Current and Future Management of Degenerative Spine Diseases

The majority of spinal surgery performed is for the treatment of degenerative spine diseases. The history of surgical treatment for degenerative spine diseases began after Mixter and Barr reported the surgical removal of cervical and lumbar herniated discs in 1934. Since then, many forms of degenerative spine diseases, such as cervical and lumbar disk herniation, cervical and lumbar spinal canal stenosis, and degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis, have been studied and treated. There have been many new surgical techniques and operative procedures reported in the literature, which can be confusing. New techniques usu-ally build on ideas that have been previously attempted. This review of the history of surgical treatment for degenerative spine diseases may help readers understand the basis of our current clinical practice.