Yair Barzilay

• MD
• Director of Spine Unit at Shaare Zedek Medical Center

Objective: Physical rehabilitation by virtual reality (VR) gamification is gaining acceptance. This study was designed to verify whether neck movements invoked by a fully immersive VR game environment may be physiotherapist-prescribed rehabilitation exercise. Methods: This was a single-visit prospective clinical trial (NCT03104647). Healthy partici...

Kyphoplasty, a procedure first described in 2001 for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) has since been used successfully for pathological vertebral compression fractures , including those caused by multiple myeloma . Whilst the evidence base for kyphoplasty remains incomplete , there is a general consensus that it...

Background and Objectives Anterior knee pain (AKP) is the most common knee pathology in athletes and occurs in 15% of army recruits of elite units during basic training. Of these, 50% are symptomatic 6 years later. Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a nonthermal red-to-near-infrared irradiation used for pain reduction of a variety of etiologies. This stud...

Background Streptococcus gordonii is an infrequent cause of infective endocarditis (IE); associated spondylodiskitis has not yet been described in the literature. PurposeWe describe 2 patients who presented with new-onset, severe back pain; blood cultures revealed S. gordonii bacteremia, which led to the diagnosis of spondylodiskitis and IE. We rev...

Introduction: Informal (hallway) medical consultation is an integral part of the physician's work. As musculoskeletal complaints are very common, orthopedic surgeons stand in the frontline of this practice. Many of these consultations are poorly, if at all, documented, thus imposing a potential medical danger to the patient and a medicolegal dange...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1552987.].

In recent years, there has been high prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infection among soldiers in the Israeli military, with devastating sequelae in several cases. Emergency department physicians have developed a high level of suspicion for spinal epidural abscess (SEA) in patients presenting known risk factors; however, SEA is a par...

We assessed the clinical value of repeat spine CT scan in 108 patients aged 18-60years who underwent repeat lumbar spine CT scan for low back pain or radiculopathy from January 2008 to December 2010. Patients with a neoplasm or symptoms suggesting underlying disease were excluded from the study. Clinical data was retrospectively reviewed. Index exa...

Study Design Retrospective cohort study with a cross-sectional comparison. Objective To compare the rates of anesthesia prescription and satisfaction with surgery, prevalence and severity of low back pain, prevalence of depression, and sexual dysfunction among pregnant and nonpregnant patients with AIS undergoing correction surgery with pedicle-ba...

To assess the changes in gait pattern and clinical symptoms of patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP) following a home-based biomechanical treatment (HBBT). This was a retrospective analysis of 60 CNSLBP patients. All patients underwent a gait evaluation and completed self-assessment questionnaires at pre-treatment and after 3 an...

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of a novel, angular, continuous passive motion device for self-treatment at home in patients with mild-to-moderate, non-specific, chronic low back pain (LBP). Design Prospective, randomised, waiting-list-controlled (WLC) trial. Setting Recruitment and assessment were conducted at the Koren Centre for Physical Th...

Background and purpose: Painful vertebral compression fractures in cancer patients reduce quality of life and may limit survival. We assessed pain relief, vertebral height restoration, and kyphosis correction following vertebral augmentation using a novel expandable titanium stent implant in cancer patients with painful vertebral compression fract...

Objectives: We aimed to assess the efficacy of surgical decompression of metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) in patients ≧65 years and review our multidisciplinary surgical decision-making process. Methods: We identified all patients operated for MESCC from August 2008 to June 2012. Patients ≧65 years, with a single area of cord...

Preoperative transarterial embolization of hypervascular spinal tumors has been extensively used, and is considered to be a highly effective adjuvant technique in reducing intraoperative blood loss during surgery. Moreover, it has been reported to increase the feasibility and safety of the surgical procedure, leading to better surgical outcomes. We...

The advent of spinal instrumentation allowed spine surgeons to treat complex spinal pathologies while maintaining or correcting alignment and maintaining or restoring spinal stability. Pedicle screws became an integral part of these complex procedures [1]. As spinal procedures progressed and became more complex, misplacement of pedicle screws, with...

Study design: Retrospective. Objective: To assess radiation exposure time during robot-guided vertebral body augmentation compared with other published findings. Summary of background data: Rising incidence of vertebral compression fractures in the aging population result in widespread use of vertebral body cement augmentation with significant...

We report a rare case of a spinal meningioma leading to symptoms of spinal cord compression starting in the third trimester of gestation in a 32-year-old woman. Neurological symptoms, which continued to progress after the patient had given birth, were assumed to be sequelae of pregnancy and delivery, leading to a 6month delay in diagnosis and treat...

Objective: Clinically significant spinal hemorrhage is an extremely rare but potentially devastating complication of spinal epidural steroid injection. We report a rare case of cauda equina syndrome after spinal epidural injection that inadvertently penetrated an unrecognized spinal paraganglioma. Methods: The clinical records for a patient pres...

Subaxial cervical facet cysts are uncommon. We report two patients with intraspinal, extradural, subaxial cervical spinal facet cysts, and review the literature to describe the epidemiology, clinical presentation, imaging findings, and treatment options for these lesions. Intraspinal, extradural, cervical spinal cysts should be considered as part o...

