Oct 5–11, 2026 · 24 new studies, 10 reviews · Spine archive · All weeks
The new Spine research The Reduction sent the week of Oct 5–11, 2026, with the week’s most recent reviews, each with a one-line summary.
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Cervical disc arthroplasty matches ACDF outcomes for 1- and 2-level degenerative disease with durable motion, though the adjacent-segment benefit is modest and standardized failure reporting and revision algorithms are still needed.
In 661 long-fusion ASD patients, T4-L1PA showed only modest association with proximal junctional failure, L1PA overcorrection raised failure risk with upper thoracic fixation, and current targets seem unsuitable for short fusions.
Monosegmental percutaneous screw fixation of type B thoracolumbar fractures in ankylosed spines achieved fusion in 41 of 43 patients (95%) at 12 months with no hardware displacement.
Is facet joint tropism associated with spondylolysis and isthmic spondylolisthesis?
In 358 patients, spondylolysis with or without isthmic spondylolisthesis was linked to greater facet joint asymmetry and more tropism than controls, including at adjacent levels, suggesting a generalized anatomic trait.
Anterior Bone Loss After 2-Level Cervical Disc Arthroplasty With Baguera C Discs.
After 2-level Baguera C cervical disc arthroplasty, nearly all patients (over 95% of segments) developed anterior bone loss, with larger alignment and shell angles associated with severe grade 2 loss.
In 238 patients operated for spinal metastases, surgery concordant with the LORDS strategy was linked to shorter hospitalization and longer overall and local progression-free survival than non-concordant surgery, though prospective validation is needed.
In 38 patients after lumbar decompression for stenosis, pain and disability improved by 3 months, yet lifting biomechanics and muscle activation kept changing through 6 months, so patient-reported outcomes alone don't capture functional recovery.
After instrumented lumbar fusion, a polyester mesh tissue adhesive closure was associated with lower CRP and CRP-to-albumin ratio at postoperative days 3 and 7 versus conventional closure, with no difference in readmission or debridement; clinical significance is unclear.
A six-variable Tracheostomy Likelihood Score, driven mainly by admission AIS grade and intubation, accurately stratified tracheostomy risk after operative cervical spine trauma in a single-center internally validated cohort.
Screening lumbar stenosis patients with amyloid-linked conditions and thickened ligamentum flavum (>4.9 mm) found transthyretin amyloid in 20%, supporting tissue sampling during routine decompression for early detection; six who had cardiac workup were negative.
MRI vertebral bone quality scores depend heavily on ROI placement; calibrated posterior sampling (cPVBQ) was most reproducible and best discriminated fragility fractures (AUC 0.829), though validation in unselected populations is still needed.
In over 240,000 elective ACDF patients, treatment at high-markup hospitals was linked to slightly higher readmission, complication, and reoperation rates despite higher spending, challenging the idea that higher cost means better quality.
In 130 women with rotator cuff tears, proximal humeral cortical thickness on shoulder MRI predicted osteoporosis well (AUC about 0.96); a thickness under 4.5 mm should prompt DXA referral, pending external validation.
In 1,087 girls with mild AIS, baseline modified Lenke type improved prediction of later bracing, with 2-year risk at 20° Cobb ranging from 23% (type 1) to 56% (type 4).
In a propensity-matched cohort of long-segment adult deformity fusions, tri-cortical pedicle screws at the upper instrumented vertebra were linked to less radiographic PJK (8.2% vs 27.3%), mainly fewer Type 2 events.
In 91 adolescents after posterior spinal fusion for scoliosis, next-day discharge yielded 6-month patient-reported outcomes comparable to longer stays, with a clinically trivial satisfaction difference, supporting accelerated discharge pathways.
In pediatric athletes with low back pain, STIR-MRI found Baastrup's disease in 28%, more often in older athletes and those in basketball and speed skating, suggesting it is under-recognized.
Neoplasms of the Cervical Spine: Diagnostic Workup and Clinical Decision-making Algorithms.
