Spine News and Research

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Smart Disc successfully tests artificial spinal disc technology

Smart Disc, Inc. announced today that it has conducted a cadaver test utilizing its unique artificial spinal disc technology and that the test was deemed a success by the surgeons involved.

14 Oct 2008

Will patients stick to physical therapy? Questionnaire can help doctors predict

Patients' responses to a simple questionnaire can reliably predict whether they will adhere to physical therapy after spine surgery, Johns Hopkins researchers suggest in a new study. The findings could help physicians identify patients who might benefit from additional preoperative preparation to ensure they attend therapy sessions and follow through with prescribed exercise, a factor that can greatly affect their long-term recovery.

2 Oct 2008

Pain is not a symptom of arthritis, pain causes arthritis

Pain is more than a symptom of osteoarthritis, it is an inherent and damaging part of the disease itself, according to a study published today in journal Arthritis and Rheumatism.

29 Sep 2008

Dollar-sized medical device provides injured military skydiver with pain relief

St. Jude Medical, Inc. today announced the first patient implant of an Eon Mini, the world's smallest, longest-lasting, rechargeable neurostimulator to treat chronic pain of the trunk or limbs and pain from failed back surgery.

17 Sep 2008

Roman York skeleton could be one of Britain's earliest victims of tuberculosis

The skeleton of a man discovered by archaeologists in a shallow grave on the site of the University of York's campus expansion could be that of one of Britain's earliest victims of tuberculosis.

16 Sep 2008

Smart Disc issued patent for artificial spinal disc technology

Smart Disc, Inc., a Michigan-based medical technology company focused on the development of new and innovative spine products, announced today that it has been awarded Patent US 7,407,513 B2 for Smart Disc’s unique artificial spinal disc technology.

11 Sep 2008

Spine surgery through a straw

Performing minimally invasive surgery through narrow tubes has provided great benefit for patients suffering with worn and painful spinal disc degeneration. Additional findings also show that -- following a learning curve -- minimally invasive techniques take the same amount of time for surgeons to perform as more invasive "standard" procedures.

11 Sep 2008

$HIV-positive people might be at increased risk of bone fractures, study finds$

HIV-positive people might be at increased risk of bone fractures, study finds

As HIV-positive people live longer primarily because of antiretroviral treatment, they might face an increased risk of bone fractures, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital reported last week, Xinhua/Individual.com reports.

2 Sep 2008

Researchers find genetic proof on how osteoarthritis destroys cartilage

A team of orthopaedic researchers has found definitive, genetic proof of how the most common form of arthritis destroys joint cartilage in nearly 21 million aging Americans, according to a study published online Sept. 2 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The findings serve as an important foundation for the design of new treatments for osteoarthritis (OA), researchers said.

2 Sep 2008

UT Southwestern discovery may lead to new drug-abuse treatments

Increased connections among brain cells caused by excessive drug use may represent the body's defense mechanism to combat addiction and related behaviors, scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.

27 Aug 2008

Significant long-term benefit for low back pain revealed by major study

A major study led by a Southampton researcher has found significant evidence that the Alexander Technique can provide long-term benefit for people with chronic or recurrent low back pain.

20 Aug 2008

Alexander Technique shows long-term benefit for low back pain

A major study - one of the first of its kind - has found significant evidence that the Alexander Technique can provide long-term benefit for people suffering from chronic or recurrent low back pain. The study by researchers at the Universities of Bristol and Southampton is published today in the BMJ.

19 Aug 2008

Massage speeds recovery after a sports injury

Researchers testing the long-held theory that therapeutic massage can speed recovery after a sports injury have found early scientific evidence of the healing effects of massage.

12 Aug 2008

600,000 Australians afflicted with osteoporosis

According to a new report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and Osteoporosis Australia, more than 600,000 Australians are affected by osteoporosis.

5 Aug 2008

Study first to show range and severity of birth defects associated with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes

Women who receive a diagnosis of diabetes before they become pregnant are three to four times more likely to have a child with one or even multiple birth defects than a mother who receives a diagnosis of diabetes while pregnant or a mother who is not diabetic, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), released in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

29 Jul 2008

New minimally invasive procedure successfully eliminates pain and disability caused by lumbar spinal stenosis

Early clinical results from the US and Argentina reveal that a new minimally invasive procedure successfully eliminates pain and disability caused by lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), a condition that, in severe form, can cripple sufferers.

29 Jul 2008

Frankincense reduces the symptoms of osteoarthritis

An enriched extract of the 'Indian Frankincense' herb Boswellia serrata has been proven to reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Research published today in BioMed Central's open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy has shown that patients taking the herbal remedy showed significant improvement in as little as seven days.

29 Jul 2008

UT Southwestern launches study of surgical option for treating diabetic and other neuropathies

UT Southwestern Medical Center plastic surgeons and specialists in diabetes, neurology, pain management and rehabilitation are launching a cutting-edge study of peripheral nerve surgery to alleviate long-standing pain and numbness in patients with diabetic neuropathy.

10 Jul 2008

Anti-estrogen drug therapy reduces risk of invasive breast cancer in older women

New analysis of a drug approved for osteoporosis prevention and treatment has provided definitive evidence that the medication is also effective as a breast cancer preventative for certain cancers.

11 Jun 2008

Calls for parents of vegan girl with severe rickets to face court

The parents of a young British girl brought up on a strict vegan diet could face court after the child was admitted to hospital with a degenerative bone condition.

9 Jun 2008