Anterior Thoracolumbar Instrumentation
Spinal stability is classically defined by White and Punjabi as the ability of the spine under physiologic loads to limit patters on displacement so that neither the spinal cord nor…
C1 Lateral Mass Fixation
Techniques for achieving atlantoaxial fusion include posterior interspinous fusion with sublaminar cables and iliac crest bone graft ( ▶ Fig. 7.1), C1–2 transarticular screw fixation, and interlaminar clamp fixation. Although…
Posterior Cervical Wiring Techniques
Before the popularity of lateral mass screws, posterior wiring techniques were the mainstay for posterior cervical spinal fixation. Initially, wiring was accomplished with monofilament stainless steel wire. Cable systems were…
Lumboperitoneal Shunting
Introduction and Patient Selection Lumboperitoneal (LP) shunting allows for extracranial management of hydrocephalus, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula, pseudomeningocele, and pseudotumor cerebri, thereby eliminating intracranial complications. LP shunts are also used…
Surgical Considerations for the Management of Lumbar Degenerative Disease with Multiplanar Deformity
Lumbar degenerative disease is a progressive process of disk and joint deterioration. As this pathology continues, it can lead to deformity of the lumbar spine. As a result of the…
Subcutaneous Transposition of the Ulnar Nerve
Ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow is the second most frequently encountered nerve entrapment in neurosurgical practice. Neurosurgeons should be familiar with the anatomy of the ulnar nerve at the…
Anterior Cervical Corpectomy
Surgical intervention is generally reserved for patients who have intractable pain or progressive neurologic symptoms in the presence of documented compression of the cervical cord, nerve roots, or both. Pain…
Cervical Laminectomy and Fusion
Cervical laminectomy and fusion constitute a procedure used in patients with clinical symptoms and radiographic evidence of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM), which is a condition caused by repetitive dynamic injury…
Anterior Odontoid Screw Instrumentation
Odontoid process fractures are common injuries resulting from a combination of hyperextension and axial rotation. Anderson and D’Alonzo type II fractures are the most common type of injury and occur…
Trapdoor Exposure of the Cervicothoracic Junction
A myriad of pathology may affect the lower cervical and upper thoracic spine, including both primary and metastatic tumors, as well as trauma blunt force and penetrating trauma. The standard…
