September/October 2002

Contents

 Commentary  

n MESSAGE FROM THE MEDICAL EDITOR

A Tribute to Stan Herring 
Stuart M. Weinstein, MD

n FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT

The Year in Review 
Stanley A. Herring, MD

 Current Concepts 

n INVITED REVIEW
Effects of Cigarette Smoking on the Spine: A Focused Review 
Paul J. Slosar, MD; Richard B. Perkins, MD; Derek Snook, MD

n CURVE/COUNTERCURVE

The Smoking Patient---To Fuse or Not to Fuse 
David F. Fardon, MD; Thomas E. Whitesides, Jr, MD

n SPECIAL FEATURE

Everyone Has a Responsibility for Patient Safety, Part II:
The Provider's Role 
David A. Wong, MD, FRSC(C);

n LITERATURE REVIEW
New from the Journals 
John M. Beiner, MD; Jonathan N. Grauer, MD;  Alexander Vaccaro, MD; Kenneth P. Burres, MD 

n ABSTRACT REVIEW
NASS Annual Meeting Abstracts 
Susan Dreyer, MD; Scott Boden, MD

n RADIOLOGY ROUNDS

Recurrent Disc Herniation and Gadolinium: Identify the Position of the Nerve Root and Increase Your Diagnostic Accuracy   
Kenneth B. Heithoff, MD

 Socioeconomics & Politics 

n ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY

Micromachines: Smart Systems for the 21st Century 
Stephen Hochshuler, MD

n PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986. What Is It? Why Was It Established? Is It Working? 
Roland F. Chalifoux, Jr, DO, PC

n CODING Q & A

n ETHICAL/LEGAL

AMA Ethical guidelines on Gifts to Physicians from Industry 
Edward C. Benzel, MD

n ADVOCACY/LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS/PAC

Get Ready 
Tom Faciszewski, MD 

 NASS News  

Develop Your Own Named Fund in the SRF