Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is widely used to treat cervical spine pathology and restore stability after neural decompression. But successful fusion depends on more than the surgical technique alone. The interbody material must provide structural support while creating an environment that allows bone to form and the segment to fuse. Traditional materials such as allograft and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) have well-established roles in ACDF, but each has limitations....

The First Chapter Not long ago, the central question surrounding ambulatory spine surgery was straightforward: Can spine procedures be performed safely outside the hospital? Growing clinical evidence has shown that, for appropriately selected patients, many outpatient spine procedures achieve outcomes comparable to hospital-based surgery while reducing length of stay and healthcare costs. As a result, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have become an established component of modern spine care...

Spinal implants have long been designed to restore stability while the body heals. Yet once implanted, they become largely passive devices, offering no direct insight into what is happening during recovery. Surgeons instead rely on periodic imaging, clinical evaluation, and patient-reported symptoms to assess fusion progression and implant performance. While these methods remain essential, they provide only snapshots of the healing process. Researchers are now exploring a different approach...