Enhanced recovery protocol reduces opioid use in spinal surgery patients

A novel enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol developed by Penn Medicine (Philadelphia, USA) for patients undergoing spinal and peripheral nerve surgery significantly reduced opioid use. A new study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine showed that when an ERAS protocol was employed—which optimises patients’ surgical care before, during, and after surgery—fewer patients needed pain medications one month after surgery.

Editors-in-chief of major journals claim medical misinformation puts “lives at stake”

The editors-in-chief of major cardiovascular journals—of both US and European societies—have come together to “sound the alarm” about the dangers of medical misinformation that has been disseminated through the internet, social media, and other platforms. They claim that this misinformation is dangerous because it leads to patients’ refusing medication, such as statins, that have documented life-saving benefits.

VR and simulation: The secret to better medical education and safer surgery?

Daniel Spencer is a business manager at Charlton Morris, an executive search firm specialising in orthopaedics, spine and simulation. He argues that while adoption of virtual reality and simulation represents a “leap of faith” for hospitals, the technology has enormous potential for medical training and pre-surgical planning.

US commercial launch and first use of Mazor X Stealth

The first US patients have been treated with the Mazor X Stealth Edition (Medtronic) for spine surgery following its commercial launch. The system, which offers a solution for planning and workflow, was first used at Norton Healthcare in Louisville, USA, and Reston Hospital Center in Reston, USA. 

Expanded insurance coverage for cervical artificial disc

The Secure-C cervical artificial disc (Globus Medical) is now covered by Anthem, one of the largest health benefits companies in the United States. The device, designed for reconstruction and motion preservation at the operated disc level, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2012.

New implants for StabiLink Interlaminar System

Three new StabiLink Dual Lamina Implants (Southern Spine) have been released. The StabiLink Dual Lamina constructs have been used as an adjunct to long segment, pedicle screw deformity constructs to help prevent proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) and proximal junctional failure (PJF).

26–28 March

2nd Combined Meeting with NASS, SOSSOP, APSS, OASAC-SAARC and POS

Lahore, Pakistan

3–5 April

International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS) 19th Annual Conference

Anaheim, USA

3–5 April

British Association of Spine Surgeons (BASS)

Brighton, UK