This study examined whether motor-related participation could be assessed by global positioning systems in individuals with cerebral palsy. Global positioning systems monitoring devices were given to 2 adolescent girls (14-year-old with diplegic cerebral palsy and her 15-year-old healthy sister). Outcome measures were traveling distances, time spen...

Study design: Prospective patient series. Objective: To evaluate outcome of children experiencing severe osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) with thoracic insufficiency syndrome (TIS), who were treated with a novel expandable spinothoracic fixation device. Summary of background data: Current treatment options for TIS in patients with OI are limited....

Introduction CT scans of the lumbar spine are indicated in the search of neural compressive lesions and in search of a cause for specific low back pain (LBP). They are associated with a high radiation exposure of 700 to 1500 mREMs per exam. The goal of the study was to investigate whether repeat spine CT scans, in patients who are symptomatic 2 yea...

Introduction In the past decades, there has been an increasing interest in quality of life assessment after treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Scoliosis affects young patients many of them women that deal with the scoliosis and surgical treatment for the rest of their life. The effect of scoliosis correction on sexual function has yet to...

Introduction In the past decades, there has been an increasing interest in quality of life assessment after treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Scoliosis affects young patients many of them women that deal with the scoliosis and surgical treatment for the rest of their life. The effect of scoliosis correction on sexual function has yet to...

Vertebral compression fractures (VCF) due to osteoporotic degeneration and metastatic disease represent an increasingly significant public health problem. Percutaneous vertebroplasty (VP) began as a simple, low-cost procedure that aimed to provide pain relief for patients with VCF. Balloon kyphoplasty (KP) was introduced later, and was presented no...

Study design: A retrospective cohort of 68 patients who underwent insertion of the DIAM (Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Switzerland) interspinous device (ISD) during 2006-2008 at one medical center. Objectives: To assess the short- and intermediate-term outcomes and complications associated with ISD. Methods: Evaluation of files and all patients who...

Pilot study. To examine whether surgical outcomes can be assessed objectively by advanced tracking technology, based on Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Outcome studies are the commonest way to assess the results of surgical procedures. The success of these efforts is impeded by a number of factors, including the lack of valid outcome measures, di...

Study design: A retrospective case series of patients with myelomeningocele (MMC) who underwent kyphectomy and posterior segmental fixation using Luque rods and 16-gauge wires. Objective: To assess outcomes after posterior kyphectomy and segmental fixation for kyphosis in patients with MMC. Methods: Thirteen consecutive patients who underwent...

Retrospective, multicenter study of robotically-guided spinal implant insertions. Clinical acceptance of the implants was assessed by intraoperative radiograph, and when available, postoperative computed tomography (CT) scans were used to determine placement accuracy. To verify the clinical acceptance and accuracy of robotically-guided spinal impla...

A case of an isolated lumbarized S1 spinous process fracture due to direct trauma from a fall on the lower back is reported here. The patient was treated nonoperatively. Pain subsided and he returned to every day. To alert physicians of this rare fracture as part of the differential diagnosis in cases of direct trauma to the lower spine. The method...

A retrospective study on patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP). To describe the gait stride characteristics of patients with chronic NSLBP, and to examine the effect of a novel biomechanical device on the gait stride characteristics of these patients. Patient with NSLBP alters their gait patterns. This is considered a protective m...

Special Forces training is even more demanding than that of elite athletes. The training includes grueling physical activity and periods of sleep deprivation. The soldiers routinely carry heavy loads up to 40% of their body weight on their backs while running and marching for distances up to 90 km. Our purpose was to find out if Special Forces recr...

Pelvic or acetabular fractures during pregnancy are rare, and information on managing such complex incidents has been limited. Over several years, we have gained significant experience in handling such cases. Of the 1345 pelvic and acetabular fractures treated at our level I trauma center between 1987 and 2002, 15 (1.1%) occurred in pregnant women....

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy is often progressive and leads to motor and sensory impairments in the arms and legs. Canal expansive laminoplasty was initially described in Japan as an alternative to the traditional laminectomy approach. The results of this approach have not previously been described in the Israeli population. To describe the tech...

Background: Instrumented spinal fusion surgery is increasingly performed. Breaching of the pedicle occurs in 3-55% of screws; clinically significant screw misplacements occur in 0-7% of all transpedicular screw placements. Several techniques have reduced this incidence but none gained popularity due to cost as well as staff issues. Surgical robots...

Prospective case series. To determine the safety and feasibility of routine preinjection of gelfoam embolization during percutaneous vertebroplasty. Percutaneous vertebroplasty has been used effectively in pain relief for vertebral fractures resulting from malignancy and osteoporosis. However, cement extrusion is a common problem and can lead to co...

Pelvic fracture is a severe and life-threatening injury that requires treatment by a dedicated team. One of the goals of a nationwide trauma system is to provide appropriate medical care for such injuries. To use pelvic fractures as a test case for the efficiency of the Israeli trauma system, as reflected in the experience of our medical center. Da...

While an os trigonum at the posterolateral aspect of the talus is usually asymptomatic, this inconsistently present accessory bone has been associated with persistent posterior ankle pain, which has been described as the os trigonum syndrome. We present the clinical results of excision of the os trigonum through a posterolateral approach and report...