- Impact of GLP-1 Dose Intensity on Perioperative and Long-Term Fusion Outcomes Following ACDF. [Journal Article]Spine J. 2026 Sep 07. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- CONCLUSIONS: High-dose GLP-1 RA therapy was not associated with increased short-term healthcare utilization, postoperative complications, opioid exposure, or long-term fusion-related risk after ACDF compared with standard-dose therapy. These findings provide reassurance that higher-dose GLP-1 regimens do not appear to confer excess perioperative or fusion-related risk in this population.
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- Return to Sport and Functional Outcomes Following Spine Surgery in Hockey Players: A Scoping Review. [Review]Spine J. 2026 Sep 04. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- This scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines to synthesize available literature evaluating return-to-sport rates, timing of return, functional recovery, performance outcomes, and career durability following spine surgery in ice hockey players. Ice hockey is a high-velocity collision sport associated with substantial axial loading, repetitive flexion-extension, and rotati…
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- Risk Factors for Cervical Hematoma Requiring Surgical Evacuation After Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion and Cervical Disc Replacement: A Retrospective Analysis of 6,084 Cases. [Journal Article]Spine J. 2026 Sep 04. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- CONCLUSIONS: Cervical hematoma after ACDF/CDR occurred in 0.41% of cases and was independently predicted by male sex and ≥4 surgical levels. ENT approach did not affect risk after matching. Penrose drains were associated with higher hematoma rates than closed-suction or no drain. These findings inform perioperative risk stratification and surgical decision-making.
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- Evaluation of 2D and 3D Measurements of Cervical Sarcopenia and Outcomes in Patients with Acute Type II Odontoid Fractures: A Single-Institution Retrospective Cohort Analysis. [Journal Article]Spine J. 2026 Sep 03. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia and cSMV both seem to carry valuable prognostic information regarding success of non-operative management of T2OF, encoding information about patient frailty and functional status beyond age and comorbidity burden. This warrants further exploration in larger multi-center cohorts.
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- Erector Spinae Plane Block in Lumbar Spine Surgery: Dual Network Meta-Analysis of Comparative Effectiveness and Delivery Modality. [Review]Spine J. 2026 Sep 03. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- CONCLUSIONS: ESPB is an effective opioid-sparing adjunct after lumbar spine surgery and appears superior to sham and wound infiltration for several outcomes, while apparent advantages of mTLIP require cautious interpretation; ultrasound- and fluoroscopy-guided ESPB demonstrate comparable analgesic performance, supporting modality choice based on local expertise and resources.
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- MRI-defined erector spinae fatty infiltration predicts progression of sagittal spinal malalignment: a population-based longitudinal cohort study. [Journal Article]Spine J. 2026 Sep 02. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- CONCLUSIONS: MRI-defined fatty infiltration of the erector spinae was independently associated with sagittal malalignment progression in the general population. Increased pelvic tilt and lower baseline SVA may reflect a compensated state prone to subsequent decompensation. These findings highlight the importance of early identification of latent sagittal imbalance and suggest that paraspinal muscle quality may serve as a target for preventive strategies in ASD.
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- Longitudinal Trends in U.S. Medicare Physician Reimbursement for Common Lumbar Spine Surgery CPT Codes: A Systematic Review. [Review]Spine J. 2026 Sep 02. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- CONCLUSIONS: Medicare physician reimbursement for lumbar spine surgery has fallen at roughly 2% per year, with cumulative losses approaching one-third, even as surgical volumes have continued to rise. The growing gap between rising volume and falling payment may threaten practice sustainability, workforce participation, and access to lumbar spine procedures for Medicare beneficiaries.
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- 3D-Printed Guides, Navigation, and Robotic Assistance in Spinal Instrumentation: A Network Meta-Analysis of Pedicle Screw Accuracy and Clinical Outcomes. [Review]Spine J. 2026 Sep 02. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- CONCLUSIONS: 3DPG demonstrated the lowest breach rates, lowest blood loss, shortest operative time and least radiation exposure compared to the other advanced guidance technologies. However, because this review synthesizes data from studies with variable designs, populations, and reporting methods, direct head-to-head comparisons between newer technologies remain limited. Given their lower per-unit cost, ease of implementation, and lack of reliance on capital-intensive equipment, 3DPG may represent a particularly accessible and cost-effective option, especially for smaller centres . Nevertheless, formal cost-comparison studies among these technologies are warranted.
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- Beyond Recovery: Long-Term Multidomain Disability and the Satisfaction Paradox in Cauda Equina Syndrome. [Journal Article]Spine J. 2026 Sep 01. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- CONCLUSIONS: Long-term outcomes after CES are characterised by persistent multidomain disability rather than isolated deficits. Most patients experience residual impairment across multiple functional domains, yet many still report symptomatic improvement, satisfaction, and willingness to undergo surgery again, highlighting a satisfaction-deficit paradox. Persistent bladder dysfunction appears to be a key driver of long-term outcome. These findings support a shift from single-domain endpoints toward multidimensional outcome assessment, comprehensive long-term follow-up, and more realistic patient counselling.
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- Unsupervised Identification of Population Clusters With Distinct Low Back Pain Profiles. [Journal Article]Spine J. 2026 Sep 01. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- CONCLUSIONS: Unsupervised learning identified distinct subgroups within the population with heterogeneous LBP patterns. These findings contribute to a stratified understanding of population-level patterns of low back pain, highlighting the relevance of psychosocial and metabolic factors.
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- Epidemiology and Mechanisms of Cervical Spine Injuries Caused by Non-Traditional Vehicles in the United States: An Analysis of National Emergency Department Data. [Journal Article]Spine J. 2026 Sep 01. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- CONCLUSIONS: Non-traditional vehicles were associated with a substantial estimated burden of cervical spine injuries treated in United States emergency departments, particularly among adolescent and young adult males. ATVs and dirt bikes accounted for the largest shares of the weighted national estimate, and non-contact mechanisms predominated across demographic groups. These findings identify opportunities for targeted injury-prevention and safety interventions.
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- Analysis of Commercially Negotiated Hospital Prices for Spinal Deformity Surgery in the United States. [Journal Article]Spine J. 2026 Sep 01. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- CONCLUSIONS: Hospital system size, labor costs, market concentration, and community context were associated with substantial variation in negotiated prices for surgical spinal deformity treatment.
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- Familial risks of hospital treated spinal stenosis in first-, second-, and third-degree relatives: A nationwide family study. [Journal Article]Spine J. 2026 Sep 01. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- CONCLUSIONS: Heredity is associated with higher risk of hospital treated SS in the Swedish population.
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- Evolution of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Clinical Practice: Comparative Performance of OpenEvidence 2.0 and ChatGPT-4o. [Journal Article]Spine J. 2026 Aug 31. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- CONCLUSIONS: OE demonstrated superior CSCG concordance and substantially lower susceptibility to hallucinations than ChatGPT. Nonetheless, physician oversight remains essential for safe AI integration into clinical practice.
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- Large Language Models vs. NASS Common Coding Scenarios: An Analysis of Accuracy and Financial Implications using 2026 CPT AMA Codebook Guidelines. [Journal Article]Spine J. 2026 Aug 31. [Online ahead of print]SJ
- CONCLUSIONS: While no statistically significant difference in overall accuracy was detected between models, qualitative deficits remain severe in handling complex fusion hierarchies. This study evaluates baseline performance under isolated zero-shot conditions; the tendency of Claude and ChatGPT to create unbundled billable codes presents a severe audit risk, while Gemini demonstrated a lower mean financial variance. Currently, LLMs should function only as adjunctive tools requiring strict human supervision.
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