Purpose of Review Substantial advancements have been made in the cause, diagnosis, imaging, and treatment options available for patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). We examined the current evidence and highlight the concepts on the frontline of discovery in LDH. Recent Findings There are a myriad of novel etiologies of LDH detailed in recent literature including inflammatory factors and infectious microbes. In the clinical setting, recent data focuses on improvements in computer tomography as a diagnostic tool and non-traditional injection options including tumor necrosis alpha inhibitors and platelet-rich plasma. Operative treatment outcomes have focused on minimally invasive endoscopic approaches and demonstrated robust 5-year post-operative outcomes. Summary Advances in the molecular etiology of LDH will continue to drive novel treatment options. The role of endoscopic treatment for LDH will continue to evolve. Further research into10-year outcomes will be necessary as this surgical approach continues to gain widespread popularity.

Hypoxic episodes are common after severe TBI, and most are independent of ICP elevations. Most episodes of hypoxia occur while cerebral perfusion pressure and mean arterial pressure are within the accepted target range. There is no clear association between PaCO2 and hemoglobin with BTpO2. The young age and high prevalence of traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage in this cohort may limit its generalizability. Increased frequency of hypoxic episodes is associated with poor functional outcome.

OBJECTIVEThe authors conducted a study to analyze associations between changes in depression/anxiety before and 12 months after spine surgery, as well as changes in scores using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) at the same time points.METHODSPreoperatively and 12 months postoperatively, the authors assessed PROMIS scores for depression, anxiety, pain, physical function, sleep disturbance, and satisfaction with participation in social roles among 206 patients undergoing spine surgery for deformity correction or degenerative disease. Patients were stratified according to preoperative/postoperative changes in depression and anxiety, which were categorized as persistent, improved, newly developed postoperatively, or absent. Multivariate regression was used to control for confounders and to compare changes in patient-reported outcomes (PROs).RESULTSFifty patients (24%) had preoperative depression, which improved in 26 (52%). Ninety-four patients (46%) had preoperative anxiety, which improved in 70 (74%). Household income was the only preoperative characteristic that differed significantly between patients whose depression persisted and those whose depression improved. Compared with the no-depression group, patients with persistent depression had less improvement in all 4 domains, and patients with postoperatively developed depression had less improvement in pain, physical function, and satisfaction with social roles. Compared with the group of patients with postoperatively improved depression, patients with persistent depression had less improvement in pain and physical function, and patients with postoperatively developed depression had less improvement in pain. Compared with patients with no anxiety, those with persistent anxiety had less improvement in physical function, sleep disturbance, and satisfaction with social roles, and patients with postoperatively developed anxiety had less improvement in pain, physical function, and satisfaction with social roles. Compared with patients with postoperatively improved anxiety, patients with persistent anxiety had less improvement in pain, physical function, and satisfaction with social roles, and those with postoperatively developed anxiety had less improvement in pain, physical function, and satisfaction with social roles. All reported differences were significant at p < 0.05.CONCLUSIONSMany spine surgery patients experienced postoperative improvements in depression/anxiety. Improvements in 12-month PROs were smaller among patients with persistent or postoperatively developed depression/anxiety compared with patients who had no depression or anxiety before or after surgery and those whose depression/anxiety improved after surgery. Postoperative changes in depression/anxiety may have a greater effect than preoperative depression/anxiety on changes in PROs after spine surgery. Addressing the mental health of spine surgery patients may improve postoperative PROs.■ CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE Type of question: causation; study design: prospective cohort study; evidence: class III.

