Publications by authors named "Edward Benzel"

Study Design: Reliability study.

Objectives: The radiographic diagnosis of non-union is not standardized. Prior authors have suggested using a cutoff of <1 mm interspinous process motion (ISPM) on flexion-extension radiographs, but the ability of practicing surgeons to make these measurements reliably is not clear.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Neurosurgery residency, known for its rigorous training, must adapt to evolving healthcare demands. Formal education should now encompass areas like quality improvement and patient safety, machine learning, career planning, research infrastructure, grant funding, and socioeconomics. We share our institution's experience with a yearlong enhanced didactics curriculum, complementing our traditional teaching.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • This study analyzes the return-to-work (RTW) rates of patients who underwent surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) as part of a larger clinical trial comparing different surgical methods.
  • Of the 163 patients studied, 68 were employed before surgery, with 66% successfully returning to work within 12 months; the time it took to return varied by surgical type, with laminoplasty (LP) being the quickest.
  • The analysis found that a longer hospital stay negatively impacted RTW likelihood, and patients undergoing posterior cervical decompression/fusion (PCDF) reported worse physical outcomes compared to those who had anterior cervical decompression/fusion (ACDF) and LP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objectives: Disruption of the spine's sagittal balance is associated with significant negative impacts on quality of life. Compared with other spinal osteotomies, pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO), which can potentially offer greater correction, is considered technically challenging and performed at lower rates. The aim of this study was to review the use of PSO to correct fixed sagittal imbalance and assess its efficacy and associated perioperative complications.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: No standardized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters have defined the 3-dimensional morphoanatomy and relevant spinal cord occupation ratios (occupation of spinal cord dimensions/similar dimensions within the spinal canal) in congenital cervical stenosis (CCS).

Methods: A retrospective, comparative analysis was conducted on 200 patients >18 years of age with myelopathy and CCS (mean age, 52.4 years) and 200 age-matched controls with no myelopathy or radiculopathy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objectives: We present our experience in the management of symptomatic vertebral hemangiomas with epidural extension (SVHEE) using spine stereotactic radiosurgery (SSRS).

Methods: An Institutional Review Board approved retrospective review of all SVHEE patients treated with SSRS at our institution (2007-2022) was performed. Baseline patient demographics, clinical presentation, lesion volume, and Bilsky grade (to directly evaluate the epidural component) were determined.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Expandable devices such as interbody cages, vertebral body reconstruction cages, and intravertebral body expansion devices are frequently utilized in spine surgery. Since the introduction of expandable implants in the early 2000s, the variety of mechanisms that drive expansion and implant materials have steadily increased. By examining expandable devices that have achieved commercial success and exploring emerging innovations, we aim to offer an in-depth evaluation of the different types of expandable cages used in spine surgery and the underlying mechanisms that drive their functionality.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Tribology, an interdisciplinary field concerned with the science of interactions between surfaces in contact and their relative motion, plays a well-established role in the design of orthopedic implants, such as knee and hip replacements. However, its applications in spine surgery have received comparatively less attention in the literature. Understanding tribology is pivotal in elucidating the intricate interactions between metal, polymer, and ceramic components, as well as their interplay with the native human bone.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Primary treatment of spinal ependymomas involves surgical resection, however recurrence ranges between 50 and 70%. While the association of survival outcomes with lesion extent of resection (EOR) has been studied, existing analyses are limited by small samples and archaic data resulting in an inhomogeneous population. We investigated the relationship between EOR and survival outcomes, chiefly overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), in a large contemporary cohort of spinal ependymoma patients.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Spondylolisthesis is a common finding in middle-aged and older adults with back pain. The pathophysiology of degenerative spondylolisthesis is a subject of controversy regarding not only its etiology but also the mechanisms of its progression. It is theorized that degeneration of the facets and discs can lead to segmental instability, leading to displacement over time.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Despite the expanding role of machine learning (ML) in health care and patient expectations for clinicians to understand ML-based tools, few for-credit curricula exist specifically for neurosurgical trainees to learn basic principles and implications of ML for medical research and clinical practice. We implemented a novel, remotely delivered curriculum designed to develop literacy in ML for neurosurgical trainees.

