Vascular and Soft Tissue Complications
Summary of Key Points • Soft tissue and vascular complications related to spine surgery are usually predictable and vary depending on the region being operated on. • Cervical spine surgery–related…
Intraoperative Imaging of the Spine
Summary of Key Points • Spine surgery is highly dependent on intraoperative imaging for both localization and assessment purposes. • Plain film radiography and fluoroscopy are the most common imaging…
Neurologic Complications of Common Spine Operations
Summary of Key Points • A surgical complication can result in a return for a subsequent operation, longer hospital stay after the initial operation, or an additional need for subsequent…
Explant Analysis of Wear, Degradation, and Fatigue in Motion Preserving Spinal Implants
Summary of Key Points • Wear and wear-related inflammatory reaction is likely to be the cause of the long-term failure of total disc replacements. • Tribology is the science examining…
Art and Science of Guideline Formation
Summary of Key Points • Clinical practice guidelines have become an integral part of the practice of medicine. They are here to stay and will continue to inform clinical practice….
Practice Management, Economics, and Conflicts of Interest from an Organized Neurosurgery Perspective
Summary of Key Points • A number of practice settings exist for spine surgeons to consider with different advantages and disadvantages. • Legislative mandates alter a spine surgeon’s day-to-day operations…
Postoperative Imaging
Summary of Key Points • Imaging is often used to diagnose postoperative problems or to verify that the goal of surgery has been achieved (tumor resection, proper implant placement, establishment…
Occult Spinal Dysraphism and the Tethered Spinal Cord
Summary of Key Points • Spinal dysraphisms encompass a variety of pathophysiologic abnormalities. Although most will present with neurologic sequelae, some may not. Prompt neurosurgical evaluation is necessary to treat…
Postoperative Medical Complications
Summary of Key Points • Medical complications following spine surgery span the entire spectrum of organ systems. High clinical suspicion, early recognition, and timely treatment are key to minimizing these…
