Summary of Key Points • Instability of the craniocervical junction can result in severe neurologic compromise. • Instability can result from trauma, tumors, rheumatoid arthritis, infection, congenital, or iatrogenic etiology….

Summary of Key Points • The lateral extracavitary approach (LECA) can be used for surgical treatment of spinal tumors, disc herniations, fractures, and infections, enabling access to both the ventral…

Summary of Key Points • Understanding the anatomy of the cervical spine and neck is of the utmost importance for the surgeon operating in this region. • The anatomy of…

Summary of Key Points • Spine surgery may destabilize the spine. In such cases, an attempt to stabilize the spinal column should be considered. • Complex spine surgeries due to…

Summary of Key Points • Surgical success depends primarily on the surgeon’s proficiency and experience, knowledge of the thoracic spine anatomy, operative techniques, spinal biomechanics, and adequate indications for surgery….

Summary of Key Points • The goals of most spine surgeries are to decompress the neural elements and restore spinal alignment and stability. • The mechanical properties of the material…

Summary of Key Points • There was a rapid increase in the biomechanical analysis and quantitative understanding of the anatomy of the spine and clinical issues related to its treatment…

Summary of Key Points • Components of the electrodiagnostic (EDX) examination include (1) nerve conduction studies, (2) needle electrode examination (or electromyogram), and (3) special studies (e.g., H reflexes, F…

Summary of Key Points • Patients with spine disease can present with a variety of symptoms and signs. These symptoms and signs may overlap with other, nonspine conditions. • The…