Category Archives: Spine
more on bone grafts: allografts
Allograft bone is bone taken from cadaver, cleaned and sterilized.. It can come fresh, with intact cartilage, but more commonly it is dried. The dried allograft can come as crushed cancellus bone or as structural bone using the cortex. Obviously, … Continue reading
Filed under Foot and Ankle, Spine
Orthopaedic Surgery and Obesity
We have all heard that obesity is epidemic in the United States, due to too much junk food and lack of exercise. How does this relate to orthpaedic surgery and what can we do as orthopaedists to help control obesity? Can … Continue reading
Smokeless Tobacco
Andy our Medical Assistant has just pointed out a phenomenon that I had not considered with my earlier post on smoking: smokeless tobacco. This type of tobacco either as snuff or chew is consumed by chewing or holding the product … Continue reading
Filed under Fractures, History of Orthopaedics, Spine
Degenerative Lumbar Disc Disease
Degenerative Lumbar Disc Disease (DDD) or chronic degenerative back pain is pervasive and present in up to 80% of American adults. It can be manifested by chronic low back pain, acute spasms and even sciatica (leg pain). The pain can … Continue reading
Filed under Arthritis and Joint Replacement, Spine
Smoking and Orthopaedics
The is a great deal of research which links smoking to heart and lung disease. Smoking is a major cause of heart attacks, lung cancer and emphysema. Less known is the link between smoking and musculoskeletal disease. Smoking decreases skin … Continue reading
Filed under Blog, Foot and Ankle, Fractures, Spine
Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a condition common in children in which the spine grows in a curve to the side, front or back. This can be caused by bony deformity at birth (congenital scoliosis) or more commonly the cause is unknown but … Continue reading
Filed under Pediatric Orthopaedics, Spine
Sprains and Strains of the Spine
Soft tissue injuries such as sprains and strains of the muscles and ligaments can be caused by athletics, yard work, falls and car accidents, and are the most common spinal injuries. Usually these problems are self limiting and respond to … Continue reading
Filed under Spine, Sports Injuries
Degenerative Spinal Disease
As we age, the spine does too, at a rate controlled by physical stress, trauma, and genetics. We are susceptable to joint arthritis, disc ruptures, bone spurs and spinal instability caused by these conditions. All of these lead to pain … Continue reading
Filed under Arthritis and Joint Replacement, Spine
Osteoporosis and Insufficiency Fractures
Osteoporosis is a thinning of the bones due to age or metabolic disease and is commonly seen in older people. The hip wrist and spine are particularly vulnerable to fracture and simple falls which would normally be a nuisance lead … Continue reading
Fractures of the Spine
As in any part of the body fractures are a failure of the bone to resist a particular trauma. Car accidents, falls and excessive stress can lead to fractured vertebra, and nerve injuries can result form displacement of the fractures. … Continue reading
Filed under Fractures, Spine, Sports Injuries
