Current Animal Models of Postoperative Spine Infection and Potential Future Advances.

Implant related infection following spine surgery is a devastating complication for patients and can potentially lead to significant neurological compromise, disability, morbidity, and even mortality. This paper provides an overview of the existing animal models of postoperative spine infection and highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each model. In addition, there is discussion regarding potential modifications to these animal models to better evaluate preventative and treatment strategies for this challenging complication. Current models are effective in simulating surgical procedures but fail to evaluate infection longitudinally using multiple techniques. Potential future modifications to these models include using advanced imaging technologies to evaluate infection, use of bioluminescent bacterial species, and testing of novel treatment strategies against multiple bacterial strains. There is potential to establish a postoperative spine infection model using smaller animals, such as mice, as these would be a more cost-effective screening tool for potential therapeutic interventions

Current Animal Models of Postoperative Spine Infection and Potential Future Advances.

Implant related infection following spine surgery is a devastating complication for patients and can potentially lead to significant neurological compromise, disability, morbidity, and even mortality. This paper provides an overview of the existing animal models of postoperative spine infection and highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each model. In addition, there is discussion regarding potential modifications to these animal models to better evaluate preventative and treatment strategies for this challenging complication. Current models are effective in simulating surgical procedures but fail to evaluate infection longitudinally using multiple techniques. Potential future modifications to these models include using advanced imaging technologies to evaluate infection, use of bioluminescent bacterial species, and testing of novel treatment strategies against multiple bacterial strains. There is potential to establish a postoperative spine infection model using smaller animals, such as mice, as these would be a more cost-effective screening tool for potential therapeutic interventions

The international spine registry SPINE TANGO: status quo and first results

With an official life time of over 5 years, Spine Tango can meanwhile be considered the first international spine registry. In this paper we present an overview of frequency statistics of Spine Tango for demonstrating the genesis of questionnaire development and the constantly increasing activity in the registry. Results from two exemplar studies serve for showing concepts of data analysis applied to a spine registry. Between 2002 and 2006, about 6,000 datasets were submitted by 25 centres. Descriptive analyses were performed for demographic, surgical and follow-up data of three generations of the Spine Tango surgery and follow-up forms. The two exemplar studies used multiple linear regression models to identify potential predictor variables for the occurrence of dura lesions in posterior spinal fusion, and to evaluate which covariates influenced the length of hospital stay. Over the study period there was a rise in median patient age from 52.3 to 58.6 years in the Spine Tango data pool and an increasing percentage of degenerative diseases as main pathology from 59.9 to 71.4%. Posterior decompression was the most frequent surgical measure. About one-third of all patients had documented follow-ups. The complication rate remained below 10%. The exemplar studies identified “centre of intervention” and “number of segments of fusion” as predictors of the occurrence of dura lesions in posterior spinal fusion surgery. Length of hospital stay among patients with posterior fusion was significantly influenced by “centre of intervention”, “surgeon credentials”, “number of segments of fusion”, “age group” and “sex”. Data analysis from Spine Tango is possible but complicated by the incompatibility of questionnaire generations 1 and 2 with the more recent generation 3. Although descriptive and also analytic studies at evidence level 2++ can be performed, findings cannot yet be generalised to any specific country or patient population. Current limitations of Spine Tango include the low number and short duration of follow-ups and the lack of sufficiently detailed patient data on subgroup levels. Although the number of participants is steadily growing, no country is yet represented with a sufficient number of hospitals. Nevertheless, the benefits of the project for the whole spine community become increasingly visible

Caracterização das internações psiquiátricas para desintoxicação de adolescentes dependentes químicos Caracterización de las admisiones psiquiátricas para desintoxicación de adolescentes adictos a las drogas Characterization of psychiatric admissions for detoxification of drug addicted adolescents

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi caracterizar as internações de adolescentes hospitalizados para desintoxicação em um hospital público do Oeste do Paraná e correlacionar as variáveis sócio-demográficas com o uso de drogas ilícitas. Trata-se de um estudo retrospectivo a partir de consultas em 81 protocolos de admissão dos adolescentes dependentes químicos internados no período de março de 2007 a abril de 2008. A maioria das internações foi de adolescentes do sexo masculino (79%). As drogas consumidas com maior frequência foram o crack (87,6%) e a maconha (85,2%), sendo que, 79% dos adolescentes usam tais drogas de forma concomitante. Identificaram-se fatores que levam ao consumo abusivo de drogas, como o acesso fácil, abandono escolar, o uso de drogas na família e a falta de motivação para o tratamento.<br>El objetivo de esta investigación fue caracterizar las internaciones de adolescentes hospitalizados para desintoxicación en un hospital público del Oeste de Paraná y correlaceonar las variables sociodemográficas con el uso de drogas ilícitas. Se trata de un estudio retrospectivo apartir de consultas en 81 protocolos de admisión de los adolescentes internados en el periodo de marzo de 2007 hasta abril de 2008. La mayoría de las internaciones fue de adolescentes del sexo masculino (79%). Las drogas consumidas con más frecuencia fueron el crack (87,6%) y la marihuana (85,2%), siendo que, 79% de los adolescentes usan tales drogas de forma armônica. Se identificaron fatores que llevan al consumo abusivo de las drogas, como el acceso fácil, abandono escolar, el uso de drogas en la família y la falta de motivaciones para el tratamento.<br>The purpose of this research was to characterize the profile of adolescents hospitalized for detoxification in a public hospital in the West of Paraná and correlate the socio-demographic variables with the use of street drugs. It is a retrospective study from the consultations in 81 protocols of admission of addicted adolescents hospitalized from March 2007 to April 2008. The largest admission was of male adolescents (79%).The most frequently used drugs by were crack (87.6%), followed by marijuana (85.2%), from these, 79% of these adolescents use these two drugs concomitantly. Most adolescents (55.6%) reported using drugs for more than three years, and 56.8% had already received some type of treatment before admission. Factors that lead to abusive consumption of drugs, such as easy access, leaving school, the use of drugs in the family and lack of motivation for treatment were identified