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AANS/CNS Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves
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Tuesday, May 21, 2013


Save the Date: March 5 - 8, 2014

2014 Annual Meeting of the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves
Putting Patients First in an Era of Change: Solutions for the Future
Orlando, Florida
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort


2013 Annual Meeting CME Tracking

Thank you to all who attended the 2013 Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. Thanks to your participation, the meeting was a tremendous success.


2013 Abstracts

Please visit the Digital Poster Center to view abstracts in digital poster format.


Spine Section Position Statement

Electrophysiological Monitoring during Routine Spinal Surgery

Intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring during spinal surgery may assist in diagnosing neurological injury. However, there is no evidence that such monitoring either (1) reduces the incidence of neurological injury or (2) mitigates the severity of it. Intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring should be performed if the diagnostic information gained is of value, particularly in high risk cases such as deformity, gross instability, navigation through or around peripheral nerves, or intramedullary procedures. The routine use of intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring is neither warranted nor recommended.

Read a the complete postition statement here.

Feature spine neurosurgery video of the week:
See all videos here

Contralateral C7 Transfer Video 2


NEW 2013 Guidelines for the Management of Acute Cervical Spine and Spinal Cord Injuries

Winter 2013 Newsletter - [PDF Version]

Fall 2012 Newsletter - [PDF Version]

Read a thoughtful critique to the Deyo JAMA article .
This article has identified a potential trend towards the application of more complex fusion procedures to Medicare patients who are treated with fusion as an adjunct to decompressive procedures for lumbar stenosis. However, without a clear understanding of patient selection criteria, outcomes achieved, and risk stratification, over-interpretation of such data is potentially misleading and dangerous.

2013 AANS Coding Courses

Neurosurgery Board Review iPhone application

Congressional Budget Office Confirms Medical Liability Reform Will Save Billions.
Nation's Neurosurgeons Urge Congress to Heed CBO's Landmark Findings and Include Proven Reforms in Healthcare Overhaul Legislation. Oct 9, 2009

Neurosurgeons Applaud President Obama's Call for an End to Defensive Medicine.
America's Neurosurgeons Agree that Medical Liability Reform is a Critical Element in the Larger Healthcare Reform Debate. Sep 9, 2009

Hypothermia and Human Spinal Cord Injury: Position Statement and Evidence Based Recommendations

AANS/CNS Medicare participation options for neurosurgeons

Click here for the Spine Section Educational Program Survey

AANS/CNS Joint Section of the Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves - The First 25 Years, A Video History (login required)

Chaim's Topic of the Week: Review past topics

Position Statement

Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS)

Thoracic spinal surgery and peripheral nerve surgery, including sympathectomy, are traditional and integral components of neurosurgical training and practice. Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) of the spine is a minimally invasive technique performed by neurosurgeons for conditions traditionally treated by neurosurgery. These conditions include thoracic sympathectomy for hyperhydrosis, upper extremity complex regional pain syndromes, and thoracic spinal surgery for thoracic disc herniation, spinal tumor, spinal instability, and scoliotic deformity.

Neurosurgeons currently in training receive experience in VATS during residency and are examined for competency in the procedure and its indications by the American Board of Neurological Surgery. Neurosurgical residency programs provide opportunity for training in minimally invasive neurosurgical techniques, including VATS for sympathectomy and spinal disorders.

Washington State Approves Coverage for Lumbar and Cervical Artificial Discs - Oct 17, 2008

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons Applaud the SPORT Study Results which Support the Benefit of Surgery in Treating Patients with Symptomatic Herniated Lumbar Discs - Nov 29, 2006

The American Board of Neurological Surgery Establishes Requirements for Maintenance of Certification - Nov 28, 2006

The AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves Announces the Release of the Lumbar Fusion Guidelines - An Evidenced-Based Approach to Lumbar Fusion - Nov 27, 2006

Purpose of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves Section

Nov 26, 2006

To foster the use of spinal neurosurgical methods for the treatment of diseases of the spinal neural elements, the spine and peripheral nerves. To advance spinal neurosurgery and related sciences, to improve patient care, to support meaningful basic and clinical research, to provide leadership in undergraduate and graduate continuing education, and to promote administrative facilities necessary to achieve these goals.

Founders: The Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves was founded at the suggestion of Albert L. Rhoton, MD in 1978 to Charles Drake, MD, President of the AANS in 1978. Also instrumental were Stewart B. Dunsker, MD and Russell Travis, MD.

Officers

ChairpersonMichael Groff, MD
Chairperson-ElectJohn Hurlbert, MD
Immediate Past ChairpersonJoe Cheng, MD
SecretaryPraveen Mummaneni,MD
TreasurerCharlie Kuntz, MD
Members at LargePat Jacob, MD, Matt McGirt, MD
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