Missed lumbar transverse process fractures in a high school football player

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the case of a football player who had suffered a transverse process fracture of the lumbar spine that was overlooked on initial chiropractic and medical examination. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 17-year-old male football player had been speared in the back by another player. He reported severe initial pain that caused him to fall to the ground, and there was a moderate degree of pain at the time of his chiropractic examination 1 week after injury. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: Initial chiropractic treatment consisted of spinal manipulation to the lumbar spine. Follow-up care consisted of lumbar spine radiographs that showed evidence of a lumbar transverse process fracture at 2 levels. The boy was referred to his medical doctor, who was not convinced of the presence of a fracture and returned him to play. A computed tomography scan was subsequently performed; this confirmed fractures of the transverse processes of L2 and L3. The patient was precluded from contact sports for 4 weeks. Chiropractic care 3 weeks after injury included physiotherapy and drop table mobilization to the sacroiliac joints. The patient returned to play 4 weeks after the injury. CONCLUSION: Transverse process fractures commonly occur secondary to blunt trauma in contact sports such as football. With high-force direct trauma, radiographs should be performed to rule out fracture before returning the athlete to play or commencing spinal manipulation.     

Chiropractic management of a patient with lumbar spinal stenosis

OBJECTIVES: To discuss the case of a patient with severe, multilevel central canal stenosis who was managed conservatively with flexion-distraction manipulation; to introduce a cautious approach to the application of treatment, which can reduce the risk of adverse effects and might make an apprehensive doctor more comfortable treating this condition; and to propose a theoretic mechanism for relief of symptoms through use of chiropractic manipulation. Clinical Features: A 78-year-old man had low back pain and severe bilateral leg pains. Objective findings were minimal, yet magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated severe degenerative lumbar stenosis at L3-L4 and L4-L5 and to a lesser degree at L2-L3. Intervention and Outcome: Flexion-distraction manipulation of the lumbar spine was performed. Incremental increases in traction forces were applied as the patient responded positively to care. He experienced a decrease in the frequency and intensity of his leg symptoms and a resolution of his low back pain. These improvements were maintained at a 5-month follow-up visit. CONCLUSION: Successful management of symptoms either caused by or complicated by lumbar spinal stenosis is presented. Manipulation of the spine shows promise for relief of symptoms through improving spinal biomechanics. Further study in the form of a randomized clinical trial is warranted.     

Missed cervical spine fracture: chiropractic implications

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the case of a patient with an anterior compression fracture of the cervical spine, which had been overlooked on initial examination. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 36-year-old man was seen at a chiropractic clinic 1 month after diving into the ocean and hitting his head on the ocean floor. He chipped a tooth but denied loss of consciousness. Initial medical examination in the emergency department did not include radiography, but an anti-inflammatory medication was prescribed. Radiographs taken at the chiropractic clinic 1 month later revealed an anterior compression fracture of the C7 vertebra, with migration of the fragment noted on flexion and extension views. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: The patient was referred back to his medical doctor for further evaluation and management.He was instructed to wear a Philadelphia collar for 4 weeks. During this time period, he reported "shooting" pain and tingling from his neck into his arms. The patient reported resolution of his neck and arm symptoms at 2.5 months after injury. Follow-up radiographs at 6 months after injury revealed fusion of the fracture fragment with mild residual deformity. At that time, the patient began a course of chiropractic treatment. CONCLUSION: After head trauma, it is essential to obtain a radiograph of the cervical spine to rule out fracture. Chiropractors should proceed with caution, regardless of any prior medical or ancillary evaluation, before commencing cervical spine manipulation after head and neck trauma.     

Manipulation under joint anesthesia/analgesia: a proposed interdisciplinary treatment approach for recalcitrant spinal axis pain of synovial joint origin

BACKGROUND: Manipulation under joint anesthesia/analgesia (MUJA) is an approach to treatment for patients with chronic, recalcitrant spinal axis pain of synovial joint origin. MUJA is the synthesis of fluoroscopically and corticosteroid agents with targeted, manual mobilizations and/or manipulations of the injected joint(s). DISCUSSION: MUJA should be viewed with guarded optimism because its success is based solely on anecdotal experience. Many physicians (specializing in targeted intraarticular "blocks" of spinal synovial joints) and chiropractors (specializing in manual mobilization and manipulation of spinal synovial joints) in the Tyler, Texas, area have treated more than 1000 patients over a 7-year period with the MUJA protocol. This protocol includes treatment of the atlanto-occipital and lateral atantoaxial joints of the upper cervical spine, the zygapophysial joints of the cervical spine from C2-3 to C6-7, the thoracic spine and the lumbar spine, and the pelvic sacroiliac joints. CONCLUSION: The following patient types are suitable candidates for MUJA: patients with dominant spinal axis pain who have been unable to progress despite the passage of sufficient time (>2 months) and the delivery of prior treatments, including spinal manipulative therapy; patients with pain so severe that standard manipulative therapy cannot be delivered with technical success; and patients with complex problems in whom the diagnosis of synovial joint-mediated spinal pain must be established before the safe delivery of manipulative therapy.     

Spine fractures in ankylosing spondylitis

Patients with ankylosing spondylitis are susceptible to spine fracture, usually in the cervical spine. Less frequently, the thoracic and lumbar spine is affected. The fracture line may involve anterior and posterior elements. Frequently, it extends through the entire width of the spine. As a result the fracture tends to be unstable and may cause neurologic damage. Prompt immobilization and reduction of the dislocated spine followed by stabilization may prevent neurologic damage. We report a 45-year-old man who fell and sustained a fracture dislocation of L2 vertebra. The patient was operated and stabilized with Harrington rods. A deep wound infection developed, which did not respond to antibiotic therapy and led to removal of the rods. In spite of bed immobilization with a body jacket the fracture remained unstable and dislocated. As a result the patient sustained severe neurologic damage. Many fractures in patients with ankylosing spondylitis occur following minor trauma. We feel that a very important aspect of ankylosing spondylitis management is prevention of these fractures. Alerting patients of their spine fragility and teaching then how to evade situations leading to spinal trauma may help in avoiding this situation.     

Chiropractic treatment of postsurgical neck syndrome with mechanical force, manually assisted short-lever spinal adjustments

OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of postsurgical neck pain, after multiple spinal surgeries, that was successfully treated by chiropractic intervention with instrumental adjustment of the cervical spine. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 35-year-old woman had chronic neck pain for over 5 years after two separate surgeries of the cervical spine: a diskectomy at C3/4 and a fusion at C5/6. Surgeries were performed 6 months apart in an attempt to resolve persistent neck pain and spasm of the cervical musculature. Neither surgery was effective in relieving the patient's pain. Five years after the second surgery, a third surgery was recommended by the patient's physicians to alleviate the chronic pain. The patient sought chiropractic evaluation of her condition to avoid further surgical intervention. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: The patient was treated with conservative instrumental chiropractic manipulation, consisting of mechanical force, manually assisted short-lever spinal adjustments rendered with an Activator Adjusting Instrument (AAI) II. She comfortably tolerated the treatment and responded favorably to this therapy. All chronic symptoms had resolved within 30 days of instituting the chiropractic instrumental adjustments with an AAI. More interestingly, longitudinal examination over the next 2 years showed that the patient experienced no residual effects or further recurrences of her previous chronic problem after her initial course of chiropractic care. CONCLUSION: Chiropractic treatment of postsurgical neck syndrome may be effectively treated, in certain cases, by mechanical force, manually assisted adjusting procedures with an AAI. The use of instrumental adjustment methodology may provide chiropractic physicians with an effective alternative to manual manipulation in those cases in which the patient's surgical history or presenting symptoms make forceful manipulation of the spine, particularly performed at end range, inappropriate. This approach may be contemplated by physicians faced with managing this type of condition. Further study should be made in this regard, in an academic research setting, to determine the safest and most effective approaches to managing postsurgical patients in a chiropractic setting.     

Structural damage and motion rhythm of the spine and hip during trunk lateral bending in ankylosing spondylitis patients with mild to moderate radiographic signs

BackgroundAnkylosing spondylitis causes structural damage and motion restriction in spine. The study was designed to assess structural damage and incoordination pattern between the spine and hip during trunk lateral bending in ankylosing spondylitis.MethodsTwenty-three healthy adults and 39 adults with ankylosing spondylitis were recruited from a tertiary care medical centre. Patients with ankylosing spondylitis were divided into two subgroups: sacroiliitis or lumbar-level syndesmophytes (n = 27) and thoracic or cervical-level syndesmophytes (n = 12). An inertia motion system was used to record three-dimensional kinematic data during trunk lateral bending.FindingsSignificant differences were observed in lumbar spine syndesmophyte scores, sacroiliitis severity and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index between the subgroups. The cervical supraspinous ligaments thickness revealed difference between the ankylosing spondylitis and control group, but the Glasgow Ultrasound Enthesitis Scoring System did not revealed difference. Motion analysis revealed that the ankylosing spondylitis group had a larger hip, cervical rotation and smaller lumbar-hip rhythm than the control group; however, the other motions of the spine and hip were smaller. The sacroiliitis or lumbar-level syndesmophytes group had the largest thoracic rotation among the three groups.InterpretationThe different lumbar-hip rhythm between ankylosing spondylitis patients depends on syndesmophyte formation levels. Cervical rotation, the Schober test, the chest expansion test, and lumbar–hip rhythm can indicate the levels of bone damage in ankylosing spondylitis. Clinical examination of ankylosing spondylitis should include kinematic measures of both the spine and hips in the early disease stage.     

