Contents

 Commentary  

n MESSAGE FROM THE MEDICAL EDITOR
Welcome to the World of Seattle: Wired, Webbed and --- as Porky Pig would Say--- "Woadblocked"   
Stuart M. Weinstein, MD

n FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
Which Direction are We Headed 
Joel M. Press, MD

 Current Concepts

n INVITED REVIEW
Biologic Therapies for Disc Degeneration 
Colin Nelson

n CURVE/COUNTERCURVE
Medical or Surgical Treatment for Type II Odontoid Fracture? 
Julie E. York, MD; John C. France, MD; Jeffrey C. Wang, MD

n LITERATURE REVIEW
New from the Journals 
Paul E. Kaplan, MD; Paul M. Arnold, MD, FACS; Robert J. Gatchel, PhD

n ABSTRACT REVIEW
NASS Annual Meeting Abstracts 
Michael Schaufele, MD; Scott Boden, MD

 Socioeconomics & Politics  

n CODING Q & A
Coding XLIF 
NASS Operative Coding Committee, William Mitchell, MD, Chair

n ETHICAL/LEGAL
A Conflict of Roles: Expert Witness or Treating Physician? 
Howard Morgan, MD, MA, FACS

n ADVOCACY/LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS/PAC
Medical Liability Reform: Alternatives to Caps 
Jeffrey J. Wise, MD

 NASS News