Introduction and Entry Quiz

• Introduction and objectives of Diploma Course 2, 10’
• Entry quiz, 15’

Session 1: Cervical and lumbar: herniated discs, diagnostics and treatment of radicular pain

• Epidemiology and natural history of radicular pain, 10’
• Imaging of radicular pain, 15’
• Effective non surgical interventions for radicular pain, 15’
• Surgery for radicular pain in the lumbar spine, 20’
• Surgery for radicular pain in the cervical spine, 20’
• Discussion, 15’

Session 2: Cervical and thoracic myelopathy

• Imaging myelopathy: Techniques and prognostic indicators, 10’
• Presentation, causes, natural history cervical and thoracic myelopathy, 20’
• Workshop 1:What are the different options in anterior and posterior cervical surgeries?, 50’
  • Video support (OOT): Surgery for cervical stenosis: ACD – corpectomy and fusion
  • Case discussion
  • Hands-on

• Clinical and surgical decision making in thoracic myelopathy, 15’
• Clinical and surgical decision making in cervical myelophaty, 20’
• Discussion, 15’

Session 3: Lumbar spinal stenosis

• Spinal stenosis: Presentation, natural history, non-surgical treatment, 15’
• Imaging of spinal stenosis, 10’
• Surgical options in degenerative spondylolisthesis, single and multilevel stenosis, 20’
• The specific challenges of congenital stenosis and foraminal stenosis, 15’
• Discussion, 15’

Session 4: Spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis, dysraphic and vascular anomalies

• Spondylolysis, 10’
• Spondylolisthesis, the common and uncommon, 20’
• Dysraphic conditions and vascular anomalies of the spine, 20’
• Discussion, 15’

Session 5: Axial spine pain

• Case based discussion, 20’
• Obstacles to recovery (yellow flags), 15’
• Imaging in axial spinal pain, differentials and discography, 15’
• Non-surgical treatment of back pain, 10’
• Fusion surgery, 20’
• Workshop 2: Pros and Cons of LIS vs open surgery in posterior fusion, 50’
  • Video support (OOT): Surgery for degenerative lumbar disease: TLIF
  • Case discussion
  • Hands-on

• Motion preserving surgery, 20’
• Workshop 3: What is the role of non-fusion technology in degenerative lumbar spine?, 50’
  • Video support (OOT): Hybrid Stabilization with ALIF L5/S1 - TDR L4/L5
  • Case discussion
  • Hands-on

• Discussion, 10’

Session 6: The consequences of inflammatory disease of the spine and adult deformity 

• Case based discussion, 20’
• Diagnosis spondyloarthropathy and inflammatory disease, 15’
• Pathology and surgical approaches to the upper cervical spine, 25’
• Adult degenerative spinal deformity diagnosis and sagittal balance, 20’
• Treatment and challenges of adult deformity, 20’
• Discussion, 15’
• Exit quiz (and answers), 25’
• Evaluation of the course, 5’

END OF MODULE 2

Next: Module 3: Trauma, Tumors and Infections