Cox decompression chiropractic manipulation of a patient with postsurgical lumbar fusion: a case report

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this case report is to describe a patient with an L5/S1 posterior surgical fusion who presented to a chiropractic clinic with subsequent low back and leg pain and was treated with Cox decompression manipulation. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 55-year-old male postal clerk presented to a private chiropractic practice with complaints of pain and spasms in his low back radiating down the right buttock and leg. His pain was a 5 of 10, and Oswestry Disability Index score was 18%. The patient reported a previous surgical fusion at L5/S1 for a grade 2 spondylolytic spondylolisthesis. Radiographs revealed surgical hardware extending through the pedicles of L5 and S1, fusing the posterior arches. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: Treatment consisted of ultrasound, electric stimulation, and Cox decompression manipulation (flexion distraction) to the low back. After 13 treatments, the patient had a complete resolution of his symptoms with a pain score of 0 of 10 and an Oswestry score of 2%. A 2-year follow-up revealed continued resolution of the patient's symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Cox chiropractic decompression manipulation may be an option for patients with back pain subsequent to spinal fusion. More research is needed to verify these results.     

Evaluation of manipulation and other manual therapy. Criteria for measuring the effect of treatment.

In order to evaluate manipulation and other methods of manual therapy, the literature was reviewed. It was found that the number of publications based on scientific criteria is rather limited. However, with certain reservations it can be concluded that manipulation of the lumbar spine might have an immediate, short-time effect on low back pain in a limited number of patients. The criteria for selection, however, cannot be defined on the basis of the available material. Manipulation has no superior long-term effect as compared to other methods of treatment. The effect of specific, non-manipulative mobilization of the cervical and lumbar spine needs further elucidation. Manual therapy in decreased mobility of the extremity joints has received support from control studies.     

Use of cervical spine manipulation under anesthesia for management of cervical disk herniation, cervical radiculopathy, and associated cervicogenic headache syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the benefits of cervical spine manipulation with the patient under anesthesia as an approach to treating a patient with chronic cervical disk herniation, associated cervical radiculopathy, and cervicogenic headache syndrome. CLINICAL FEATURES: The patient had neck pain with radiating paresthesia into the right upper extremity and incapacitating headaches and had no response to 6 months of conservative therapy. Treatment included spinal manipulative therapy, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medication, and acupuncture. Magnetic resonance imaging, electromyography, and somatosensory evoked potential examination all revealed positive diagnostic findings. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: Treatment included 3 successive days of cervical spine manipulation with the patient under anesthesia. The patient had immediate relief after the first procedure. Her neck and arm pain were reported to be 50% better after the first trial, and her headaches were better by 80% after the third trial. Four months after the last procedure the patient reported a 95% improvement in her overall condition. CONCLUSION: Cervical spine manipulation with the patient under anesthesia has a place in the chiropractic arena. It is a useful tool for treating chronic discopathic disease complicated by cervical radiculopathy and cervicogenic headache syndrome. The beneficial results of this procedure are contingent on careful patient selection and proper training of qualified chiropractic physicians.     

Chiropractic care of a 47-year-old woman with chronic Bell's palsy: a case study

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this case study is to describe the effect of chiropractic care on a patient with chronic Bell's palsy. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 47-year-old woman with medically diagnosed Bell's palsy presented for chiropractic care. She had experienced right sinus pressure and congestion, lack of facial tone on the right, and intermittent tingling of the right side of her face. INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES: The patient received high-velocity, low-amplitude chiropractic manipulation (adjustments) to the cervical and thoracic spine, interferential muscle stimulation, and hydroculation on the trapezius muscles bilaterally. Reduction in symptoms occurred following the initial visit and continued over the next 9 weeks of care. After the course of a year of chiropractic care, the patient reached 90% improvement. CONCLUSIONS: For this patient, chiropractic care reduced Bell's palsy symptoms.     

