- Supine ALIF versus Lateral-Decubitus OLIF for Degenerative Lumbar Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Comparative Studies. [Journal Article]Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2026 Oct 15. [Online ahead of print]S
- CONCLUSIONS: OLIF appears to offer a modest advantage over ALIF, with shorter hospitalization, comparable complications and patient-reported outcomes, and greater SVA correction. These perioperative benefits could potentially be meaningful in patients with higher comorbidity burden and appeared preserved in fusions involving the sacrum. The SVA correction may reflect advantages of single-position lateral surgery for restoring global alignment.
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- Letter to the Editor Regarding "Proposal of a Cervical Sagittal Classification System to Guide Surgical Treatment for Adult Cervical Deformity: A MEANS Cohort Analysis". [Letter]Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2026 Oct 14. [Online ahead of print]S
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- Surgical and Radiographic Outcomes in Cervical Deformity Patients with High T1 Slope and High C2 Slope (HTHC) Versus Low T1 Slope and High C2 Slope (LTHC): Distinct Phenotypes of Cervical-Only versus Global Spinal Deformity. [Journal Article]Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2026 Oct 14. [Online ahead of print]S
- CONCLUSIONS: Among CD patients with elevated C2S, additional elevated T1S identifies a global-deformity phenotype requiring more invasive correction and showing smaller 2-year patient-reported improvement despite comparable complications. T1S and C2S, measurable on cervical imaging alone, screen for which CD patients warrant full-spine imaging.
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- Complications and Instrumentation Failure After Total En Bloc Spondylectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. [Journal Article]Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2026 Oct 12. [Online ahead of print]S
- CONCLUSIONS: Roughly one in six patients sustains IF after TES, and recorded failure accumulates with longer observation rather than concentrating early. Postoperative radiographic surveillance should extend to at least five years, and a shared complication taxonomy is needed for cross-institutional comparison.
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- Development of a Multivariable Prognostic Model for Risk Stratification in C1 Fractures. [Journal Article]Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2026 Oct 12. [Online ahead of print]S
- CONCLUSIONS: Instability in C1 fractures was significantly associated with several factors including increasing lateral mass displacement, dens fracture, and neurologic deficit. These parameters outperformed legacy assessment tools based on radiographic measurement. Our prognostic utility demonstrated improved predictive performance and may assist clinicians in risk stratification and treatment decision-making.
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- Does T4-L1PA Mismatch Still Matter After Lower Thoracic Fusion for Adult Spinal Deformity? Two-Year Mechanical Failure and Why the Target Is Missed. [Journal Article]Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2026 Oct 09. [Online ahead of print]S
- CONCLUSIONS: A residual positive T4-L1PA mismatch after lower thoracic fusion was associated with PJK and revision surgery, but not with rod fracture. A hyperlordotic distribution of lordosis, rather than the magnitude of correction, was associated with this residual mismatch.
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- Unmeasured Biomechanical Confounding and Dichotomization Fallacies in Erector Spinae Degeneration. [Journal Article]Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2026 Oct 09. [Online ahead of print]S
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- Comment on "Decompression and Dynamic Sagittal Tether Stabilization for Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: Primary Outcomes of a Multicenter FDA IDE Trial". [Journal Article]Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2026 Oct 09. [Online ahead of print]S
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- Early Ambulation Accelerates Time to First Bowel Movement After Separation Surgery for Spinal Tumors. [Journal Article]Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2026 Oct 12. [Online ahead of print]S
- CONCLUSIONS: Early postoperative ambulation was associated with faster bowel recovery after spinal tumor separation surgery, supporting its incorporation into postoperative rehabilitation strategies. Postoperative opioid management may require balancing adequate analgesia to facilitate mobilization against potential adverse effects on bowel recovery.
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- Integrity of artificial intelligence and machine learning evidence in spine surgery: a critical appraisal of systematic reviews. [Journal Article]J Neurosurg Spine. 2026 Oct 09; :1-11. [Online ahead of print]JN
- CONCLUSIONS: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of AI and ML in spine surgery demonstrate a high prevalence of spin (86.5%), most often overstating conclusions, selectively reporting outcomes, and making inappropriate generalizations. Spin was significantly associated with lower journal impact factors and weaker methodological quality, raising important concerns regarding the reliability and clinical interpretability of the existing evidence base. These findings highlight the need for greater transparency, adherence to reporting standards, and methodological rigor to ensure accurate communication of AI and ML applications. Addressing these biases is critical for reliable evidence synthesis and informed clinical decision-making in spine surgery.
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- Hypermobile cervical disc arthroplasty: clinical and radiological outcomes at minimum 2-year follow-up. [Journal Article]J Neurosurg Spine. 2026 Oct 09; :1-9. [Online ahead of print]JN
- CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative segmental hypermobility following CDA did not compromise clinical outcomes or increase complication rates. The safety profile of hypermobile segments was comparable with that of discs with normal mobility, with no instances of device failure or dislodgement. These findings support the safety and efficacy of CDA regardless of postoperative ROM, suggesting that values above the typical range do not adversely affect outcomes. These results contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting the effectiveness and safety of CDA across a wide spectrum of postoperative segmental ROMs.
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- Long-term dysphagia after multilevel anterior decompressive surgery for cervical myelopathy: findings from the phase III CSM-Protect trial. [Journal Article]J Neurosurg Spine. 2026 Oct 09; :1-6. [Online ahead of print]JN
- CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of primarily multilevel anterior cervical surgical procedures, postoperative dysphagia peaked early but remained common at 1 year. Baseline dysphagia, C5-level involvement, and shorter symptom duration were key predictors of long-term dysphagia.
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- Diagnostic selective nerve root block in degenerative lumbar spine radiculopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. [Journal Article]J Neurosurg Spine. 2026 Oct 09; :1-14. [Online ahead of print]JN
- CONCLUSIONS: This is the first meta-analysis to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and certainty of evidence for SNRB. The diagnostic utility depends highly on the pretest probability of a favorable surgical outcome. Clinicians should interpret SNRB findings within the context of clinical and imaging findings.
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- Outcomes after MI-TLIF without bone morphogenetic protein: a retrospective study. [Journal Article]J Neurosurg Spine. 2026 Oct 09; :1-9. [Online ahead of print]JN
- CONCLUSIONS: MI-TLIF without BMP demonstrates high fusion rates, durable clinical improvement, and low reoperation rates, supporting its use as a safe and cost-effective alternative to BMP-augmented fusion. Larger prospective studies are warranted to validate long-term durability and refine patient selection.
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- Association of neighborhood deprivation with pain, function, and disability recovery trajectories following cervical spine surgery. [Journal Article]J Neurosurg Spine. 2026 Oct 09; :1-13. [Online ahead of print]JN
- CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of deprivation according to the ADI were associated with worse preoperative disease severity and worse quality of life and function during early recovery, but with improvements at later time points. Patients with greater socioeconomic deprivation can derive significant benefit from surgical intervention for degenerative cervical spine conditions.
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