Contents

 Commentary  

n MESSAGE FROM THE MEDICAL EDITOR

Battle 2004: Medical Liability Reform 
Stuart M. Weinstein, MD

n FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT

Carrying Themes to the 2003 Annual Meeting: Patient Safety & Advocacy
David A. Wong, MD, MSc, FRSC(C)

Response to Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
William Sukovich, MD

Response to Flat Back Syndrome
George M. Weisz, MD, FRACS

 Current Concepts 

n INVITED REVIEW
Epidural Spinal Injections: Past, Present and Future 
Yung Chen, MD; Richard Derby, MD; Byung-Jo Kim, MD, PhD; Sang-Heon Lee, MD; PhD

n CURVE/COUNTERCURVE

Cervical Spine Clearance in the Obtunded Trauma Patient 
Ronald W. Lindsey, MD; Zbigniew Gugala, MD, PhD; Jens R. Chapman, MD; Deborah J. Webb; Sohail K. Mirza, MD; Stuart M. Weinstein, MD

n SPECIAL FEATURE

The Role of Human Error in Medical Errors 
David A. Wong, MD, FRSC(C); Stanley A. Herring, MD

n LITERATURE REVIEW
New from the Journals 
Kenneth P. Burres, MD; Robert J. Gatchel, PhD; Brian Kwon, MD, FRCSC; Jonathan N. Grauer, MD; John M. Beiner, MD; Alexander Vaccaro, MD

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

n RADIOLOGY ROUNDS

Case Report: Early Cauda Equina Syndrome from Disc Herniation 
Mark A. Beckner, MD; Donald L. Renfrew, MD; Kenneth B. Heithoff, MD

 Socioeconomics & Politics 

n PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
Managed Care Negotiating 
Stephen P. Montgomery, MD

n CODING Q & A

n ETHICAL/LEGAL

Use of Off-Label Products: Current Law 
Eric J. Muehlbauer, CAE; Marjorie Eskay-Auerbach, MD, JD

n ADVOCACY/LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS/PAC

Fix the Formula 
Tom Faciszewski, MD 

 NASS News