Meeting Highlights from the 31st Annual Meeting of the North American Spine Society
The 31st Annual Meeting of the North American Spine Society (NASS) was held October 26-29, 2016 in Boston, MA. The meeting was attended by over 3,500 spine specialists—orthopaedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, radiologists, researchers, and physical medicine experts. This year’s robust program offered 800 presentations and more than 1,000 scientific abstracts.
F. Todd Wetzel, MD was named NASS President for 2016-2017. Dr. Wetzel identified many important goals to improve spine care—such as expansion of NASS’s international reach, advocacy efforts, and leadership role in ethical issues. Winners of the society’s prestigious 2016 Recognition Awards were presented for outstanding contributions within the spine field.
- Keith H. Bridwell, MD—2016 Leon Wiltse Award
- Makarand V. Risbud, PhD—2016 Henry Farfan Award
- James B. Reynolds, MD—2016 David Selby Award
- Charles A. Mick, MD—2016 Spine Advocacy Award
Meeting Highlights
What Is the Rate of Lumbar Fusion Following Single-Level Discectomy?
Presented by Jeffrey C. Wang, MD
Patient Satisfaction Following Spine Surgery is Not Associated with Greater Opioid Use
Presented by W. Ryan Spiker, MD
Comparing Surgical Costs for Adult Spinal Deformity: Posterior-Only Versus Combination Anterior-Posterior
Presented by Jeffrey L. Gum, MD
Allogenic Blood Transfusions and Survival Following Surgery for Spinal Metastases
Presented by Nuno Rui Pereira, MD
What’s a More Cost Effective Treatment for Cervical Radiculopathy: Epidural Injections or Surgery?
Presented by Jeffrey A. Rihn, MD
How Do Patients Choose a Spine Surgeon?
Presented by Kern Singh, MD
What Biopsychosocial Factors Increase Back Pain Risk?
Presented by Bart Green, DC, MS, PhD
Impact of Preoperative Fibrinogen Testing on Blood Loss in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery
Presented by Eeric Truumees, MD
Ossification Shape May Predict Outcomes of Laminoplasty in the Treatment of Cervical Myelopathy
Presented by Lindsay Tetreault, PhD
Spinal Cord Stimulation’s Place in the Pain Treatment Continuum and Advancements in Technology
Presented by Steven M. Falowski, MD
Integrating Spinal Cord Stimulation into Surgical Practice
Presented by F. Todd Wetzel, MD
Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain: What Conditions and Which Patients?
Presented by Michael B. Furman, MS, MD
Is Lumbar Disc Replacement a Valuable Treatment for Degenerative Disc Disease?
Presented by Richard Guyer, MD
MIS for the Spine Improves Deformity with Fewer Intraoperative Complications and Lower Costs
Presented by Khoi Than, MD
Adding Value to the Conservative Management of Degenerative Disc
Presented by Donald R. Murphy, DC, FRCC
Do Spinal Injections in the Treatment of Degenerative Disc Disease offer Value?
Presented by Matthew J. Smith, MD, EMHL
