Healthcare News
The future of spine surgery: healing backs without screws or metal implants
Metal rods, screws and bone grafts have long been the backbone of spinal fusion surgeries — a fix for fractured spines, worn-out discs or bones that refuse to heal on their own. The hardware works. But it’s also rigid and invasive, and often leaves patients with lingering pain, stiffness and the need for follow-up surgeries down the road. At the University of Missouri, a team of engineers is working on a new approach. In the Biomodulatory Materials Engineering Laboratory in the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building, researchers led by Principal Investigator Bret Ulery are building a future where spines heal not through steel, but through biology — using tiny, bioactive materials made from therapeutic peptides to guide the body’s natural repair processes from the inside out.
Bone Density After Hip Surgery Mostly Unchanged
BONE mineral density (BMD) assessment using radiofrequency echographic multispectrometry (REMS) shows that age, sex, and BMI remain the strongest determinants of bone health, even in the context of total hip replacement surgery. A new study found that metal implants contribute minimally to measured changes in femoral neck BMD.
Steroids for back pain: Why they can be effective
Steroids, also known as corticosteroids, are synthetic hormones that can help reduce swelling and inflammation in the body, which may help improve back pain.
Living With Back Pain: Health Information Basics for You and Your Family
Changes to any part of your back—such as ones that may occur with aging, getting hurt, or having other medical conditions—can lead to back pain. It can start suddenly or come on slowly. It may feel like a dull, constant ache, or a sudden, sharp pain.
Risk factors for general complications after hip or knee replacement surgery in elderly patients: a single-center study
This study focused on elderly patients with risk factors for complications after hip or knee replacement surgery. Clinically, elderly patients undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery should perform well in terms of preoperative and perioperative management.
