Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), today announced the U.S. launch of the X-STOP PEEK IPD System, the first interspinous process decompression (IPD) device approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that offers a PEEK-Bone interface for treating the symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). LSS is the most common reason for back surgery in people over the age of 65 in the United States.

New MR techniques show that facet joint effusion (the collection of fluid in the spinal joints) and interspinal ligament edema (swelling of the interspinal ligaments) are major sources of lower back pain, according to a study performed at Baskent University Hospital in Ankara, Turkey and Alanya Research Center in Antalya, Turkey.

Pain is more than a symptom of osteoarthritis, it is an inherent and damaging part of the disease itself, according to a study published today in journal Arthritis and Rheumatism. More specifically, the study revealed that pain signals originating in arthritic joints, and the biochemical processing of those signals as they reach the spinal cord, worsen and expand arthritis.

DLBCL is the most common histologic subtype of the NHLs accounting for about 40% of all NHL. Stage IV or disseminated disease is observed in approximately 40% of patients and is usually characterized by extranodal extramedullary infiltration. Sites of extra nodal involvement in DLBCL can include the stomach/gastrointestinal system among others.

A rare genetic disorder called tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is yielding insight into a possible cause of some neurodevelopmental disorders: structural abnormalities in neurons, or brain cells. Researchers in the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center at Children's Hospital Boston, led by Mustafa Sahin, MD, PhD, and Xi He, PhD, also found that normal neuronal structure can potentially be restored.

Spinal Restoration, Inc. announced it has completed enrollment in the Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) pilot study of the Biostat® Disc Augmentation System. Six month clinical results from this three site, 15 patient study are expected to be available in early 2009. The goal of the study is to examine the safety and efficacy of the Biostat Disc Augmentation System in the treatment of chronic discogenic low back pain resulting from Internal Disc Disruptions (IDD).

"I am faced with an insurance hell. Six days before a planned surgery, Blue Cross denied surgery for an artificial disc implantation or disc arthroplasty. This was on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008. The lumbar artificial disc by Synthes Spine called Prodisc was approved by the FDA in August 2006. It is one of two FDA-approved lumbar discs available," said Kim Kutcher of Dana Point, Calif.

Biovail Corporation (NYSE:BVF)(TSX:BVF) announced that it has received an expanded indication for once-daily Ralivia™ - to include the treatment of moderately severe pain in addition to moderate pain - from the Therapeutic Products Directorate (TPD) in Canada. Ralivia™ is now indicated for the management of moderate to moderately severe pain in adults who require continuous treatment for several days or more.

Data from a new study suggest that Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl) 60-120 mg once daily significantly reduced chronic low back pain, as measured by the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) 24-hour average pain score, compared with placebo.(1) Results from the double-blind, 13-week, placebo-controlled study of 236 patients were presented today at the annual congress of the European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS) in Madrid, Spain.