The Use of Upper Thoracic Manipulation in a Patient With Headache

Abstract

This case study describes how thrust manipulation in the upper thoracic spine was effective in reducing symptoms in a patient with complaint of headache; it discusses potential theories and interrelationships. The study describes a 29-year-old female with onset of occipital headaches who noted no change in symptoms after five treatments over a period of three weeks. Treatment included soft tissue mobilization, passive stretching, postural instruction/exercise and nonthrust manipulation to occipito-atlantal (O/A), atlanto axial (A/A) and cervical facet joints. The patient's sixth visit, that occurred 5 days after the fifth treatment session, included a thrust manipulation to the upper thoracic spine (T1/2) after which she noted a significant reduction in symptoms. The patient was then seen for two additional visits which included nonthrust manipulation techniques. Two days after her final visit, the patient noted full resolution of symptoms. The patient continued to note full resolution of symptoms for six weeks. The patient then returned to physical therapy with similar complaints but at approximately 50% of the earlier intensity. Two treatments, over a period of one week, utilizing nonthrust manipulation techniques yielded no relief in symptoms. One week later, the patient received a thrust manipulation at T2/3 after which she noted full resolution of symptoms. At follow up, seven weeks later, the patient remained symptom free.     

Rheumatic diseases. 2. Therapeutic considerations.

In the management of rheumatic diseases, the use of corticosteroids should be reserved for active arthritis. Phenylbutazone (Butazolidin) is probably the drug of choice for acute gout and is also effective in ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter's syndrome, and psoriatic arthritis. Indomethacin (Indocin) also is useful in these conditions. Ibuprofen (Motrin) is only slightly more efficacious than aspirin. Aspirin is still the preferred treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and should be tried before ibuprofen. Osteoarthritis of the cervical or lumbar spine calls for a full program of physical therapy. Experimental procedures for total replacement of joints other than hip and knee show promise.     

Missed cervical spine fracture-dislocations: the importance of clinical and radiographic assessment

OBJECTIVE: To review the case of a patient who suffered a cervical spine fracture-dislocation missed at a hospital emergency department. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 77-year-old man involved in a motor vehicle accident was transported to a local emergency hospital where cervical spine x-ray films taken were reported as demonstrating no evidence of acute injury. The patient visited a chiropractic clinic 6 days later, where x-ray films were again obtained, finding that the patient sustained fractures of C5 and C6, as well as a bilateral facet dislocation at C5/C6. Computed tomography confirmed the fractures, and magnetic resonance imaging findings demonstrated cervical spinal cord compression and posterior spinal cord displacement. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: The patient was referred for preoperative medical evaluation. He underwent C5-6 closed reduction and anterior/posterior fusion surgery and was released without complication. Patient follow-up indicated full recovery with minimal neurologic symptoms. CONCLUSION: Cervical spine fracture-dislocations are often missed during standard radiographic examinations in emergency department settings. Chiropractors are encouraged to perform a comprehensive evaluation of patients presenting with cervical trauma even if they have had prior x-ray films reported as normal. Standard x-ray films taken at emergency department facilities are not entirely reliable for detecting or revealing cervical spine fracture-dislocations. This case stresses the importance of careful clinical assessment and imaging procedures on patients who have encountered cervical spine trauma.     

Treatment of cervical radiculopathy with flexion distraction

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the nonsurgical treatment of a cervical disk herniation with flexion distraction manipulation. CLINICAL FEATURES: A case study of cervical disk syndrome with radicular symptoms is presented. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large C5-C6 disk herniation. Degenerative changes at the affected level were demonstrated on cervical spine plain film radiographs. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: The patient received treatment in the form of flexion distraction manipulation and adjunctive therapies. A complete resolution of the patient's subjective complaints was achieved. CONCLUSION: Flexion distraction has been a technique associated with musculoskeletal conditions of the lumbar spine. Flexion distraction applied to the cervical spine might be an effective therapy in the treatment of cervical disk herniations. Although further controlled studies are needed, treatment of cervical disk syndromes with flexion distraction might be a viable form of conservative care.     

45例女性强直性脊椎炎临床特点分析

90例强直性脊椎炎(AS)患者,女45例,男45例,配对进行对比分析.结果:在病程相同的情况下,女性单纯脊椎受累多于男性,侵犯颈椎和周围关节的发生率低于男性,血沉检查以30mm/n为升高值,则女性亦显著少于男性.女性X线变化也以早期X线征多见,而男性却以晚期征为主.提供了早期发现女性AS患者的参考依据.     