Methods: A 4-week pilot medical elective was designed specifically for trainees to build literacy in basic ML concepts.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Most surgical journals are published in English, representing a challenge for researchers from non-Anglophone countries. We describe the implementation, workflow, outcomes, and lessons learned from the WORLD NEUROSURGERY Global Champions Program (GCP), a novel journal-specific English language editing program for articles rejected because of poor English grammar or usage.

Methods: The GCP was advertised via the journal website and social media.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background Context: Identifying optimal stratification techniques for subgrouping patients with low back pain (LBP) into treatment groups for the purpose of identifying optimal management and improving clinical outcomes is an important area for further research.

Purpose: Our study aimed to compare performance of the STarT Back Tool (SBT) and 3 stratification techniques involving PROMIS domain scores for use in patients presenting to a spine clinic for chronic LBP.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Patients with spine tumors frequently require timely, multistep, and multidisciplinary care. A Spine Tumor Board (STB) provides a consistent forum wherein diverse specialists can interact, facilitating complex coordinated care for these patients. This study aims to present a single, large academic center's STB experience specifically reviewing case diversity, recommendations, and quantifying growth over time.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Prior work by our group developed a stratification tool based on four PROMIS domains for patients with low back pain (LBP). Our study aimed to evaluate the ability of our previously developed symptom classes to predict long-term outcomes, and determine whether there were differential treatment effects by intervention.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of adult patients with LBP seen in spine clinics in a large health system between November 14, 2018 and May 14, 2019 who completed patient-reported outcomes as part of routine care at baseline and again at 12-months follow-up.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: The US-based Spinal Laminectomy versus Instrumented Pedicle Screw (SLIP) trial reported improvement in disability following laminectomy with fusion versus laminectomy alone for patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis. Despite using similar methods, a concurrent Swedish trial investigating the same question did not reach the same conclusion. The authors performed a simulation-based analysis to elucidate potential causes of these divergent results.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Neurosurgery program websites serve as a valuable resource for applicants. However, each website exists in isolation, and it can be difficult to understand the general trends in U.S.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Interviews are critical to the neurosurgery resident application process. The COVID-19 pandemic forced residency interview activities are conducted virtually. To maintain a degree of control during a period of uncertainty, our department implemented a standardized survey for interviewers to evaluate the noncognitive attributes and program compatibility of applicants.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: The Modified Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (MDQ) is a commonly used tool to assess functioning of patients with low back pain (LBP). Recently, the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) was suggested as an alternative platform to assess LBP patient-reported health. We sought to map between the MDQ and PROMIS Physical Function (PROMIS-PF) and Pain Interference (PROMIS-PI) scales using multiple methods.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Shaken baby syndrome occurs following inertial loading of the pediatric head, resulting in retinal hemorrhaging, subdural hematoma, and encephalopathy. However, the anatomically vulnerable cervical spine receives little attention. Automotive safety literature is replete with biomechanical data involving forward-facing pediatric surrogates in frontal collisions, an environment analogous to shaking.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: There is a paucity of evidence describing the price information that is publicly available to patients wishing to undergo neurosurgical procedures. We sought to investigate the public availability and usefulness of price estimates for non-emergent, elective neurosurgical interventions.

Methods: Google was used to search for price information related to 15 procedures in 8 major U.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background Context: Improving prognostic stratification for patients with low back pain (LBP) outside of a primary care setting has been identified as an important area for further research.

Purpose: Our study aimed to identify clinical symptom classes of patients presenting to a spine clinic based on 4 Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) domains and evaluate demographic and clinical differences across classes.

Study Design: An observational cross-sectional study of patients seen in spine centers at a large health system.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To determine factors associated with anxiety and depression among neurosurgeons after vaccination during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Methods: An online survey was completed by neurosurgeons worldwide over 4 weeks. Depression in neurosurgeons was assessed by the 20-item self-reporting questionnaire.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF