Transforaminal injection of steroids is effective only in a proportion of patients. Its superiority over other injections is obscured when group data are compared but emerges when categorical outcomes are calculated. Over time, the proportion of patients with maintained responses diminishes.

These results indicate that TFIS is more often successful in patients without significant compression of the nerve root and, therefore, in whom an inflammatory basis for radicular pain is most likely. In such patients, a success rate of 75% renders TFIS an attractive alternative to surgery. In patients with significant compression of the nerve root, the likelihood of benefiting from TFIS is low. The success rate may be no more than that of a placebo effect, and surgery may be a more appropriate consideration.

The results of this study support the role of endoscopic resection in the treatment of patients with colloid cysts as a safe and effective modality. In some cases, conversion to an open procedure may be required. Additional follow-up will be required to continue to address the duration of lesion-free survival.

No abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging should be routinely used in depicting ischemia, which is associated with a poor outcome. The high incidence of subclinical skeletal injuries stresses the importance of assessment of suspected cases of nonaccidental trauma with skeletal surveys and bone scans. Recurrence of subdural collection following burr hole drainage is common and is best treated with a subdural-peritoneal shunt.

MAPLIF and OPLIF both reduce leg and back pain and restore function to a similar extent. MAPLIF is as effective as OPLIF in reducing the slip in patients with spondylolisthesis of less than 50%. MAPLIF promotes faster recovery and shortens hospital stay.

Dynamic anterior cervical plating after anterior decompression and grafting provides comparable fusion rates to that reported following the use of rigid cervical plating. Immediate changes in cervical alignment towards lordosis are partially lost on follow-up. The loss of lordosis is related to the amount of graft settling.

No abstract