Vertebral osteomyelitis as another cause of low back pain: case report

A case is reported of a 47 year old man with an insidious onset of low back pain while hospitalized for septicemia. The etiology was not investigated and pharmacologic therapy was instituted. Several weeks after discharge, the patient presented to our chiropractic college clinic for the diagnosis and therapy for his low back pain. Radiologic examination of the lumbar spine revealed classic signs of a vertebral osteomyelitis. Manipulative therapy was contraindicated and the patient was referred for biopsy and appropriate antibiotic therapy. A review of the clinical presentation and appropriate diagnostic protocol are presented.     

A calcific pelvic mass in a woman with chronic spinal pain: a case of mature cystic teratoma

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this case is to describe findings of a mature cystic teratoma and to further provide differential diagnoses for ovarian pelvic masses and calcifications. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 27-year-old woman presented to a chiropractic teaching clinic with a chief complaint of chronic multilevel spinal pain. During a full spine radiographic examination, radiopaque densities were incidentally identified in the pelvic bowl visualized through a gonad shield. Follow-up pelvic radiography revealed several radiopacities of uniform density localized in the pelvic bowl. INTERVENTION/OUTCOMES: Medical (gynecological) consultation led to ultrasonography of the pelvis that revealed a mature cystic teratoma. The patient underwent complete excision of the mass through a laparotomy procedure. The patient continued to receive chiropractic treatment of her original cervical and lumbar spine complaints, further suggesting that the pelvic mass was not a source of her musculoskeletal complaints. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates the detection and proper referral of a patient with a calcific mass. The presence of a pelvic mass, suspected of arising from the ovary, requires additional diagnostic imaging and careful clinical correlation.     

Chiropractic management of postsurgical lumbar spine pain: a retrospective study of 32 cases

Objective

Although chiropractic manipulation is commonly used for low back pain, applying this procedure to the patient with postlumbar spine surgery has not been adequately studied. The purpose of this retrospective chart review is to report on the results of chiropractic management (including Cox flexion distraction technique) of patients with postsurgical lumbar spine pain to determine the change in reported pain based on surgical type.

Methods

Ten years of patient files from one chiropractic practice were electronically screened for lumbar spine surgery occurring before presenting for chiropractic care. Of the 58 patients with a postsurgical diagnosis, 32 files contained all pertinent components for this study including treatment with Cox flexion distraction manipulation (in addition to adjunct procedures) for at least 2 weeks and pretreatment and posttreatment pain measures using the Numeric Pain Scale (NPS) that ranged from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable).

Results

A change was observed in the mean pretreatment and posttreatment NPS pain scores of 6.4 to 2.3, a reduction of 4.1 of 10. The mean number of treatments was 14, with a range of 6 to 31. When stratified by surgical type, the mean change in pain was most remarkable in patients who underwent a surgery that combined lumbar discectomy, fusion, and/or laminectomy, with an average NPS pain reduction of 5.7 of 10. No adverse events were reported for any of these postsurgical patients.

Conclusions

The results of this study showed improvement for patients with low back pain subsequent to lumbar spine surgery who were managed with chiropractic care.     

强直性脊柱炎的腰椎活动性炎症MR表现初探

目的 探讨强直性脊柱炎(AS)腰椎活动性炎症的MR表现,及其与骶髂关节CT分级的关系.方法 64例AS患者.行MR腰椎矢状STIR/SPIR及T1脂肪抑制延迟增强扫描,分析腰椎炎症MR表现(包括急性椎体炎、椎间盘炎、关节突关节炎及附着点炎).椎体炎按Berlin评分分析.40例同时行骶髂关节CT平扫,按修订的纽约标准分级,与腰椎炎症、椎体炎行相关分析.结果 64例AS患者,椎体炎42例,椎间盘炎6例,关节突关节炎37例,附着点炎32例.腰椎侵犯总阳性率85.9%.其中椎体炎阳性率为65.6%.L1/2阳性率为34.4%,为各腰椎体单位最高,差别无统计学意义(P>0.05);受累的椎体单位中,以L5/S1最重(平均评分1.23分),与T12/L1,L1/2,L2/3差别有统计学意义(P<0.05).不同骶髂关节CT分级的患者是否有腰椎炎症活动的差别无统计意义(P>0.05);不同CT分级患者椎体炎程度(Berlin评分分布)的差别也无统计学意义(P>0.05).结论 AS患者腰椎侵犯并不少见,主要为椎体炎、关节突关节炎及附着点炎.椎间盘炎最少见,椎体炎中以L1/2常见.腰椎是否有炎症活动可能与骶髂关节CT分级无关:椎体炎程度也可能与骶髂关节CT分级无关.