Calculating Utilities From the Neck Disability Index Score: Quantifying the Value of Care For Cervical Spine Pathology.

Study Design: General population utility valuation study.

Objective: To develop a technique for calculating utilities from the Neck Disability Index (NDI) score.

Methods: We recruited a sample of 1200 adults from a market research panel.

Calculating Ex-ante Utilities From the Modified Japanese Orthopedic Association Score: A Prerequisite for Quantifying the Value of Care for Cervical Myelopathy.

Study Design: General population utility valuation study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a technique for calculating utilities from the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) Score.

Summary Of Background Data: The ability to calculate quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) would enhance treatment decision making and facilitate economic analysis.

The Hip Center Rule Can be Used to Decide if Measured Pelvic Incidence is Accurate.

Study Design: Simulation study.

Objective: Pelvic incidence (PI) should be considered during surgical planning. The ideal patient position with both hip centers perfectly aligned for a lateral radiograph is rarely obtained.

Calculating Utilities From the Spine Oncology Study Group Outcomes Questionnaire: A Necessity for Economic and Decision Analysis.

Study Design: General population utility valuation study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a technique for calculating utilities from the Spine Oncology Study Group Outcomes Questionnaire v2.0 (SOSGOQ2.

Rotational Anatomy of the Radius and Ulna: Surgical Implications.

Purpose: The rotational anatomy of the forearm bones is not well defined. This study aims to further the understanding of the torsion of the radius and ulna to better guide treatment.

Methods: Computed tomography images of 98 cadaveric forearms were obtained and 3-dimensional models of the radius and ulna were generated and analyzed.

A technique for approximating transition rates from published survival analyses.

Background: Quality-adjusted-life-years (QALYs) are used to concurrently quantify morbidity and mortality within a single parameter. For this reason, QALYs can facilitate the discussion of risks and benefits during patient counseling regarding treatment options. QALYs are often calculated using partitioned-survival modelling.

A General Population Utility Valuation Study for Metastatic Epidural Spinal Cord Compression Health States.

Study Design: General population utility valuation study.

Objective: This study obtained utility valuations from a Canadian general population perspective for 31 unique metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) health states and determined the relative importance of MESCC-related consequences on quality-of-life.

Summary Of Background Data: Few prospective studies on the treatment of MESCC have collected quality-adjusted-life-year weights (termed "utilities").

Back to Bayesian: A strategy to enhance prognostication of metastatic spine disease.

Aims: Clinicians must consider prognosis when offering treatment to patients with spine metastases. Although several prognostic indices have been developed and validated for this purpose, they may not be applicable in the current era of targeted systemic therapies. Even before the introduction of targeted therapies, these prognostic indices should not have been directly used for individual patient decision making without contextualising with other sources of data.

Adverse events and their risk factors 90 days after cervical spine surgery: analysis from the Michigan Spine Surgery Improvement Collaborative.

Objective: The Michigan Spine Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MSSIC) is a statewide, multicenter quality improvement initiative. Using MSSIC data, the authors sought to identify 90-day adverse events and their associated risk factors (RFs) after cervical spine surgery.

Methods: A total of 8236 cervical spine surgery cases were analyzed.

Thoracic Epidural Abscesses: A Systematic Review.

Study Design: Systematic review.

Objectives: Past research has demonstrated increased speed and severity of progression for spinal epidural abscesses (SEAs) of the thoracic level, specifically, when compared with SEAs of other spinal cord levels. Untreated, this infection can result in permanent neurological sequelae with eventual progression to death if inadequately managed.

Virtual fracture carving improves understanding of a complex fracture: a randomized controlled study.

Background: The visual overlay technique for surgical planning is difficult to apply to spatially complex fractures. Virtual reality can be applied by virtual fracture carving to adapt the visual overlay technique to three-dimensional (3D) images. In this study, we evaluated whether virtual fracture carving is a useful exercise by performing two experiments comparing trainees' understanding of a complex fracture with the application of either current preoperative techniques or the use of the Virtual-Fracture-Carving Simulator.

Biometric morphing: a novel technique for the analysis of morphologic outcomes after facial surgery.

The results of facial surgery are intuitively judged in terms of the visible changes in facial features or proportions. However, describing these morphologic outcomes objectively remains a challenge. Biometric morphing addresses this issue by merging statistical shape analysis and image processing.