Cervical Sagittal Imbalance after Cervical Laminoplasty in Elderly Patients.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of age on sagittal cervical alignment after cervical laminoplasty procedure so as to identify the group with the greatest degree of variation. Study Setting. Single-center retrospective chart review in a tertiary referral hospital. Outcome Measures. The sagittal vertical axis (SVA) (C2-7), T1 slope, and cervical lordosis. METHODS: We included patients who underwent cervical laminoplasty between 2014 and 2018 and divided 60 consecutive patients into two groups using the cut-off age of 65 years. The Paired t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare changes between preoperative radiographic cervical sagittal parameters and those 1 year after surgery. RESULTS: Mean patient ages in the older and younger groups were 71 years and 52 years, respectively. The difference of C2-7 SVA was greater in the older group. CONCLUSION: Postoperative cervical balance can be worse when laminoplasty is performed in elderly patients.

Patient's Preference on Neurosurgeon's Attire and Appearance: A Single Center Study in Korea Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to assess neurosurgery patients' preference for surgeon's attire and appearance in the hospital. METHODS: A total of 100 patients were investigated using a questionnaire comprising 13 questions. We first asked patients about neurosurgeon's appearance including accessories, hair color, mustache, and beard. Then, based on their preferences, they were asked to rank a series of photographs which illustrated a variety of neurosurgeon attires worn by a doctor. RESULTS: Professional attire with white coat was the most ideal for patients compared to any other attire (preference scale 5.28 ± 1.24), and there was a significant preference gap between wearing a white coat and not wearing a white coat (p <0.01). Patients expressed a preference for neurosurgeon's shoes (30%) but the majority of the respondents answered that it does not matter which shoes their neurosurgeon wears (43%). Furthermore, the patients did not have any preferences regarding accessories, dyeing, and mustache or beard (58%, 67%, and 51%, respectively), and they did not have negative view towards doctor wearing accessories (71.7%) and growing mustache or beard (71.6%). CONCLUSION: The patients in this study preferred professional attire along with a white coat compared to any other form of outfit. This result is similar to those of many other studies conducted in other departments or other countries. However, patients did not have a strong negative view on accessories, dyeing, and facial hair. With regard to medical training, patients did not show a preference for their neurosurgeon's educational background.