Radiographic and clinical outcomes of robot-assisted pedicle screw instrumentation for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Introduction: Pedicle screw instrumentation (PSI) serves as the widely accepted surgical treatment for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). The accuracy of screw positioning has remarkably improved with robotic assistance. Nonetheless, its impact on radiographic and clinical outcomes remains unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the radiographic and clinical outcomes of robot-assisted PSI vs. conventional freehand method in AIS patients. Methods: Data of AIS patients who underwent PSI with all pedicle screws between April 2013 and March 2022 were included and retrospectively analyzed; those with hybrid implants were excluded. Recruited individuals were divided into the Robot-assisted or Freehand group according to the technique used. Radiographic parameters and clinical outcome measures were documented. Results: In total, 50 patients (19, Freehand group; 31, Robot-assisted group) were eligible, with an average age and follow-up period of 17.6 years and 60.2 months, respectively, and female predominance (40/50, 80.0%). The correction rates of Cobb's angles for both groups were significant postoperatively. Compared to freehand, the robot-assisted technique achieved a significantly reduced breech rate and provided better trunk shift and radiographic shoulder height correction with preserved lumbar lordosis, resulting in significantly improved visual analog scale scores for back pain from the third postoperative month. Conclusion: Overall, robot-assisted PSI provides satisfactory radiographic and clinical outcomes in AIS patients.

Comparison of radiographic and clinical outcomes between ALIF, OLIF, and TLIF over 2-year follow-up: a comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Regarding the increasing adoption of oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) for treating degenerative lumbar disorders, we aimed to evaluate whether OLIF, one of the options for anterolateral approach lumbar interbody fusion, demonstrate clinical superiority over anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) or posterior approach, represented by transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). METHODS: Patients who received ALIF, OLIF, and TLIF for symptomatic degenerative lumbar disorders during the period 2017-2019 were identified. Radiographic, perioperative, and clinical outcomes were recorded and compared during 2-year follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 348 patients with 501 correction levels were enrolled in the study. Fundamental sagittal alignment profiles were substantially improved at 2-year follow-up, particularly in the anterolateral approach (A/OLIF) group. The Oswestry disability index (ODI) and EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D) in the ALIF group were superior when compared to the OLIF and TLIF group 2-year following surgery. However, comparisons of VAS-Total, VAS-Back, and VAS-Leg revealed no statistically significance across all approaches. TLIF demonstrated highest subsidence rate of 16%, while OLIF had least blood loss and was suitable for high body mass index patients. CONCLUSIONS: Regarding treatment for degenerative lumbar disorders, ALIF of anterolateral approach demonstrated superb alignment correction and clinical outcome. Comparing to TLIF, OLIF possessed advantage in reducing blood loss, restoring sagittal profiles and the accessibility at all lumbar level while simultaneously achieving comparable clinical improvement. Patient selection in accordance with baseline conditions, and surgeon preference both remain crucial issues circumventing surgical approach strategy.

Liposomal bupivacaine administration is not superior to traditional periarticular injection for postoperative pain management following total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Liposomal bupivacaine (LB) is a relatively new formulation that slowly releases bupivacaine to extend its efficacy for 72-96 h. It is inconclusive whether LB offers better efficacy than traditional periarticular injection (TPAI) following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched using electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Review Manager 5.4.1 was used for calculations. RESULTS: Sixteen RCTs were included in this meta-analysis. LB had better effects on morphine consumption equivalents during postoperative 24-48 h than TPAI. No significant difference was observed in pain relief, incidence of nausea and vomiting, or length of hospital stay between the two groups. CONCLUSION: LB administration during TKA is not superior to TPAI. Studies with larger sample size are needed to validate our findings. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022355094.

Correlation of Foraminal Parameters with Patient-Reported Outcomes in Patient with Degenerative Lumbar Foraminal Stenosis.

