When to Refer to Surgery: Common Spine Problems from a Neurosurgical Perspective

Outcomes

As a result of participating in this activity, learners will be better able to:

• Assess patients for surgical needs
  
• Make informed referrals
• Educate patients about the referral process

Outline

• Spinal Anatomy
• Spinal Imaging
• Common Spinal Pathologies
• Common Surgical Procedures

What are the indications for surgical intervention? What are the principles for appropriate patient selection, and clinical referral? Dr. Parag Patil reviews these principles through case examples and expands upon common spinal pathologies and achievable outcomes from modern neurosurgical interventions. 

Accreditation & Designation

Release date: This activity was released 8/19/2022.

Termination date: The content of this activity remains eligible for CME Credit until 8/18/2025, unless reviewed or amended prior to this date.

Claiming Credit: Watch the entire presentation and complete the Improvement Plan/Evaluation

Neurovations Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Neurovations Education designates this other activity (blended learning) for a maximum of 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

California Required CME on Pain Management and the Appropriate Treatment of the Terminally Ill
AB487 requires physicians licensed in California to complete a one-time CME activity for 12 hours of credits that addresses both pain management and the appropriate care and treatment of the terminally ill. This activity contributes to achievement of requirements with AB487.

Disclosure of Financial Relationships & Measures to Resolve of Conflicts of Interest

[Presenter] Parag Patil discloses the following financial relationships within the past 24 months: Consulting: NeuroOne

No other person with control of, or responsibility for, the planning, delivery, or evaluation of accredited continuing education has, or has had within the past 24 months, financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated. Materials were reviewed in advance of the activity by person(s) that do not have conflicts of interest related to the content. In some cases, content may have been modified as part of the review and mitigation process. All clinical recommendations are evidence-based and free of commercial bias (e.g., peer-reviewed literature, adhering to evidence-based practice guidelines).

Additional Reading

• Jayakumar, N., Kennion, O., Villabona, A. R., Paranathala, M., & Holliman, D. (2020). Neurosurgical referral patterns during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: a United Kingdom experience. World neurosurgery, 144, e414-e420.
• Findlay, J. M., & Deis, N. (2010). Appropriateness of lumbar spine referrals to a neurosurgical service. Canadian journal of neurological sciences, 37(6), 843-848.
• Kindrachuk, D. R., & Fourney, D. R. (2014). Spine surgery referrals redirected through a multidisciplinary care pathway: effects of nonsurgeon triage including MRI utilization: Presented at the 2013 Joint Spine Section Meeting. Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, 20(1), 87-92.
• Turk, D. C., & Rudy, T. E. (1990). Neglected factors in chronic pain treatment outcome studies—referral patterns, failure to enter treatment, and attrition. Pain, 43(1), 7-25.