Laminectomy and fusion better maintains horizontal gaze than laminoplasty in cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Background: Laminectomy and fusion (LF) and laminoplasty (LP) are common treatments for cervical spondylotic myelopathy and myeloradiculopathy. While both procedures show similar clinical improvement, LF requires bony fusion while LP offers motion preservation. Cervical sagittal alignment and horizontal gaze maintenance are key outcome measures, but their comparative effects between LF and LP remain unclear.

Osteoporosis Evaluation and Management in Spine Surgery.

Osteoporosis is a global health problem affecting over 200 million people worldwide and 54 million adults in the United States. Approximately half of all postmenopausal women will have an osteoporosis-related fracture during their lifetime. In the United States, the direct medical cost related to osteoporosis is expected to exceed $25 billion by 2025.

What Happens to Sagittal Alignment Following Laminoplasty Versus Laminectomy and Fusion?

Objective: Laminectomy and fusion (LF) and laminoplasty (LP) are 2 sucessful posterior decompression techniques for cervical myelo-radiculopathy. There is also a growing body of evidence describing the importance of cervical sagittal alignment (CSA) and its importance in outcomes. We investigated the difference between pre- and postoperative CSA parameters in and between LF or LP.

Inpatient opioid use varies by construct length among laminoplasty versus laminectomy and fusion patients.

Background: Laminoplasty (LP) and laminectomy and fusion (LF) are utilized to achieve decompression in patients with symptomatic degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). Comparative analyses aimed at determining outcomes and clarifying indications between these procedures represent an area of active research. Accordingly, we sought to compare inpatient opioid use between LP and LF patients and to determine if opioid use correlated with length of stay.

Achilles Rupture in the Setting Posterior Tibial Osteochondroma: A Case Report and Guidelines for Management of Osteochondromas Adjacent to Tendons.

Introduction: The presentation of the included patient is unique, and the thought process regarding management algorithms used to manage this patient is important to discuss so that other surgeons may benefit. This is the first report of its kind, to our knowledge.

Case Report: A 30-year-old healthy Caucasian male presented with acute Achilles tendon rupture after feeling a pop while playing basketball, in the setting of a known posterior tibial osteochondroma and a recent increase in physical activity.

C-reactive Protein-to-albumin Ratio in Spinal Epidural Abscess: Association with Post-treatment Complications.

Introduction: Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is a complex medical condition with high morbidity and healthcare costs. Clinical presentation and laboratory data may have prognostic value in forecasting morbidity and mortality. C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) demonstrates promise for the prediction of adverse events in multiple orthopaedic and nonorthopaedic surgical conditions.

What Are the Functional Outcomes and Pain Scores after Medial Clavicle Fracture Treatment?

Background: Medial clavicle fractures are uncommon, occurring in older and multiply injured patients. The management of these fractures and the factors that predispose toward poor outcomes are controversial. Furthermore, the functional outcomes of treatment are not well characterized or correlated with fracture patterns.

Bisphosphonates and parathyroid hormone analogs for improving bone quality in spinal fusion: State of evidence.

Spinal fusion is among the most commonly performed surgical procedures for elderly patients with spinal disorders - including degenerative disc disease with spondylolisthesis, deformities, and trauma. With the large increase in the aging population and the prevalence of osteoporosis, the number of elderly osteoporotic patients needing spinal fusion has risen dramatically. Due to reduced bone quality, postoperative complications such as implant failures, fractures, post-junctional kyphosis, and pseudarthrosis are more commonly seen after spinal fusion in osteoporotic patients.

Surgical Treatment of Acute Periprosthetic Knee Infection with Concurrent Presumed COVID-19: A Case Report.

Case: We report the case of a 64-year-old man who presented with a late onset of acute periprosthetic joint infection after total knee arthroplasty and a positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 polymerase chain reaction test. We describe our perioperative protocol and challenges for ensuring the safety of healthcare providers while operating on a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-positive patient.

Conclusions: Given the incredible spread of COVID-19 globally, hospitals should anticipate perioperative protocols for the surgical management of COVID-19-positive patients with concurrent pathology to ensure safety to healthcare providers.

Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers for Robotic Nondestructive Inspection in Harsh Environments.

Elevated temperature, gamma radiation, and geometric constraints inside dry storage casks for spent nuclear fuel represent a harsh environment for nondestructive inspection of the cask and require that the inspection be conducted with a robotic system. Electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) using non-contact ultrasonic transduction based on the Lorentz force to excite/receive ultrasonic waves are suited for use in the robotic inspection. Periodic permanent magnet EMATs that actuate/receive shear horizontal guided waves are developed for application to robotic nondestructive inspection of stress corrosion cracks in the heat affected zone of welds in stainless steel dry storage canisters.

C2 Vertebral Fractures in the Medicare Population: Incidence, Outcomes, and Costs.

Background: Cervical 2 (C2) fractures in the elderly are common, and the incidence of these fractures has been increasing. Surgical and nonoperative treatments are associated with high complication and mortality rates, and these rates have not been evaluated at the population level, to our knowledge. The purpose of this study was to use the Medicare claims database to determine trends in treatment, surgical and nonoperative outcomes, and Medicare reimbursement for treatment of these fractures.