The relationship between quantitative anatomic parameters in MRI and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) before and after surgery in degenerative lumbar foraminal stenosis remains unknown. We included 58 patients who underwent transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) for single-level degenerative disc disease with foraminal stenosis between February 2013 and June 2020. PROs were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) for back and leg pain, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D). The foraminal parameters assessed using preoperative MRI included foraminal height, posterior intervertebral disc height, superior and inferior foraminal width, and foraminal area. The correlation between foraminal parameters and PROs before operation, at 1 year follow-up, and change from baseline were assessed. The associations between the aforementioned parameters were examined using linear regression analysis. The analysis revealed that among these parameters, superior foraminal width was found to be significantly correlated with ODI and EQ-5D at the 1 year follow-up and with change in ODI and EQ-5D from baseline. The associations remained significant after adjustment for confounding factors including age, sex, body mass index, and duration of hospital stay. The results indicated that in degenerative lumbar foraminal stenosis, decreased superior foraminal width was associated with better improvement in disability and quality of life after TLIF.

Pre-operative anemia was associated with all-cause mortality in patients with vertebral fracture who underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty.

Purpose: We investigated the association between pre-operative anemia and long-term all-cause mortality in patients with vertebral fracture who underwent a vertebroplasty. Materials and methods: We retrospectively selected patients who were admitted for vertebroplasty for vertebral compression fracture between 2013 and 2020. Patients who had pathologic fractures or had no assessment of bone mineral density were excluded. Relevant information was collected from electronic medical records. Patients' survival status was confirmed at the end of March 2021. Cox-proportional hazard models were conducted to examine the effects of anemia (<12 g/dL vs. ≥12 g/dL) and pre-operative hemoglobin levels (as a continuous variable) on all-cause mortality with multivariate adjustments. Results: A total of 167 patients were analyzed (mean age 75.8 ± 9.3 years, male 25.7%). After a median follow-up duration of 2.1 years, pre-operative anemia (hemoglobin <12 g/dL vs. ≥12 g/dL) was independently associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 2.762, 95% CI 1.184 to 6.442, p = 0.019). An increase in pre-operative hemoglobin was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality after multivariate adjustment (hazard ratio 0.775, 95% CI 0.606 to 0.991, p = 0.042). Conclusion: Pre-operative anemia (<12 g/dL) was independently associated with survival outcome among patients with vertebral compression fractures who underwent vertebroplasty. Our findings highlight anemia as a risk factor of long-term mortality in this elderly surgical population.

Association of Body Mass Index with Long-Term All-Cause Mortality in Patients Who Had Undergone a Vertebroplasty for a Vertebral Compression Fracture.

We aimed to investigate the association between preoperative body mass index (BMI) and postoperative long-term mortality in patients who underwent a vertebroplasty. We retrospectively enrolled patients with a vertebral compression fracture who underwent a vertebroplasty between May 2013 and June 2020 in a medical center in Taiwan. The survival status of the study sample was confirmed by the end of March 2021. Cox-proportional hazard models were conducted to examine the effects of being overweight/obese (≥25 kg/m2 vs. <25 kg/m2) and BMI (as a continuous variable) on all-cause mortality after adjusting for age, sex, history of smoking, diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and osteoporosis. A total of 164 patients were analyzed (mean age 75.8 ± 9.3 years, male 25.6%, mean BMI 24.0 ± 4.1 kg/m2) after a median follow-up of 785 days. Compared with a BMI < 25 kg/m2, a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 was associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR 0.297, 95% CI 0.101 to 0.878, p = 0.028). These findings were consistent when BMI was examined as a continuous variable (HR 0.874, 95% CI 0.773 to 0.988, p = 0.031). A low BMI (<22 kg/m2) should be considered as a risk factor for postoperative long-term mortality in this ageing population.

Indirect decompression via oblique lumbar interbody fusion is sufficient for treatment of lumbar foraminal stenosis.

Oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) is a popular technique for the treatment of degenerative lumbar spinal disease. There are no clear guidelines on whether direct posterior decompression (PD) is necessary after OLIF. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of the indirect decompression obtained from OLIF in patients with lumbar foraminal stenosis. We retrospectively reviewed 33 patients who underwent OLIF surgery for degenerative lumbar spinal disease between 1 January 2018, and 30 June 2019. The inclusion criteria included patients who were diagnosed with lumbar foraminal stenosis by preoperative MRI. The exclusion criteria included the presence of central canal stenosis, spinal infection, vertebral fractures, and spinal malignancies. The clinical results, evaluated using the visual analogue scale of back pain (VAS-Back), VAS of leg pain (VAS-Leg), and Oswestry disability index (ODI), were recorded. The radiologic parameters were also measured. The VAS-Back, VAS-Leg, and ODI showed significant improvement in both the PD and non-posterior decompression (Non-PD) groups postoperatively (all, p < 0.05). Patients in the Non-PD group showed better results than those in the PD group in the VAS-Back at 12- and 24 months postoperatively (0.00 vs. 3.00 postoperatively at 12 months, p = 0.030; 0.00 vs. 4.00 postoperatively at 24 months, p = 0.009). In addition, the ODI at 24 months postoperatively showed better improvement in the Non-PD group (8.89 vs. 24.44, p = 0.038). The disc height in both the PD and the Non-PD groups increased significantly postoperatively (all, p < 0.05), but the restoration of foraminal height was significantly different only in the Non-PD group. There was no statistically significant difference in cage position, cage subsidence, fusion grade, or screw loosening between the PD and the Non-PD groups. Indirect decompression via OLIF for lumbar foraminal stenosis showed favorable outcomes. The use of interbody cages and posterior instrumentation was sufficient for relieving symptoms in patients with lumbar foraminal stenosis. Additional direct posterior decompression may deteriorate results in the follow-up period.

Robot-Assisted Pedicle Screw Placement Led to Lower Screw Loosening Rate than Fluoroscopy-Guided Technique in Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion for Lumbar Degenerative Disease: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Robot-assisted pedicle screw placement for spine surgery has become popular in recent years. This study compares clinical, radiographic outcomes and the screw loosening rate between robot-assisted and fluoroscopy-guided pedicle screw placement in patients who underwent transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). We retrospectively examined 108 patients with the degenerative lumbar disease who underwent TLIF. According to whether the robotic system was used, patients were assigned to either the robot-assisted (Ro TLIF, n = 29) or fluoroscopy-guided TLIF (FG TLIF, n = 79) group. Radiographic parameters and patient-reported outcomes, including leg and back pain visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), were assessed. Loosening signs were noted in 48 out of 552 pedicle screws. The screw loosening rate was higher in the FG TLIF (10.2%) than Ro TLIF group (4.3%). A significant correlation was found between screw loosening and age, the number of level(s) fused, and the ratio of the average distance from the pedicle screw to the upper endplate to vertebral body height. VAS-leg, VAS-back, and ODI showed significant improvements in both groups postoperatively (all p < 0.05). These results indicated that robot-assisted pedicle screw placement in TLIF had a lower screw loosening rate and similar patient-reported outcomes compared with the fluoroscopy-guided technique.

Factors Associated with Postoperative Lipiduria and Hypoxemia in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Orthopedic Fractures.

