News and Research for Spine Professionals

Global Recruitment Trends for Advanced Practice Providers in Spine Care

Nicola Hawkinson, DNP, RNFA, RN talked with SpineUniverse about trends in health care employment affecting spine practices today.

Opioids for Chronic Pain: Putting Evidence Into Perspective

Excessive concerns over opioid abuse and safety may cause reluctance among physicians to prescribe these agents for chronic pain, or prescribe even small amounts for severe acute pain.

USC Launches Online Pain Medicine Programs

USC offers a Master of Science in Pain Medicine and a Certificate in Pain Medicine. Both online programs provide clinicians a comprehensive body of knowledge on pain and enable them to better treat pain in their patients.

Benefits of Walking Sticks in Patients with Adult Degenerative Scoliosis

This study evaluated spatiotemporal relationships and kinematics of the lower extremities and spine during gait with walking sticks compared with a walker in 20 patients with scoliosis.

Bundled Payments in Spine Surgery: Lessons Learned

While a majority of stakeholder groups are embracing the concept of bundles, physicians are not equally sold on the idea.

Expandable Technology in Minimally Invasive TLIF

Findings from a prospective longitudinal study involving 25 patients who underwent MIS TLIF with an in situ expandable interbody device.

Factors Affecting Medicare Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) Reimbursement for Minimally Invasive Deformity Spine Surgery

The study investigates the effect of Medicare DRG on reimbursement based on length of stay and medical comorbidity in MIS deformity surgery.

Depression Rates After Spine Surgery

Results from a large study evaluating risk for post-operative depression after spinal surgery suggest that psychosocial effects of major surgery on patients cannot be overstated.

Preoperative Depression Is a Factor in Postoperative Improvement for Lumbar Spine Surgery

Findings come from a retrospective study of 919 surgical patients who were followed for at least 6 months after surgery.

Is Chiropractic Care Safe and Effective for Older Adults?

The updated recommendations include data from recently published randomized-controlled trials that provide additional support for the safety of spinal manipulative therapy in older adults.

Can Opioids Still Be Prescribed Effectively and Safely in the Era of Federal Scrutiny?

A summary of "Opioid Use in an Era of Federal Scrutiny," presented by Carl W. Stopper, APN-C, during Spine Summit 2017.

Patient Risk for Recurrent Herniation and Readmission by Annular Defect Size

Study results indicate intra-operative identification of annular defect size may allow spine surgeons to risk-stratify patients for recurrent disc herniation.

Stepwise, Standardized Staged Protocol for Surgical Correction of Adult Spinal Deformity Improves Functional Outcomes

Results of a new stepwise, standardized approach to circumferential minimally invasive surgery (CMIS) for the correction of adult spinal deformity.

ISASS17 Spine Surgery Program Meeting Highlights

Meeting highlights from the 17th Annual Conference of the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS17).

Facilitating Greater Osseointegration Properties with a Deeply Porous Titanium Scaffold on PEEK

In the search to reduce fixation-related complications and infections associated with current interbody fusion cages, investigators have pursued various methods for integrating a titanium surface onto PEEK to promote osseointegration.