title: Introduction and methodology: guidelines for the surgical management of cervical degenerative disease.
abstract: In March 2006, the Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons compiled an expert group to perform an evidence-based review of the clinical literature on management of cervical degenerative spine disease. This process culminated in the formation of the Guidelines for the Surgical Management of Cervical Degenerative Disease. The purpose of the Guidelines was to address questions regarding the therapy, diagnosis, and prognosis of cervical degenerative disease using an evidence-based approach. Development of an evidence-based review and recommendations is a multitiered process. Typical guideline development consists of 5 processes: 1) collection and selection of the evidence; 2) assessment of the quality and strength of the evidence; 3) analysis of the evidentiary data; 4) formulation of recommendations; and 5) guideline validation. This manuscript details the methodology in compiling the Guidelines for the Surgical Management of Cervical Degenerative Disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurological Surgery, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, USA. matzpg@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Matz
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: Langston T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Holly
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Groff
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Heary
authors.forename: Praveen V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Mummaneni
authors.forename: Timothy C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Ryken
authors.forename: Tanvir F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Choudhri
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Vresilovic
authors.forename: Daniel K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Resnick
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000601:surgery; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*