This narrative review summarizes the diagnostic workup and decision-making frameworks for cervical spine tumors, emphasizing multimodal imaging, biopsy, and multidisciplinary tumor boards to individualize care.
In 210 SMA patients undergoing early onset scoliosis surgery, those previously on nusinersen were operated on younger and had larger curves and more kyphosis, suggesting a shifting surgical phenotype in the nusinersen era.
In a 267-surgeon international survey, ACDF remained the most-chosen option for 2-level cervical radiculopathy, with considerable variability favoring arthroplasty or hybrid constructs, which are rarely performed and few consider themselves expert in.
A scoliometer and smartphone inclinometer apps agreed strongly and correlated with Cobb angle, and a 7-degree reading was suggested as a referral threshold, supporting smartphones for school scoliosis screening in resource-poor settings.
In 164 C. acnes-positive spinal surgical-site culture episodes, treated cases more often showed polymicrobial growth, faster culture positivity, multiple positive specimens, and higher CRP, offering candidate criteria for defining low-grade spinal infection that need prospective validation.
In China's working-age population, spinal fracture cases and disability years from road injuries rose from 1990 to 2023 even as age-standardized rates declined, with males and pedestrians bearing the highest burden.
A pooled analysis of 14 studies found TLICS recommendations matched actual treatment in most low- and high-score thoracolumbar fractures, with variability mainly at TLICS 4 and uncertain ligamentous injury.
Advances in the study of macrophage polarization in intervertebral disc degeneration.
This review covers how the M1/M2 macrophage polarization imbalance drives intervertebral disc degeneration and surveys emerging drug, biomaterial, and combination therapies, noting microenvironment and delivery challenges that limit clinical translation.
This guideline outlines level-selection principles for adult thoracolumbar deformity fusion, using Lenke principles for scoliosis, end/stable vertebrae for kyphosis, and pelvic fixation for long constructs, L3-L5 osteotomies, osteoporosis, or L5-S1 disease.
Multirod Constructs in Spine Surgery.
Review of multirod constructs (three or more rods) in complex spine surgery, noting lower pseudarthrosis, rod fracture, and reoperation rates than dual-rod constructs and calling for standardized nomenclature.
Anesthesia and Pain Management for Scoliosis Surgery: A Narrative Review.
This narrative review concludes the best scoliosis surgery anesthetic that preserves neuromonitoring combines remifentanil/propofol TIVA with regional blockade, particularly erector spinae plane block, within a multimodal analgesia protocol.
An expert Delphi consensus identified 14 routinely collectable factors (health, medication use, pain intensity, psychosocial, imaging, injection type) as potential predictors of response to epidural steroid injection for disc-related sciatica.
Discontinuation of brace treatment in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS): a scoping review.
Scoping review of brace discontinuation in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: criteria and weaning protocols vary, and about 34% of patients progress more than 5 degrees after weaning, with larger curves at higher risk.
Trends and insights review. Nerve procedures in the management of upper limb spasticity.
This review summarizes nerve-oriented surgical options for the spastic upper limb, from rhizotomy to selective and hyperselective neurectomy, noting they treat spasticity only and often need added procedures for contractures and motor deficit.
Meta-analysis of 3,778 pediatric scoliosis patients found intraoperative SSEP changes highly specific (96.8%) but only moderately sensitive (72.9%) for new neurologic deficits, supporting monitoring use, with SSEP loss being 99.3% specific.
Use of Steroids in Spine Surgery.
Reviews steroid use in spine care: helpful for preventing dysphagia after ACDF and for radicular pain injections, but not beneficial for spinal cord injury or acute low back pain, with limited evidence in spinal metastasis.
Review of Prospective Trials for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy.
Review of prospective trials in degenerative cervical myelopathy: noncomparative studies show surgery is safe and effective, even for mild disease, while comparative trials are inconsistent and the optimal approach remains debated.
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