Joshua Kurtz

University of California, Irvine | UCI · Department of Medicine

Introduction Spondylodiscitis (SD) is an infection of the intervertebral disc with involvement of the adjacent vertebral bodies. Diagnostic tests with CT-guided biopsy only provide a positive yield in 14%–48% of cases. Percutaneous endoscopic debridement and drainage (PEDD) has recently shown promise in the treatment of spondylodiscitis. Research...

Introduction: Previous literature has repeatedly demonstrated the effective use of antifibrinolytic agents such as tranexamic acid (TXA) for reducing blood loss during spine surgery. However, there is concern that high doses of TXA may increase the risk ofcomplications, such as thromboembolism or seizure. Materials and Methods: The purpose of thi...

One of the extant issues in the spine TXA literature is the heterogeneity of dosing protocols, which vary across the deformity16,19-22 and non-deformity experiences.15,23 In general, dosing regimens can be grossly parsed into low- and high-dose protocols,24 with standard or “low-dose” regimens comprising a loading dose (LD)  20 mg/kg and a mainten...

Introduction Previous literature has repeatedly demonstrated the effective use of antifibrinolytic agents such as tranexamic acid (TXA) for reducing blood loss during spine surgery. However, there is concern that high doses of TXA may increase the risk of complications, such as thromboembolism or seizure. The purpose of this retrospective case ser...

Introduction Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis is a form of encephalitis previously associated with dermoid tumors. However, most studies in the literature evaluating the disease are case reports and small patient cohorts, limiting robust statistical analysis. Here, we demonstrate predictors of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in...

Introduction: In 2003, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education implemented duty hour restrictions (DHR) for resident physicians in the United States. These work hour restrictions have invited considerable controversy, especially in the field of neurosurgery. Objective: Our objective was to perform a systematic review and meta-analy...

ntroduction In 2003, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education implemented duty hour restrictions (DHR) for resident physicians in the United States. These work hour restrictions have invited considerable controversy, especially in the field of neurosurgery. Objectives Our objective was to perform a systematic review and meta-analy...

Introduction: Previous literature has repeatedly demonstrated the effective use of antifibrinolytic agents such as tranexamic acid (TXA) for reducing blood loss during spine surgery. However, there is concern that high doses of TXA may increase the risk of complications, such as thromboembolism or seizure. Objective: The purpose of this retrospec...

Background/Aims: Although early therapeutic research on psychedelics dates back to the 1940's, this field of investigation was met with many cultural and legal challenges in the 1970's. Over the past two decades, clinical trials using psychedelics have resumed. Therefore, the goal of this study was to 1) better characterize the recent uptrend in ps...

Introduction and importance Degenerative lumbar scoliosis is a prominent cause of adult spinal deformity with an increasing prevalence as the population ages. This pathology is associated with debilitating symptoms, including radicular back pain and lower extremity claudication. Surgical realignment of the spine and restoration of sagittal imbalanc...

Introduction: Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis is a form of encephalitis previously associated with dermoid tumors. However, most studies in the literature evaluating the disease are case reports and small patient cohorts, limiting robust statistical analysis. Here, we demonstrate predictors of anti-NMDAR encephalitis i...

Background The costs of cervical spine surgery have steadily increased. We performed a 5-year propensity scoring-matched analysis of 276 patients undergoing anterior versus posterior cervical surgery at one institution. Methods We performed propensity score matching on financial data from 276 patients undergoing 1–3 level anterior versus posterior...

Background: The minimally conscious state (MCS) is a disorder of consciousness described in recent years for patients who have behavioral responses to stimuli that do not meet the classification of chronic vegetative state or coma. This distinction is valuable in clinical practice, as minimally conscious patients may require different treatments an...

Background Degenerative scoliosis of the lumbar spine is a prominent cause of adult spinal deformity with an increasing prevalence as the population ages. This pathology is associated with debilitating symptoms, including radicular back pain and lower extremity claudication. Surgical realignment of the spine and restoration of sagittal imbalance ca...

Introduction As with any surgical training program, neurosurgical residency involves long work hours. Work hour restrictions were largely undiscussed until the Libby Zion law was passed in 1989, laying the groundwork for the ultimate 80-hour-rule established by the ACGME in 2003. This study identifies trends in the 100 most-cited articles publishe...