Spinal Disorders: Fundamentals of Diagnosis and Treatment

Spinal disorders are among the most common medical conditions with significant impact on health related quality of life, use of health care resources and socio-economic costs. The increasing age of the population will require an increased need for the treatment of degenerative spinal disorders particularly spinal stenosis. Basic knowledge on the state-of-the-art in diagnosis and treatment of spinal disorders is required not only for spine specialists but also for general orthopedic surgeons, rheumatologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, chiropractors, physiotherapists, basic scientists and health care executives to choose and/or evaluate appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

This book is an easily readable teaching tool focusing on fundamentals and basic principles. It provides a homogeneous syllabus with a consistent didactic strategy teaching fundamentals and general principles. The chosen didactic concept highlights and repeats core messages throughout the chapters. This modern, up-to-date and easy to read textbook on spinal disorders with its appealing layout will inspire and stimulate the reader for the study of spinal disorders.

Table of contents
History of Spinal Disorders.- Basic Science: Biomechanics of the Spine.- Spinal Instrumentation.- Age-Related Changes of the Spine.- Pathways of Spinal Pain.- Epidemiology and Risk Factors of Spinal Disorders.- Predictors of Surgical Outcome.- Patient Assessment: History and Physical Examination.- Imaging Studies.- Spinal Injections.- Neurological Assessment in Spinal Disorders.- Neurophysiological Investigations.- Surgical Approaches.- Peri- and Postoperative Management: Preoperative Assessment.- Intraoperative Anaestesia Management.- Postoperative Care and Pain Management.- Degenerative Disorders: Degenerative Disorders of the Cervical Spine.- Disc Herniation and Radiculopathy.- Lumbar Spinal Stenosis.- Degenerative Lumbar Spondylosis.- Non-specific Low Back Pain.- Postoperative Rehabilitation.- Spinal Deformities and Malformations: Idiopathic Scoliosis.- Neuromuscular Scoliosis.- Congenital Scoliosis.- Degenerative Scoliosis.- Spondylolisthesis.- Juvenile Kyphosis (Scheuermann's Disease).- Malformations of the Spinal Cord.- Fractures: Cervical Spine Injuries.- Thoracolumbar Spinal Injuries.- Osteoporotic Spine Fractures.- Tumor and Inflammation: Primary Tumors of the Spine.- Spinal Metastasis.- Intradural Tumors.- Infections of the Spine.- Rheumatoid Arthritis.- Ankylosing Spondylitis.- Treatment of Postoperative Complications.- Outcome Questionnaires and Tools in Spinal Surgery.