Symposia

Minimally Invasive Lateral Access to the Lumbar Spine—John C. Liu, MD
Minimally invasive lateral access to the lumbar spine has gained tremendous popularity. The ability to reach the anterior lumbar spine to perform interbody fusions has allowed surgeons to treat patient with a variety of spine disease including degenerative disc disease, pseudoarthrosis, adjacent level degeneration, spine deformity. This session covers the history, indications, surgical anatomy and techniques for safely navigating through this minimal access to the lateral spine.

Neurological Complications Associated with Spinal Interventions: Patterns of Injury, Anatomy, and Avoidance—Way Yin, MD
The incidence of serious neurological complications associated with spinal interventions has increased dramatically over the last decade, likely associated with the popularity of injections for the diagnosis and treatment of spine pain. Most complications remain sub judice. Accordingly, reported incidences and patterns of injury may be underestimated in the scientific literature. Several patterns of severe neurological injury can now be discerned, and may be categorized into injuries associated with direct trauma to the spinal cord and secondary vascular events.

Ask the Professors: Interesting and Complex Spine Cases— James D. Kang, MD and panel of professors
This symposium presents interesting and instructive cases and the moderator will ask the panel of experts for their opinions on the management of these patients. Four or five illustrative cases will be presented. Lively discussion on preoperative evaluation, radiological work-up, conservative therapy options, surgical treatment options and techniques, as well as postoperative concerns will be thoroughly addressed. Audience participation will also be encouraged.

Cervical Deformity—Paul Santiago, MD
Deformities of the cervical spine can lead to significant functional and neurological impairment in the adult patient. Deformity of the cervical spine can arise from congenital, traumatic, inflammatory, infectious and inflammatory causes. Often these deformities do not come to surgical attention until they are quite advanced. This symposium covers the natural history, work-up, surgical techniques and outcomes of deformities of the cervical spine, with an emphasis on the use of osteotomy techniques for the correction of sagittal plane deformities of the cervical spine and cervicothoracic junction.

Adult Spinal Deformity—Yukihiro Matsuyama, MD, PhD
This symposium will address the natural history, clinical symptoms as well as the classification of adult scoliosis based on surgical treatment.

Kyphotic Deformity with Compression Fracture—Mamoru Kawakami, MD, PhD
Different treatments for kyphotic deformity with compression fracture will be discussed in this symposium.

Earthquake and Healthcare—Shinichi Kikuchi, MD, PhD
Dr. Kikuchi gives a firsthand account of the disaster and how the Japanese are moving forward to overcome the earthquake and tsunami.

Credits
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essentials and Standards of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). The North American Spine Society is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians and takes responsibility for the content, quality and scientific integrity of this CME activity.

NASS designates this live activity for a maximum of 20.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The American Medical Association has determined that physicians not licensed in the U.S. to participate in this CME activity are eligible for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.