Summary of Key Points The upright sagittal posture in bipedal humans is a unique evolutionary development that has allowed humans to free up their hands, carry their young, exploit food sources, increase their cognitive function, and travel efficiently across great…
Summary of Key Points The history and physical examination are best used to assess the function of the spine and nervous system, complementing the anatomic information from spine imaging. The physical and neurological examinations should include the following: Assessment of…
Summary of Key Points The proximal and distal extents of long posterior fusions in adults with spinal deformity are considered “at risk” for failure because of increased loads and motion at the last instrumented vertebra and the unfused adjacent segment.…
Summary of Key Points Adjacent segment degeneration (ASDeg) refers to the development of asymptomatic degenerative changes on radiographic imaging adjacent to a fused spinal segment. Adjacent segment disease (ASD) describes the development of clinical symptoms associated with these radiographic changes.…
Summary of Key Points Adjacent segment pathology is an umbrella term for adjacent segment degeneration, which refers to radiographic evidence of degenerative changes, and for adjacent segment disease, which refers to clinically symptomatic degenerative changes. Fusion leads to altered and…
Summary of Key Points Postoperative deformity is an important complication of surgery involving the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. Postoperative deformity is a common and significant indication for revision spine surgery. Preoperative planning and intraoperative assessment of spinal alignment are…
Summary of Key Points The cervical spine is the most mobile region of the spine, leading to a propensity for instability in the setting of pathologies or iatrogenic destabilization during corrective surgeries. Disruption of key structures, including ligaments, vertebral bodies,…
Summary of Key Points Neuromuscular disorders are an important and common cause of spinal deformity in the child and in the adult. Recognition of a neuromuscular etiology of spinal deformity is important for understanding the natural history of the deformity,…
Summary of Key Points Neuromuscular scoliosis represents an amalgamation of diagnoses that affect the neuromuscular system, leading to scoliosis. Cerebral palsy represents the most common pathological entity comprising neuromuscular scoliosis. Patients with neuromuscular scoliosis have a higher risk of perioperative…
Summary of Key Points Spinal vascular malformations involve abnormalities of the arteries or veins that arise in the spinal column. These can occur in the intradural space, either in or around the spinal cord, or have abnormal arterial connections in…