We investigated factors associated with postoperative lipiduria and hypoxemia in patients undergoing surgery for orthopedic fractures. We enrolled patients who presented to our emergency department due to traumatic fractures between 2016 and 2017. We collected urine samples within 24 h after the patients had undergone surgery to determine the presence of lipiduria. Hypoxemia was defined as an SpO2 <95% determined with a pulse oximeter during the hospitalization. Patients' anthropometric data, medical history, and laboratory test results were collected from the electronic medical record. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine the associations of clinical factors with postoperative lipiduria and hypoxemia with multivariate adjustments. A total of 144 patients were analyzed (mean age 51.3 ± 22.9 years, male 50.7%). Diabetes (odd ratio 3.684, 95% CI, 1.256-10.810, p = 0.018) and operation time (odd ratio 1.005, 95% CI, 1.000-1.009, p = 0.029) were independently associated with postoperative lipiduria, while age (odd ratio 1.034, 95% CI, 1.003-1.066, p = 0.029), body mass index (odd ratio 1.100, 95% CI, 1.007-1.203, p = 0.035), and operation time (odd ratio 1.005, 95% CI, 1.000-1.010, p = 0.033) were independently associated with postoperative hypoxemia. We identified several factors independently associated with postoperative lipiduria and hypoxemia in patients with fracture undergoing surgical intervention. Operation time was associated with both postoperative lipiduria and hypoxemia, and we recommend that patients with prolonged operation for fractures should be carefully monitored for clinical signs related to fat embolism syndrome.

The Impact of COVID-19 Surges in 2019-2021 on Patient-Reported Outcome Measures After Spine Surgery at an Academic Tertiary Referral Center in Taiwan: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study.

Aim: Limited data are available on the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in patients who underwent spine surgery. In this study, we aimed to investigate the associations between the COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan (May 2021) and PROMs in patients who underwent spine surgery. Method: We retrospectively identified patients who underwent spine surgery during identical defined 6-week time-intervals (May 16 to June 30) in 2019, 2020, and 2021. PROMs, including visual analog scale (VAS) score for pain, Oswestry disability index (ODI), and EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D), were investigated before surgical intervention and at a 1-month follow-up. Relevant clinical information was collected from the electronic medical records of patients. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between the pandemic in 2021 (vs. 2019/2020) and the PROMs after adjusting for age, sex, and relevant clinical variables. Results: The number of patients who underwent spine surgery at our hospital during the identical defined 6-week time-intervals in 2019, 2020, and 2021 was 77, 70, and 48, respectively. The surgical intervention significantly improved VAS, ODI, and EQ-5D of the patients (1 month after surgery vs. before surgery, all p < 0.001) in all three study periods. However, there was a significant between-group difference in change from baseline in VAS (p = 0.002) and EQ-5D (p = 0.010). The decrease in VAS and increase in EQ-5D after surgery in 2021 were not as much as those in 2019 and 2020. The associations between the pandemic in 2021 (vs. 2019/2020) and changes in VAS (ß coefficient 1.239; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.355 to 2.124; p = 0.006) and EQ-5D (ß coefficient, -0.095; 95% CI, -0.155 to -0.035; p = 0.002) after spine surgery were independent of relevant clinical factors. Conclusion: There was less improvement in short-term PROMs (VAS and EQ-5D) after spine surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assessment of PROMs in surgical patients during a pandemic may be clinically relevant, and psychological support in this condition might help improve patients' outcomes.

The Morphological Changes in Adjacent Segments Amongst Patients Receiving Anterior and Oblique Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Retrospective Study.

Adjacent segment disease (ASD) is troublesome condition that has proved to be highly related to spinal malalignment after spinal surgery. Hence, we aimed to evaluate the morphological changes after anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) and oblique LIF (OLIF) to establish the differences between the two surgical methods in terms of possible ASD avoidance. Fifty patients, half of whom received ALIF while the other half received OLIF, were analyzed with image studies and functional outcomes during the pre-operative and post-operative periods, and 2 years after surgery. Image measurements obtained included spinal-pelvic parameters, index lordosis (IL), segmental lordosis (SL), anterior disc height (ADH), posterior disc height (PDH) and adjacent segment disc angle (ASDA). The ADH and PDH in the adjacent segment decreased in the two groups while OLIF showed greater decrease without radiological ASD noted at 2-year follow-up. Both groups showed an increase in IL after surgery while ALIF showed greater improvement. No statistical difference was identified in functional outcomes between LIFs. We suggest that both ALIF and OLIF can restore adequate lordosis and prevent ASD after surgery. However, it should be noted that patient selection remains crucial when making any decision involving which of the two methods to use.

