October 2021 Issue of Neurosurgical Focus: “Ankylosing Spondylitis”

October 2021 Issue of Neurosurgical Focus: “Ankylosing Spondylitis” 

Charlottesville, VA (October 1, 2021). The October issue of Neurosurgical Focus (Vol. 51, No. 4 [https://thejns.org/focus/view/journals/neurosurg-focus/51/4/neurosurg-focus.51.issue-4.xml]) presents eight articles and two editorials on neurosurgical treatment of spinal ankylosing disorders: ankylosing spondylitis, disseminated hyperostosis of the spine, and end-stage spondylosis.

Topic Editors: Doniel Drazin, J. Patrick Johnson, Tiffany Perry, Michael Y. Wang, Jens R. Chapman, and Bernhard Meyer

From the topic editors, 

“Spinal ankylosing disorders represent a healthcare challenge. When these patients experience trauma, their injuries are often underestimated. They often experience prolonged inpatient hospitalizations with significant morbidity and mortality. We feel confident that the articles selected for this issue of Neurosurgical Focus will update and expand the knowledge of our readers and help them evaluate, treat, and counsel [ankylosing spondylitis] patients, including the risks unique to patients with ankylosing spondylitis.” 

Contents of the October issue:

• “Introduction. Ankylosing spondylitis” by Doniel Drazin et al.

• “Management of spine fractures in ankylosing spondylitis and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis: a challenge” by Maximilian Schwendner et al.

• “Editorial. Trauma in patients with spinal ankylosing disorders is often underestimated and frequently overlooked despite the high likelihood of complications” by Peter Grunert and Doniel Drazin

• “Rates of early complications and mortality in patients older than 80 years of age after surgical treatment of acute traumatic spinal fractures: ankylosing spondylitis versus osteoporosis” by Basem Ishak et al.

• “Epidural hematoma in patients with ankylosing spondylitis requiring surgical stabilization: a single-institution retrospective review with literature analysis” by George Hanna et al.

• “Single versus dual operative spine fractures in ankylosing spondylitis” by Alex Y. Lu et al.

• “Failure patterns and related risk factors of sagittal reconstruction following pedicle subtraction osteotomy in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and thoracolumbar kyphosis” by Shi-Zhou Zhao et al.

• “Percutaneous instrumentation with cement augmentation for traumatic hyperextension thoracic and lumbar fractures in ankylosing spondylitis: a single-institution experience” by Sokol Trungu et al.

• “The role of an anterior approach in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis–associated cervical fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis” by Vaidya Govindarajan et al.

• “Editorial. Is a meta-analysis of a few low-level publications helpful in guiding surgical strategies?” by Bernhard Meyer

• “Multilevel anterior cervical osteotomies with uncinatectomies to correct a fixed kyphotic deformity associated with ankylosing spondylitis: technical note and operative video” by Scott L. Zuckerman et al.

• “Letter to the Editor. Black women in neurosurgery: a proposal for increased recruitment” by Chidinma M. Wilson et al.

Please join us in reading this month’s issue of Neurosurgical Focus.

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Neurosurgical Focus, an online-only, monthly, peer-reviewed journal, covers a different neurosurgery-related topic in depth each month and is available free to all readers at http://www.thejns.org. Enhanced by color images and video clips, each issue constitutes a state-of-the-art "textbook chapter" in the field of neurosurgery. Neurosurgical Focus is one of six journals published by the JNS Publishing Group, the scholarly journal division of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Other peer-reviewed journals published by the JNS Publishing Group each month include Journal of Neurosurgery, Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, Neurosurgical Focus: Video, and Journal of Neurosurgery: Case Lessons. All six journals can be accessed at www.thejns.org.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 10,000 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All active members of the AANS are certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Neurosurgery) of Canada, or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, AC. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system including the brain, spinal column, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. For more information, visit www.AANS.org.