International and Multicenter Prospective Controlled Study of Dysphagia After Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery.

Background: In the context of anterior approach to the cervical spine, dysphagia is a common complication and still without a clear distinction of risk factors.

Objective: To analyze the risk factors of dysphagia after cervical spine surgery.

Methods: Multicenter prospective study evaluated patients who underwent anterior cervical spine surgery for degenerative pathologies, studying surgical, anesthesia, base disease, and radiological variables (preoperatively, 24 hours, 1 and 3 weeks, and 6 months after surgery), with control group matched.

Analysis of scientific output by spine surgeons from Japan: January 2000 to December 2013.

Background: Over the last decade, the growing body of work on spine pathology has led to developments and refinements in the areas of basic science, diagnosis and treatment of a variety of spine conditions. Scientific publications have a global impact on the international scientific community as they share vital information that can be applied by physicians worldwide to solve their everyday medical problems. The historical background of scientific publication in journals in Japan on the subject of spine is unclear.

Economic value of treating lumbar disc herniation in Brazil.

Object: Lumbar discectomy is one of the most common surgical spine procedures. In order to understand the value of this surgical care, it is important to understand the costs to the health care system and patient for good results. The objective of this study was to evaluate for the first time the cost-effectiveness of spine surgery in Latin America for lumbar discectomy in terms of cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained for patients in Brazil.