Commentary on “Are Lumbar Fusion Guidelines Followed? A Survey of North American Spine Surgeons”

摘要

I read the article titled “Are Lumbar Fusion Guidelines Followed? A survey of North American Spine Surgeons” with great interest, as these guidelines are extremely popular on an international basis. As a Past-President of the North American Spine Society, this article gives me a personal window into the effect of the guidelines on the clinical practice of spine surgeons in North America. I recall that as a member of the North America Spine Society (NASS) Board of Directors, and as President, I was constantly being asked to review the guidelines, give feedback, approve ideas, and ultimately approve the guidelines. In reading this article, I now get a sense of the effect that these guidelines have on the clinical practice of spinal surgeons.