In-hospital postoperative radiographs for instrumented single-level degenerative spinal fusions: utility after intraoperative fluoroscopy.

Background Context: There is a paucity of literature examining the clinical yield of in-hospital postoperative radiographs for patients who have had instrumented single-level spinal fusions with intraoperative fluoroscopic guidance. Many spinal surgeons consider postoperative standing radiographs to be the appropriate standard of care, even in patients who have an uneventful postoperative course.

Purpose: To evaluate the additional clinical yield and cost-effectiveness of in-hospital postoperative standing radiographs for patients undergoing instrumented single-level cervical and lumbar fusions in which intraoperative fluoroscopy is used.

Rigid cervical collar treatment for geriatric type II odontoid fractures.

Purpose: To evaluate fracture healing, functional outcomes, complications, and mortality associated with rigid cervical collars.

Methods: Thirty-four patients with <50% odontoid displacement were treated with a rigid cervical collar for 12 weeks (Average age = 84 years). Outcome scores were compared with a group of 40 age-matched control subjects (Average age 79.