Spinal Fusion

SAN DIEGO — Results showed vertebral body tethering for treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis may have outcomes comparable to that of posterior spinal fusion.

Intelligent Implants Ltd. has announced FDA breakthrough device designation for its SmartFuse orthopedic implant technology, according to a press release.

Preoperative osteoporosis treatment lowered the risks of osteoporosis-related complications and revision surgery in patients undergoing spinal fusion of three levels or more at 1 year, according to published results.

Cannabis abuse among spine surgery patients was associated with complications, such as thromboembolism and sepsis, and may increase length of stay, hospital charges and unfavorable discharges, according to published results.

Published results showed patients who underwent spinal fusion had a significantly lower risk of long-term postoperative opioid use if their last opioid prescription was more than 2 months prior to surgery and less than a 14-day supply.

An 81-year-old man with significant medical comorbidities presented to the emergency room with neck and shoulder pain after a fall at a nursing home.

Use of bone morphogenetic protein in single-level lumbar fusion may have a higher risk profile than previously reported with non-significant benefits, according to results.

Scott D. Boden, MD, of Emory University School of Medicine, and Scott A. Rodeo, MD, of Hospital for Special Surgery, were among those named 2021 fellows of the Orthopaedic Research Society at the society’s annual meeting.

Despite greater operative complexity, inclusion of L5-S1 in oblique lumbar interbody fusion may be safe and feasible with no increase in early complications, according to published results.

Patients with abnormalities in trabecular and cortical microarchitecture may be at higher risk for complications at 6 months after spinal fusion surgery, according to published results.