Highlights:
- Percutaneous vertebroplasty does not result in statistically significant greater pain relief than a sham procedure, according to the most recent results of the VERTOS IV trial
- Surgeons’ procedural choices have strong influence on risk of distal junctional kyphosis
- Chronic opioids linked to increased complications after spinal fusion surgery
- Bruce Dall argues that patients are suffering as a result of international spine societies neglecting education on the sacroiliac joint
- Martin Underwood claims spinal surgery is an inappropriate intervention in the treatment of non-specific low back pain
- Case report: a complex adolescent idiopathic scoliosis case, and the influence of the NSpine Winter Masterclass
- Profile: Raja Rampersaud
Dr. Kirkaldy- Willis wrote about two sources of pain co-existing in the same patient. It is important to explain this to our patient. Vertebroplasty will not eliminate pain arising from a torn sacroiliac joint and the PROMs needs to differentiate between axial pain and buttock pain so that the report is accurate. All patients, and many surgeons, want only one problem to deal with. Dr. Dall is right, the SIJ is frequently overlooked because it was not taught in residency or fellowship. The fractured vertebra is easy to diagnose on simple imaging, whereas the SIJ needs to be injected by an expert.