ABSTRACT
We recorded the musculoskeletal performance capacity of 25 patients suffering from chronic severe low back pain before and during the external fixation test of the lumbar spine. The capacity was measured by isometric and isokinetic lifting, repetitive upper extremity lifting with a load, repetitive squatting, and the walking distance. Only walking distance was increased by fixation of the spine.
Subject(s)
External Fixators , Low Back Pain/physiopathology , Low Back Pain/therapy , Adult , Female , Humans , Lifting , Male , Middle Aged , Prospective Studies , Severity of Illness Index , Walking , Weight-BearingABSTRACT
We retrospectively analyzed the rate and character of complications in a series of 100 consecutive external fixation tests during 1985-1991. There were 30 complications in 25 patients. The most common was pin tract infection, which was definite in 12 cases and probable in 6. Although 12 patients developed complications that resulted in removal or reapplication of the device. 8 cases had an incorrect position of a Schanz screw; 3 of these had neurological complications. The only variable having a significant association with complications was the duration of the test. Because of this complication rate, the indications for the test should be carefully considered.
Subject(s)
External Fixators/adverse effects , Joint Instability/surgery , Lumbar Vertebrae/surgery , Adult , Bone Screws , Equipment Failure , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Surgical Wound Infection/etiologyABSTRACT
We analyzed the fibrinolytic system in patients with chronic low back pain using a venous occlusion test to stimulate fibrinolysis, and we subsequently determined the levels of tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) and fast-acting inhibitor of TPA (PAI). There were 20 patients with a mean age of 50 years. Two thirds had radiographically spinal stenosis. Scar tissue around the spinal nerves was seen in 11 cases. Thirteen patients had undergone back surgery, whereas 21 healthy subjects served as controls. In the basal samples, TPA activity was decreased in the patients while TPA antigen level was increased compared with the controls. No clear explanation for this defective function of TPA in the patients was obtained, because no difference was seen in PAI level in basal samples. After the venous occlusion, no difference was observed in TPA activity between the two groups excluding the constitutionally defective fibrinolytic system in the patients. However, our results confirm low basal fibrinolytic activity in patients with chronic low back pain with manifest spinal pathology.
