Sickle Cell Disease Has No Impact on 10-Year Cumulative Incidence and Indications for Revision Lumbar Fusion.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective Cohort Study. OBJECTIVES: Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) experience distinct physiological challenges that may alter surgical outcomes. There has been no research establishing 10-year lumbar fusion (LF) implant survivorship rates among individuals with SCD. This study aims to determine the 10-year cumulative incidence and indications for revision LF between patients with and without SCD. METHODS: A national database was queried to identify patients with and without SCD who underwent primary LF. SCD patients undergoing LF were propensity-score matched in a 1:4 ratio by age, gender, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to a matched LF control. In total, 246 SCD patients were included along with 981 and 100,000 individuals in the matched and unmatched control cohorts, respectively. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was utilized to determine the 10-year cumulative incidence rates of revision LF. Furthermore, multivariable analysis using Cox proportional hazard modeling was performed to compare indications for revisions and surgical complications between cohorts including hardware removal, drainage and evacuation, pseudoarthrosis, and mechanical failure. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in the cumulative incidence of 10-year all-cause revision LF between patients in the SCD cohort and either of the control cohorts (P > .05 for each). Additionally, there were no significant differences between the SCD cohort and either of the control cohorts in regards to the indications for revision or surgical complications in LF (P > .05 for each). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that SCD patients do not have increased risk for revision LF, nor any of its indications.

Prevalence, Characteristics, and Trends in Retracted Spine Literature: 2000 - 2023.

BACKGROUND: Retraction of scientific publications is an important check on scientific misconduct and serves to maintain the integrity of the scientific literature. The present study aims to examine the prevalence, trends, and characteristics of retracted spine literature across basic science and clinical spine literature. METHODS: Multiple databases were queried for retracted papers relating to spine or spine surgery, between January 2000 and May 2023. Of 112,668 publications initially identified, 125 were ultimately included in the present study following screening by two independent reviewers. Journal of origin, reasons for retraction, date of publication, date of retraction, impact factor of journal, countries of research origin, and study design were collected for each included publication. RESULTS: Clinical studies were the most frequent type of retracted publication (n=70). The most common reason for retraction was fraud (n=58), followed by plagiarism (n=22) and peer review process manipulation (n=16). Impact factors ranged from 0.3 to 11.1 with a median of 3.75. Average months from publication to retraction across all studies was 37.5 months. The higher the journal impact factor, the longer the amount of time between publication and retraction (p = 0.01). China (n=63) was the country of origin of more than half of all retracted spine publications. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of retractions has been increasing over the past 23 years, and clinical studies have been the most frequently retracted publication type. Clinicians treating disorders of the spine should be aware of these trends when relying on the clinical literature to inform their practice.

AOA Critical Issues Symposium: Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Orthopaedic Surgery.

ABSTRACT: In recent years, the medical field has recognized the pivotal role of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in enhancing patient care and addressing health-care disparities. Orthopaedic surgery has embraced these principles to create a more inclusive and representative workforce. A DEI symposium that was sponsored by the American Orthopaedic Association convened orthopaedic surgeons, researchers, educators, and stakeholders to discuss challenges and strategies for implementing DEI initiatives. The symposium emphasized the importance of equity, and fostered conversations on creating equal opportunities and resources. Speakers covered key topics, including establishing DEI divisions, metrics for success, DEI leadership, and available resources, and promoted excellence and innovation in orthopaedic surgery through a more diverse and inclusive approach.

The rowing spine: A review of biomechanics, injury, and treatment.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic literature review OBJECTIVES: Describe spinal biomechanics and injury patterns in rowing METHODS: A Google and PubMed literature search for "rowing," "biomechanics," and "spine" was undertaken. RESULTS: Relevant articles were reviewed and synthesized to describe biomechanics, injury patterns, treatment options, and techniques for injury prevention. CONCLUSIONS: Rowing grows ever more popular in the United States. Up-to-date knowledge of rowing biomechanics and spinal injury patterns is necessary for prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment of the injured rowing athlete.

Depression State Correlates with Functional Recovery Following Elective Lumbar Spine Fusion.

