Continuing Education for Global Neurosurgery Graduates: Visiting Surgeons, Skills Teaching, Bootcamps, and Twinning Programs.

Neurosurgeons require post-graduate training to deliver safe, effective, and evidence-based care; to continually improve and adapt their methods through assessing the effect of their care and patient outcomes; and to train the future neurosurgeons of tomorrow to surpass current standards of care. We describe methods used by global collaborations to address these training needs on a worldwide scale, their risks, and their perceived benefits.

Utilizing an ultrasound guided 5-in-1 trigger point and hydrodissection technique for interscapular mid-thoracic myofascial pain: A retrospective review.

Poor posture can lead to excessive strain of the neck and upper back musculature, leading to irritation of the dorsal scapular nerve (DSN) and spinal accessory nerve (SAN). A 5-in-1 trigger point technique has been described that specifically target trapezius, rhomboids, levator scapulae, SAN and DSN in a single percutaneous injection. We modified the technique to include hydrodissecting the DSN and SAN to provide further pain relief from possible nerve entrapments.

Reducing Postoperative Length of Stay for Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients using Quality Improvement Methodology.

Unlabelled: Approximately 1%-3% of the US population is diagnosed with scoliosis. In addition, 80% of those diagnosed have idiopathic scoliosis, with about 10% requiring surgical intervention. This Quality Improvement initiative aimed to reduce the length of stay (LOS) after posterior spinal fusion for these patients.

Long-term safety of spinal cord stimulation systems in a prospective, global registry of patients with chronic pain.

The availability of long-term (>2 years) safety outcomes of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) remains limited. We evaluated safety in a global SCS registry for chronic pain. Participants were prospectively enrolled globally at 79 implanting centers and followed out to 3 years after device implantation.

Dexamethasone Effectively Reduces the Incidence of Post-neurotomy Neuropathic Pain: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.

Background: Radiofrequency neurotomy (RFN) of facet or sacroiliac joints is widely used for the treatment of chronic axial pain and can provide long-term pain relief in well-selected patients. The most common side effect is transient neuropathic pain at the paravertebral level of interest. Pain physicians commonly administer corticosteroid post-neurotomy to reduce the risk of post-neurotomy neuropathic pain, yet it remains unclear if this provides a true reduction in incidence.

Cannabis Use and Low-Back Pain: A Systematic Review.

The potential use of cannabis and cannabinoid products for the treatment of low-back pain is an important area for investigation. As one of the leading reasons to visit a primary care provider, low-back pain results in a significant burden of disease in both the United States' economic and health care systems. Given the current opioid epidemic, it is important to seek novel analgesics and understand their efficacy for myriad pain conditions, including low-back pain.

Telemedicine During COVID-19 and Beyond: A Practical Guide and Best Practices Multidisciplinary Approach for the Orthopedic and Neurologic Pain Physical Examination.

Background: The COVID pandemic has impacted almost every aspect of human interaction, causing global changes in financial, health care, and social environments for the foreseeable future. More than 1.3 million of the 4 million cases of COVID-19 confirmed globally as of May 2020 have been identified in the United States, testing the capacity and resilience of our hospitals and health care workers.

Advanced Progression of Scoliosis After Intrathecal Baclofen in an Adult With Stiff Person Syndrome: A Case Report.

Stiff person syndrome is a neuroimmunological disorder characterized by progressive muscular rigidity and spasms that affect axial/limb muscles, resulting in severe pain and functional limitations. When refractory to conservative treatments, intrathecal baclofen is a viable option to treat the increased tone. Intrathecal baclofen has been shown to accelerate underlying neuromuscular scoliosis in the pediatric population with cerebral palsy.

Running with Femoral Acetabular Impingement: Operative Vs Nonoperative Treatment.

A 31-year-old female lawyer presents with right hip pain starting approximately 3 years ago and worsening over the past 2 to 3 months. She is an avid runner, running 20 to 30 miles weekly, and noticed that her pain started after a running program training for the marathon. Her pain is primarily over the lateral aspect of her hip with some radiation into the groin.

Soft Tissue: A Possible Source of Pain Pre and Post Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.

Study Design: Case studies.

Objectives: To demonstrate that muscle generated pain (MGP) may be a cause of pain in patients who have undergone minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS).

Methods: A physical examination including electrical stimulation of putative pain generating muscles to identify the presence of lowered thresholds for depolarization of muscle nociceptors, and an examination of strength and flexibility of key muscles in the upper and lower body, may identify multiple etiologies of MGP.

CT-Guided Block and Radiofrequency Ablation of the C2 Dorsal Root Ganglion for Cervicogenic Headache.

The purpose of this report is to describe the technical aspects of CT-guided C2 dorsal root ganglion diagnostic block and radiofrequency ablation for refractory cervicogenic headache. CT guidance allows precise and safe positioning of a needle adjacent to the C2 dorsal root ganglion. At-risk neural and vascular structures can be avoided with CT, and it can provide a thorough understanding of upper cervical neuroanatomy.

The Impact of Local Steroid Administration on the Incidence of Neuritis following Lumbar Facet Radiofrequency Neurotomy.

Background: Pain arising from the lumbar facet joints is a common cause of axial back pain in adults. Radiofrequency neurotomy (RFN) of the medial branches of the spinal dorsal rami has been used as a treatment option. The most common side effect is transient, localized, burning, neuritic-type pain, termed post-neurotomy neuritis (PNN).

MR Neurography of the Lumbosacral Plexus for Lower Extremity Radiculopathy: Frequency of Findings, Characteristics of Abnormal Intraneural Signal, and Correlation with Electromyography.

Background And Purpose: MR neurography enables high resolution imaging of peripheral nerves. Our aim was to evaluate the utility of MR neurography in lumbosacral radiculopathy and correlate abnormal intraneural signal with history, physical examination, and abnormal electrodiagnostic study findings.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective review of lumbosacral MR neurography examinations performed from December 2014 through January 2017 on a 3T scanner was undertaken.