My Dear Colleagues,

We are happy to reach the third issue of 2014. Firstly, I wish that the summer of 2014 brings happiness, health and peace to all my colleagues and their families.

In this issue there are six research papers. The first study is an experimental study in which a model was developed for atlas fractures with the finite element method, and the second study claims that the computational measurement of sagittal balance in the lumbosacral joint is more compatible and reliable. The third, fourth and fifth studies are anatomorphometric studies, all of which were prepared by the same group. Those studies include a minimum of 100 patients whose intervertebral distance (disc space) and thoracolumbar area pedicle diameters were measured, and those values were compared in terms of the vertebral level, gender, and age group. The sixth and last study analyzes the results for patients with lumbar disc hernia who received percutaneous endoscopic discectomy. I think that all those studies will greatly interest our readers.

There are also two case presentations in this issue. The first one is a case who had serious pain due to Paget’s disease and developed local kyphosis. In the second, a case of multi-level hemangiomatosis that developed neurological deficit, and the treatment, are presented.

There are two comprehensive reviews in this issue. The first is a detailed review analyzing “Chordoma” clinics and treatments chronologically. The last review discusses “Intraspinal Deformations in Early Onset Scoliosis”.

In the “Frontiers in Spinal Surgery” section in this issue, we discuss Prof. Dr. Yusuf Erşahin, who passed away at an early age in his most productive period, and who was a faculty member of Ege University Brain and Neurosurgery Department. Yusuf Erşahin, one of the international names in neurosurgery in Turkey, was a pioneering scientist who made national and international contributions to pediatric spinal surgery. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Zileli and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tuncer Turhan, who studied with him, prepared the article. We commemorate him with mercy, and wish patience to his mournful family and to the entire neurosurgery and Turkish spinal surgery family.

The “Marmara Spinal Group Meetings”, which include Istanbul and neighboring cities and are conducted to increase interest in spinal surgery, particularly for assistants and new specialists, and to contribute to training and to transfer the experiences of experienced colleagues, and are organized regularly each month by the regulatory board, will be continued. Prof. Dr. Cüneyt Şar will perform the headship this year, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Aydoğan will perform the secretariat. After a meeting in September conducted by the regulatory board, the Scientific Program for this year will be determined.

We are continuing to answer the STE questions in this issue that we publish in accordance with the request from TOTBİD TOTEK for recertification. Answers to the questions included in this issue should be sent to the addresses [email protected] or [email protected], as also indicated on the page including the questions. Answers received will be sent by us to the relevant secretary at TOTBİD TOTEK.

We wish health, success and peace to the Turkish Spinal Surgery family, and we present our deepest respects.

Prof. Dr. İ. Teoman BENLİ
JTSS Editor