Washington, DC — The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), joined other leading national spine organizations in calling for an immediate end to clinically unfounded insurance denials of essential medical implants used in common cervical fusion procedures.

Washington, DC — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) appointed ten new members to the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services, including Ricardo A. Hanel, MD, PhD, a nationally recognized neurosurgeon who serves as Director of the Baptist Neurological Institute, Co-Director of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Surgery, and Endowed Chair of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Surgery at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, Florida.

Cervical spinal arthrodesis is a well-established surgical procedure used to treat degenerative cervical spondylotic myelopathy, radiculopathy, spinal instability, deformity, trauma, infection, and neoplastic conditions affecting the cervical spine. The goal is to achieve solid fusion between vertebral bodies following neural decompression and restoration of appropriate sagittal alignment.

It is estimated that approximately 1% of the global pediatric population, or 11 million children and adolescents worldwide, suffer from epilepsy.