Summary of Key Points • Lumbar and thoracic spondylosis is a progressive age- and usage-related disorder. • In degenerative spondylosis, the generation of pain may be due to facet hypertrophy,…

Summary of Key Points • A growing number of patients with spinal metastasis are living longer due to better systemic therapies. • The management of patients with spinal metastasis requires…

Summary of Key Points • The majority of operative interventions on the spine in rheumatoid arthritis patients occur at the C1-2 level due to pannus formation or instability. • Current…

Summary of Key Points • Metastatic disease is by far the most prevalent form of spinal neoplasia. • Primary tumors of the spine are far more rare. • Management of…

Summary of Key Points • In the cervical spine, the vertebral arteries must be carefully assessed for tumor involvement and to determine whether they can be sacrificed. • T2-12 thoracic…

Summary of Key Points • Less invasive techniques have been well refined for the performance of lumbar discectomy. • Options include transforaminal and extraforaminal approaches to the disc; visualization may…

Summary of Key Points • Intramedullary lesions of the spinal cord encompass a wide range of histopathology. The majority of these lesions are benign and amenable to surgical resection. •…

Summary of Key Points • Histopathologic diagnosis is critical to understanding the natural history, aggressiveness, and likelihood of the tumor to respond to chemotherapy, radiation, or other adjuvant treatments. •…

Summary of Key Points • Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), mostly found in males in their mid-50s, occurs in up to 25% of North Americans with cervical myelopathy;…

Summary of Key Points • Studies have substantiated the existence of discogenic back pain associated with discrete annular tears and diffuse annular degeneration. Discogenic back pain is clinically characterized by…