The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society
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C2 pedicle screws provide stable fixation for posterior cervical fusion. Placing C2 pedicle screws is fraught with risks, and a misplaced screw can result in cortical breach of the pedicle, resulting in injury to the vertebral artery or spinal cord. ⋯ It is possible to determine an ideal trajectory through the C2 pedicle. These measurements may facilitate C2 pedicle screw fixation decreasing the risk of injury to the vertebral artery, spinal cord, or nerve roots. Delineating the individual anatomy in each case with imaging before surgery is recommended.
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Surgeon-industry conflict of interest (COI) has become a source of considerable interest. Professional medical societies, industry, and policy makers have attempted to regulate potential COI without consideration for public opinion. ⋯ Despite the known potential negative impact of surgeon-industry COI on patient care, this study revealed that this does not seem to be reflected in the opinion of the general public. The respondents felt that disclosure is deemed one of the most important means of self-regulation and COI management, which is in agreement with current trends of most spine societies and journals that are increasing the stringency of disclosure policies.