article will critically evaluate the highest quality interventional spine literature with strict interpretation of the results of these trials. STUDY DESIGN Review article. ...

BACKGROUND The incidence of spinal infection seems to be increasing in recent years. Percutaneous endoscopic debridement and drainage (PEDD) has become an effective alternative to extensive open surgery. OBJECTIVE This study reviewed the charter of patients who received PEDD using 4 different approach methods to evaluate the clinical results. STUDY DESIGN An Institutional Review Board (IRB)...

UNLABELLED Excessive lordosis is a common finding and may produce mechanical pressure that causes repetitive strains of the interspinous ligament with subsequent degeneration and collapse. Baastrup's disease (kissing spine syndrome) is a term referring to close approximation of adjacent spinous processes due to degenerative changes of the spine. Baastrup's disease usually affects the lumbar spi...

Objective. To compare the technical performance of laminectomy and percutaneous spinal cord stimulation leads with similar contact spacing by computer modeling. Method. Monopolar and tripolar (guarded cathode) stimulation with both lead types in a low-thoracic spine model was simulated using UT-SCS software. Dorsal column and dorsal root fiber thresholds were calculated as well as the area of r...