Spine Center: Research
In the clinic and in the laboratory, Spine Center physicians are advancing the treatment of spine disorders through research. Their special interests include the geriatric spine, new technologies, biomechanics and guidelines for the best care. The comprehensive research program includes:
Outcomes Research
Leading-edge practice of medicine involves not only caring for patients, but following up to study the results on a small or large scale, to understand the benefits, risks and opportunities to improve. The Spine Center at BIDMC is now among the premier spine centers in the country that are able to conduct outcomes research in the clinic using the Dynamic Clinical Systems database. Staff are also conducting two studies using large national databases: one examines outcomes after vertebral augmentation for osteoporotic compression fractures versus non-operative treatment, and the other is on the epidemiology of cervical spine fractures in the geriatric population.
Laboratory research
Dr. Michael Groff’s current laboratory research includes a biomechanical evaluation of the role of lumbar interbody cages in causing or preventing subsidence, an important determinant of maintaining the proper curve in the lower back. He is a clinical advisor for a project funded by the National Institute of Health looking at the risk of vertebral body collapse in the context of spinal column tumor metastasis.
Clinical trials and clinical studies
Current studies with patients include evaluating the role of a new cervical disc replacement, and examining the relationship between a patient’s symptoms and his or her interest in surgical treatment.
Guidelines development
To help guide decisions about which treatment is appropriate in which circumstances, physicians who are leaders in their field are asked to develop guidelines – a process that involves an extensive review of published research. Dr. Michael Groff was one of the core authors of lumbar fusion guidelines published in Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine in 2005. He also contributed to guidelines on cervical spondylitic mylopathy, currently in peer review.
Upcoming presentations
Spine Center staff are authors of two posters accepted for presentation at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgery:
Zampini J, McGuire K, White A, Groff M. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with carbon fiber cages without plating.
Zampini J, White A, McGuire K. Balloon-assisted vertebral augmentation for vertebral compression fracture: an epidemiologic study.
