Spine-Pain

Description of Facet Disease

The Facet joints are the joint structures that connect the vertebrae to one another. The facet joint is like any other joint in your body – they have cartilage that line the joint, (this allows the bone to glide smoothly over one another) and a capsule surrounding the joint. The function of the facet joint is to provide support, stability, and mobility to the vertebrae (spine). Facet Disease occurs when there is degeneration of the facet joint.

Facet Disease is spondylolithesis, which is when one vertebra slips forward in relation to an adjacent vertebra, usually in the lumbar spine.

When the facets are affected in the lumbar region, a person can experience lower back pain that can go to the buttocks and upper thigh area.

If you still have pain after the facet joint injection, then your pain may be caused by something else such as Spinal Stenosis or a herniated/bulging disc, which may require a different procedure to correct.

If the injection relieves the pain, then the next step would be to perform a Laser Facet Thermal Ablation. This procedure is performed through a small tube – 5mm (about the size of a straw.)

http://www.laserspineinstitute.com/back_problems/facet_disease/

Penicillin, long used in medications, is now being studied as a coating, a novel weapon against bacteria that could protect medical implants and the surgical tools used to insert them. The development could potentially save thousands of lives, as many patients contract infections following surgery.

Through laboratory experiments, we demonstrated that the penicillin-coated surfaces were highly effective against staphylococcus aureus, one of the most deadly and pervasive causes of staph infections.

The process of sterilization of surgical instruments isn’t 100 percent effective. Bacteria get resistant to this type of environment, so the problem becomes more pronounced. If sterilization were completely effective, there wouldn’t be thousands of people who die each year from infections caught in the hospital.

The potential impact of this breakthrough is huge for anyone who has any kind of surgical procedure performed in the hospital.

Nearly 2 million people in the United States get an infection while in the hospital. Of those, more than 90,000 die each year from infections not related to their medical condition, according to the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Worldwide, that number is exponentially larger.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20070910/sc_livescience/

The Maverick is a two piece metal-on-metal design that incorporates a more posterior center of rotation. Maverick began a multicenter clinical trial in the United States in the Spring of 2003. Maverick is randomized to an anterior fusion using rectangular LT cages with Infuse (BMP-soaked sponges).

http://www.spine-health.com/research/discupdate/artificial/artificial051.html

————–

MAVERICK™ Clinical Trial Studies Alternative to Spine Fusion

Approximately 30 spine surgeons throughout the country are now enrolling candidates for an artificial lumbar (back) disc investigational device clinical trail. The clinical trial will be used to help support an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that could allow the approved future use of the device.

http://www.spinemd.com/artificialdisc.htm

Hernias present as bulges in the groin area that can become more prominent when coughing, straining, or standing up. They are often painful, and the bulge commonly disappears on lying down.

The diagnosis of inguinal hernia rests on the history given by the patient and the physician’s examination of the groin. Further tests are rarely needed to confirm the diagnosis. However, in unclear cases an ultrasound scan or a CT scan might be of help, especially to rule out a hydrocele.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hernia

patients unable to lift their arms above the horizontal position

patients experience shoulder pain at night time

Subacromial impingement

The doctors answer e-mailed questions from people watching the web cast.

Doctor states it can take 6 months to a year to heal from the surgery.

Video Runtime 1 hour 25 minutes

http://www.or-live.com/aurorabaycare/1721/event/webcast.cfm??