Long-term Postural Stability Changes After Correction of Spinal Deformity: A prospective, controlled pilot study.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the durability of postural stability after ASD correction surgery and its' association with clinical outcomes.

Summary Of Background Data: The prevalence of symptomatic adult spinal deformity (ASD) necessitates surgical intervention, aiming to correct global spinal balance and spinopelvic parameters.

The effect of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy on fusion rate in spinal surgery using osteobiologics for patients with metastatic spinal disease: a systematic review.

Objective: To evaluate the impact that adjuvant therapies like radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy have on osteobiologic properties and bony regeneration in patients with metastatic spine disease (MSD) undergoing spinal fusion surgery.

Methods: PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov searches were performed.

Staged complex reconstruction of infected thoracic aortic endograft and adjacent spinal hardware using latissimus wrapped lateral aortic graft.

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) enables rapid and effective treatment of life-threatening aortic injuries. The occurrence of long-term complications from TEVAR and their management is ill-defined in young patients. This report describes a complex case of a 38-year-old male patient who underwent staged interventions for different acute pathologies instigated by blunt thoracic spinal trauma.

Infinity: A Prospective Trial for Safety and Accuracy of Navigated Posterior Cervical and Thoracic Instrumentation in Long-segment Fusions.

Study Design: Unblinded single-arm prospective clinical trial.

Objective: Evaluate safety and accuracy of navigation for placement of posterior cervicothoracic instrumentation.

Summary Of Background Data: Computer-assisted stereotactic navigation for placement of spinal instrumentation has been widely studied and implemented in the thoracic and lumbar spine.

Microbial etiology of vertebral osteomyelitis/discitis amid the opioid epidemic.

Objective: The primary goal of this study was to establish the current microbial trends in vertebral osteomyelitis/discitis (VOD) amid the opioid epidemic and to determine if intravenous drug use (IVDU) predisposes one to a unique microbial profile of infection.

Methods: The authors performed a retrospective cohort study consisting of 1175 adult patients diagnosed with VOD between 2011 and 2022 at a single quaternary center. Data were acquired through retrospective chart review, with pertinent demographic and clinical information collected.

Machine Learning in Spine Oncology: A Narrative Review.

Study Design: Narrative Review.

Objective: Machine learning (ML) is one of the latest advancements in artificial intelligence used in medicine and surgery with the potential to significantly impact the way physicians diagnose, prognose, and treat spine tumors. In the realm of spine oncology, ML is utilized to analyze and interpret medical imaging and classify tumors with incredible accuracy.

A novel technique for decortication of the lumbar facet joints for posterolateral fusion with percutaneous exposure: A cadaveric feasibility study.

Background: Percutaneous approaches to the spine have been explored recently for various procedures, including transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. It is known that facet decortication leads to higher rates of fusion, but effective percutaneous approaches have not been well documented. There are a set of instruments used in the cervical spine for percutaneous decortication, the CORUS™ Spinal System-X (DI# 00852776006508), which may be useful in this setting.

Use of global sagittal flexibility to predict proximal junctional kyphosis after spinal deformity surgery.

Objective: Sagittal alignment is an important predictor of functional outcomes after surgery for adult spinal deformity (ASD). A rigid spinal column may create a large lever arm that may impact the rate of proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) after ASD surgery. In this study, the authors sought to determine whether relatively low preoperative global spinal flexibility (i.

Reliability of a Novel Classification System for Thoracic Disc Herniations.

Study Design: This is a cross-sectional survey.

Objective: The aim was to assess the reliability of a proposed novel classification system for thoracic disc herniations (TDHs).

Summary Of Background Data: TDHs are complex entities varying substantially in many factors, including size, location, and calcification.

A computer vision approach to identifying the manufacturer of posterior thoracolumbar instrumentation systems.

Objective: Knowledge of the manufacturer of the previously implanted pedicle screw systems prior to revision spinal surgery may facilitate faster and safer surgery. Often, this information is unavailable because patients are referred by other centers or because of missing information in the patients' records. Recently, machine learning and computer vision have gained wider use in clinical applications.

Neck Pain: Differential Diagnosis and Management.

Axial neck pain is a common and important problem in the outpatient setting. In isolation, neck pain tends to have a musculoskeletal etiology and responds best to medication and targeted physical therapy. Careful history and physical examination are required to ascertain if there is a neurologic component in addition to the patient's neck pain.

Back Pain: Differential Diagnosis and Management.

Back pain is a common condition affecting millions of individuals each year. A biopsychosocial approach to back pain provides the best clinical framework. A detailed history and physical examination with a thorough workup are required to exclude emergent or nonoperative etiologies of back pain.

Safe dissection and complication avoidance for L1-2 interbody placement via a lateral access approach.

The lateral access approach for L1-2 interbody placement or other levels at or near the thoracolumbar junction may be difficult without proper knowledge and visualization of anatomy. Specifically, understanding where the fibers of the diaphragm travel and avoiding injury to the diaphragm are paramount. The video can be found here: https://stream.

Biomechanical Effects of Proximal Polyetheretherketone Rod Extension on the Upper Instrumented and Adjacent Levels in a Human Long-Segment Construct: A Cadaveric Model.

Objective: The high mechanical stress zone at the sudden transition from a rigid to flexible region is involved in proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) physiopathology. We evaluated the biomechanical performance of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) rods used as a nontraditional long semirigid transition phase from a long-segment metallic rod construct to the nonfused thoracic spine.

Methods: Pure moment range of motion (ROM) tests (7.

Minimally Invasive Retropleural Thoracic Diskectomy: Step-by-Step Operative Planning, Execution, and Results.

Background: Thoracic disk herniation is rare and difficult to treat. The minimally invasive lateral retropleural approach to the thoracic spine enables the surgeon to decompress the neural elements and minimize thecal sac manipulation through direct visualization with less exposure-related morbidity.

Objective: To provide a detailed step-by-step overview of the minimally invasive retropleural approach for thoracic diskectomies, including preoperative planning through postoperative care as practiced at our institution.

Surgical anatomy of minimally invasive lateral approaches to the thoracolumbar junction.

Objective: The thoracolumbar (TL) junction spanning T11 to L2 is difficult to access because of the convergence of multiple anatomical structures and tissue planes. Earlier studies have described different approaches and anatomical structures relevant to the TL junction. This anatomical study aims to build a conceptual framework for selecting and executing a minimally invasive lateral approach to the spine for interbody fusion at any level of the TL junction with appropriate adjustments for local anatomical variations.

Surgical Management of Postradiation, Dropped Head Spinal Deformity in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer.

Background: Dropped head syndrome is a morbid condition that affects daily functionality, causing pain and dysphagia and respiratory compromise. Reported causes of dropped head syndrome include neuromuscular disorders, iatrogenic from cervical spine surgery, and idiopathic and postradiation for head and neck cancers. Management of this spinal disorder remains challenging, as the complication rates are high.

Comparison of Surgical Outcomes and Recurrence Rates of Cystic and Solid Vestibular Schwannomas.

 Cystic vestibular schwannomas (CVSs) are anecdotally believed to have worse clinical and tumor-control outcomes than solid vestibular schwannomas (SVSs); however, no data have been reported to support this belief. In this study, we characterize the clinical outcomes of patients with CVSs versus those with SVSs.  This is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data.