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Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Objective: To evaluate the risks and benefits of crossing the cervicothoracic junction (CTJ) in cervical arthrodesis. Summary of Background Data: Whether the CTJ should be crossed in cervical arthrodesis remains up for debate. Keeping C7 as the distal end of the fusion risks adjacent segment disease (ASD) and can result in myelopathy or radiculopathy. Longer fusions are thought to increase operative risk and complexity but result in lower rates of ASD. Materials and Methods: Patients undergoing cervical spine fusion surgery ending at C7 or T1 with ≥1-year follow-up were included. To evaluate operative risk, estimated blood loss (EBL), operative time, and length of hospital stay were collected. To evaluate patient-reported outcomes (PROs), Neck Disability Index (NDI) and SF-12 questionnaires (PCS12 and MCS12) were obtained at follow-up. Revision surgery data were also obtained. Results: A total of 168 patients were included and divided into a C7 end-of-fusion cohort (NC7=59) and a T1 end-of-fusion cohort (NT1=109). Multivariate regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, race, surgical approach, and number of levels fused showed that EBL (P=0.12), operative time (P=0.07), and length of hospital stay (P=0.06) are not significantly different in the C7 and T1 end-of-fusion cohorts. Multivariate regression of PROs showed no significant difference in NDI (P=0.70), PCS12 (P=0.23), or MCS12 (P=0.15) between cohorts. Fisher analysis showed significantly higher revision rates in the C7 end-of-fusion cohort (7/59 for C7 vs. 2/109 for T1; odds ratio, 6.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.2–65.1; P=0.01). Conclusions: Crossing the CTJ in cervical arthrodesis does not increase operative risk as measured by blood loss, operative time, and length of hospital stay. However, it leads to lower revision rates, likely because of the avoidance of ASD, and comparable PROs. Thus, crossing the CTJ may help prevent ASD without negatively affecting operative risk or long-term PROs.

The present technique utilizing S2AI screws provides for successful pelvic fixation to aid in lumbosacral fusion, with no need for subcutaneous tissue dissection and improved outcomes compared with traditional iliac bolts.

There is no strong or consistent association between SL/IS and LBP in epidemiological studies of the general adult population that would support a hypothesis of causation. It is possible that SL/IS coexist with LBP, and observed effects of surgery and other treatment modalities are primarily due to benign natural history and nonspecific treatment effects. We conclude that traditional surgical practice for the adult general population, in which SL/IS is assumed to be the cause of non-radicular LBP whenever the two coexist, should be reconsidered in light of epidemiological data accumulated in recent decades.

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to determine the concurrent validity, discriminant ability, and responsiveness of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) in adult spinal deformity (ASD) and to calculate minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) for PROMIS scores.METHODSThe authors used data obtained in 186 surgical patients with ASD. Concurrent validity was determined through correlations between preoperative PROMIS scores and legacy measure scores. PROMIS discriminant ability between disease severity groups was determined using the preoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) value as the anchor. Responsiveness was determined through distribution- and anchor-based methods, using preoperative to postoperative changes in PROMIS scores. MCIDs were estimated on the basis of the responsiveness analysis.RESULTSThe authors found strong correlations between PROMIS Pain Interference and ODI and the Scoliosis Research Society 22-item questionnaire Pain component; PROMIS Physical Function and ODI; PROMIS Anxiety and Depression domains and the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey version 2, Physical and Mental Components, Scoliosis Research Society 22-item questionnaire Mental Health component (anxiety only), 9-Item Patient Health Questionnaire (anxiety only), and 7-Item Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire; PROMIS Fatigue and 9-Item Patient Health Questionnaire; and PROMIS Satisfaction with Participation in Social Roles (i.e., Social Satisfaction) and ODI. PROMIS discriminated between disease severity groups in all domains except between none/mild and moderate Anxiety, with mean differences ranging from 3.7 to 8.4 points. PROMIS showed strong responsiveness in Pain Interference; moderate responsiveness in Physical Function and Social Satisfaction; and low responsiveness in Anxiety, Depression, Fatigue, and Sleep Disturbance. Final PROMIS MCIDs were as follows: –6.3 for Anxiety, –4.4 for Depression, –4.6 for Fatigue, –5.0 for Pain Interference, 4.2 for Physical Function, 5.7 for Social Satisfaction, and –3.5 for Sleep Disturbance.CONCLUSIONSPROMIS is a valid assessment of patient health, can discriminate between disease severity levels, and shows responsiveness to changes after ASD surgery. The MCIDs provided herein may help clinicians interpret postoperative changes in PROMIS scores, taking into account the fact that they are pending external validation.