Correlation between Preoperative Serum Levels of Calcium, Phosphate, and Intact Parathyroid Hormone and Radiological Outcomes in Spinal Interbody Fusion among End-Stage Renal Disease Patients.

Spinal fusion surgery for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients is a clinical challenge. This study aimed to investigate whether postoperative radiological outcomes are related to preoperative serum calcium, phosphate, or intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels in patients with ESRD who underwent spinal interbody fusion surgery. This study included 62-consecutive patients with ESRD who underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) or transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) surgery for symptomatic spinal disorder. The most recent preoperative serum calcium, phosphate, and iPTH levels were recorded, and the postoperative radiographic outcomes were assessed. A significant correlation was found between the occurrence of cage subsidence and higher blood phosphate, calcium-phosphate product (Ca × P), and iPTH levels in the TLIF group. The occurrence of pedicle screw loosening was related to higher blood phosphate and Ca × P product in the TLIF group. However, no correlation was found between the fusion grades and the serum levels in either the TLIF or ACDF groups. These results indicated that higher preoperative serum phosphate and Ca × P product are risk factors for both cage subsidence and screw loosening in patients with ESRD who underwent TLIF surgery. Higher iPTH levels are also a possible risk factor for cage subsidence.

The radiological outcome in lumbar interbody fusion among rheumatoid arthritis patients: a 20-year retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical outcomes amongst Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients have shown satisfactory results being reported after lumbar surgery. The increased adoption of the interbody fusion technique has been due to a high fusion rate and less invasive procedures. However, the radiographic outcome for RA patients after receiving interbody fusion has scarcely been addressed in the available literature. METHODS: Patients receiving interbody fusion including ALIF, OLIF, and TLIF were examined for implant cage motion and fusion status at two-year follow-up. Parameters for the index correction level including ADH, PDH, WI, SL, FW, and FH were measured and compared at pre-OP, post-OP, and two-year follow-up. RESULTS: We enrolled 64 RA patients at 104 levels (mean 64.0 years old, 85.9% female) received lumbar interbody fusion. There were substantial improvement in ADH, PDH, WI, SL, FW, and FH after surgery, with both ADH and PDH having significantly dropped at two-year follow up. The OLIF group suffered from a higher subsidence rate with no significant difference in fusion rate when compared to TLIF. The fusion rate and subsidence rate for all RA patients was 90.4 and 28.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We revealed the radiographic outcomes of lumbar interbody fusions towards symptomatic lumbar disease in RA patients with good fusion outcome despite the relative high subsidence rate amongst the OLIF group. Those responsible for intra-operative endplate management should be more cautious to avoid post-OP cage subsidence.

Impact of tip-apex distance and femoral head lag screw position on treatment outcomes of unstable intertrochanteric fractures using cephalomedullary nails.

Background Cephalomedullary nails are frequently used in unstable intertrochanteric fractures. The implant position is an important factor for surgical success. Thus, in the present study, finite element analysis methods were used to investigate the biomechanical behavior of five different cephalomedullary nail positions in unstable intertrochanteric fractures. Methods Five different cephalomedullary nail implant positions were investigated. The observed indicators were the maximum displacement of the lag screw, the stress on the intertrochanteric fracture with involvement of the posteromedial cortex, and the tip-apex distance. Results The smallest lag screw displacement was achieved when the implant was closer to the inferior femoral head. Lower stress was placed on the posteromedial cortex when the implant was positioned closer to the inferior femoral head. However, the tip-apex distance increased when the lag screw was positioned more inferiorly. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that positioning the lag screw closer to the inferior aspect of the femoral head can reduce stress on the posteromedial cortex and deformation of the implant in unstable intertrochanteric fractures. These findings provide a biomechanical basis for selection of the cephalomedullary nail implantation site. Level of evidence III.