Do Patients Accurately Recall Pain Levels Following Sacroiliac Joint Steroid Injection? A Cohort Study of Recall Bias in Patient-reported Outcomes.

Background: Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) injections are crucial in the diagnostic toolkit for evaluating SIJ pathology. Recall bias is an important component in patient-reported outcomes that has not been well studied in SIJ injection.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterize the accuracy, direction, and magnitude of pain level recall bias following SIJ steroid injection and study the factors that affect patient recollection.

Patient satisfaction with follow-up after spinal fusion.

Background: Postoperative follow-up visits (PFUs) allow providers to track patient recovery but can be costly to patients. With the advent of the novel coronavirus pandemic, virtual/phone visits have been utilized as an alternative to in-person PFUs. Patients were surveyed to elucidate patient satisfaction with postoperative care in the setting of increased virtual follow-up visits.

Intraoperative and Postoperative Management of Incidental Durotomies During Open Degenerative Lumbar Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review.

Summary Of Background Data: Incidental durotomy is a common intraoperative complication of lumbar spine surgery. Intra and postoperative protocols in the management of this common complication vary considerably, with no consensus in the literature.

Objective: To systematically review (1) lumbar dural repair techniques for open degenerative procedures; (2) review described postoperative protocols after lumbar dural repairs.

Do Patients Accurately Recall Their Pain Levels Following Epidural Steroid Injection? A Cohort Study of Recall Bias in Patient-Reported Outcomes.

Background: Although patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have become important in the evaluation of spine surgery patients, the accuracy of patient recall of pre- or post-intervention  symptoms following epidural steroid injection remains unknown.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to: 1) characterize the accuracy of patient recollection of back/leg pain following epidural steroid injection; 2) characterize the direction and magnitude of recall bias; and 3) characterize factors that impact patient recollection.

Study Design: A prospective cohort study.

Lateral mass screw placement in the atlas: description of a novel surgical technique, radiographic parameters, and review of the literature.

Background: Numerous techniques of C1 lateral mass screw placement have been described. We sought to delineate the radiographic angle of safety medially and laterally and describe a novel surgical technique of C1 lateral mass screw placement. We sought to (I) determine the angle of safety medially and laterally of the C1 lateral mass; (II) assess the size available of the lateral mass in the AP and coronal planes; (III) describe novel technique of insertion of a C1 lateral mass screw utilizing navigation and a novel start point.

A Multicenter Evaluation of the Feasibility, Patient/Provider Satisfaction, and Value of Virtual Spine Consultation During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective: To assess the feasibility, patient/provider satisfaction, and perceived value of telehealth spine consultation after rapid conversion from traditional in-office visits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Data were obtained for patients undergoing telehealth visits with spine surgeons in the first 3 weeks after government restriction of elective surgical care at 4 sites (March 23, 2020, to April 17, 2020). Demographic factors, technique-specific elements of the telehealth experience, provider confidence in diagnostic and therapeutic assessment, patient/surgeon satisfaction, and perceived value were collected.

Congenital defect of the posterior arch of C1: a case report.

Odontoid fractures are one of the most common injuries to the cervical spine in geriatric patients. Congenital C1 arch absence, however, is a very rare anomaly found in the population. We describe the first reported case of a congenital C1 posterior arch absence and C1 anterior cleft presenting with odontoid fracture.

Perioperative Corticosteroids Reduce Dysphagia Severity Following Anterior Cervical Spinal Fusion: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: The anterior approach to the cervical spine is commonly used to treat cervical pathology. It is, however, associated with high rates of dysphagia, which may be associated with substantial patient morbidity. Perioperative corticosteroid administration has been advocated to decrease dysphagia rates; its efficacy, however, remains uncertain.

Surgical correction of rigid cervicothoracic deformity in a transgender patient: case report.

A number of spinal pathologies result in fusion of the spine, including ankylosing spondylitis, diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH), as well as severe degenerative arthropathies. This fusion of spinal elements may result in spinal deformity affecting any region of the spine. Cervicothoracic deformity resulting in chin on chest deformity is poorly tolerated due to inability to maintain a horizontal gaze.

Stereotactic navigation in anterior cervical spine surgery: surgical setup and technique.

Intraoperative stereotactic navigation in spine surgery is quickly becoming popularized for accurate placement of spinal instrumentation as well as assisting in the verification of anatomic landmarks. Navigation is less commonly utilized in anterior cervical spine surgery due to instrumentation being able to be placed under direct visualization. The utility of navigation in anterior cervical spine surgery is its ability to aid in the verification of anatomic location, particularly when anatomy is distorted or pathology comes close to critical neurovascular structures.

Physical Examination of the Spine Using Telemedicine: A Systematic Review.

Study Design: This is a systematic review.

Objective: To systematically review (1) the reliability of the physical examination of the spine using telehealth as it pertains to spinal pathology and (2) patient satisfaction with the virtual spine physical examination.

Methods: We searched EMBASE, PubMed, Medline Ovid, and SCOPUS databases from inception until April 2020.

Three-dimensional Printed Drill Guides Versus Fluoroscopic-guided Freehand Technique for Pedicle Screw Placement: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Radiographic, Operative, and Clinical Outcomes.

Study Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare surgical, clinical, and radiographic outcomes of 3-dimensional printed (3DP) drill guides to the fluoroscopic-guided, freehand placement of pedicle screws in the spine.

Summary Of Background Data: 3DP is a budding technology in spine surgery and has recently been applied to patient-specific drill guides for pedicle screw placement.

PTH(1-34) and zoledronic acid have differing longitudinal effects on juvenile mouse femur strength and morphology.

Treatment of secondary pediatric osteoporosis-particularly that due to chronic diseases, immobilization, and necessary medical treatments-is currently limited by a poor understanding of the long-term efficacy and safety of skeletal metabolism modifying drugs. This study aimed to characterize longitudinal effects of representative anabolic (parathyroid hormone, PTH) and anti-catabolic (zoledronic acid, ZA) drugs on skeletal morphology, mechanical strength, and growth in juvenile mice. BALB/cJ mice aged 4 weeks were given PTH(1-34) or vehicle (control) daily for 8 weeks, or 4 weekly doses of ZA, and evaluated at time points 0-26 weeks after treatment initiation.