Cross-sectional analysis of avoidable emergency department visits before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: COVID-19 had a significant impact on Emergency Departments (ED) with early data suggesting an initial decline in avoidable ED visits. However, the sustained impact over time is unclear. In this study, we analyzed ED discharges over a two-year time period after the COVID-19 pandemic began and compared it with a control time period pre-pandemic to evaluate the difference in ED visit categories, including total, avoidable, and unavoidable visits.

Clinical Presentation and Outcomes of Patients With a Lumbar Far Lateral Herniated Nucleus Pulposus as Compared to Those With a Central or Paracentral Herniation.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: Examine pre- and postoperative outcomes between patients presenting with a central/paracentral versus a far lateral herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP) and assess whether significantly worse postoperative outcomes, assessed via patient self-reported survey, are associated with far lateral disc herniations.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of patients who underwent primary lumbar decompression between January 2008 and December 2015.