OBJECTIVE: To determine how depression state impacts postoperative Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scores and achievement of minimum clinically important difference (MCID) following lumbar fusion. Depression has been shown to negatively impact outcomes following numerous orthopedic surgeries. Situational and major clinical depression can differentially affect postoperative outcomes. METHODS: Adult patients undergoing elective 1-3 level lumbar fusion were reviewed. Patients with a formal diagnosis of major depression were classified as "clinically depressed" whereas patients with at least "mild" PROMIS Depression scores in the absence of formal depression diagnosis were deemed "situationally depressed." analysis of variance testing was used to assess differences within and between groups. Multivariate regression was used to identify features associated with the achievement of MCID. RESULTS: Two hundred patients were included. The average age was 65.9 ± 12.2 years. 75 patients (37.5%) were nondepressed, 66 patients (33.0%) were clinically depressed, and 59 patients (29.5%) were situationally depressed. Situationally depressed patients had worse preoperative physical function (PF) and pain interference (PI) scores and were more likely to have severe symptoms (P = 0.001, P = 0.001). All groups improved significantly from preoperative baseline scores. All groups met MCID PF at different rates, with highest proportion of situationally depressed reaching this metric (P = 0.03). Rates of achieving MCID PI were not significantly different between groups (P = 0.47). Situational depression was predictive of achieving MCID PF (P = 0.002) but not MCID PI. CONCLUSIONS: Our study investigated the relationship between depression and postoperative PROMIS scores and identified situationally depressed patients as having the worst preoperative impairment. Despite this, the situationally depressed cohort had the highest likelihood of achieving MCID PF, suggestive of a bidirectional relationship between lumbar degenerative disease and subclinical, situational depression. These findings may help guide preoperative counseling on expectations, and patient selection.

The top-cited military relevant spine articles.

Introduction: Historically musculoskeletal injury has substantially affected United States (US) service members. Lumbosacral spine injuries are among the most common sites of injury for service members across all US military branches and usually presents with pain in the lower back and extremities. The aim of this study is to identify and describe the 50 most-cited articles relevant to military medicine on the subject of the spine. Methods: In April 2020 Web of Science was used to search the key words: spinal cord injury, spine, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, cervical spine, sacrum, sacral, cervical fusion, lumbar fusion, sacral fracture, combat, back pain, neck pain, and military. Articles published from 1900 to 2020 were evaluated for relevance to military spine orthopaedics and ranked based on citation number. The 50 most-cited articles were characterized based on country of origin, journal of publication, affiliated institution, topic, military branch, and conflict. Results: 1900 articles met search criteria. The 50 most-cited articles were cited 24 to 119 times and published between 1993 and 2017. 30 articles (60%) originated in the United States. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine accounted for the most frequent (n = 10) destination journal followed by Spine (n = 8). 37 institutions contributed to the top 50 most-cited articles. The most common article type was clinically focused retrospective analysis 36% (n = 18), clinically focused cohort study 10% (n = 5), and clinically focused cohort questionnaire, cross-sectional analysis, and randomized study 8% each (n = 4). 90% of articles were non-surgical (n = 45). The US Army had the greatest number of associated articles. Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom were the most-cited conflicts. Conclusion: The 50 most-cited articles relevant to military spine orthopaedics are predominantly clinically focused, arising from the US, and published in Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, Spine, and The Spine Journal.

Patient-Reported Outcomes for Spine Oncology: A Narrative Review.

Spine tumors, both primary and metastatic, impose significant morbidity and mortality on patients and physicians. Patient-reported outcomes are valuable tools to assess a patient's impression of their health status and enhance communication between physicians and patients. Various spine generic patient-reported outcome tools have traditionally been used but have not been validated in the spine tumor patient population. The Spine Oncology Study Group Outcome Questionnaire, which is disease-specific for the metastatic spine patient population, has been shown to have strong validity, even across multiple languages. Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System, which has recently been developed, employs computerized adaptive testing to assess multiple health domains. It has been shown to capture information in both generic and specific questionnaires and has the potential to be used as a universal tool in the spine oncology patient population. Further long-term studies, as well as, cross-cultural adaptations, are needed to validate Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System's applicability and effectiveness.

Higher 2-Year Cumulative Incidence of Mental Health Disorders Following Irrigation and Debridement in Primary Lumbar Fusion.

Introduction: Spinal fusion is an operation that is employed to treat spinal diseases. Surgical site infection (SSI) after lumbar fusion (LF) is a postoperative complication. SSI is treated with irrigation and debridement (I&D), which requires readmittance following discharge or prolonged hospital stays, which are deleterious to patients' mental health. The long-term relationship between treating SSI with I&D and patients' mental health is still understudied. Methods: Using the Mariner dataset from the PearlDiver Patient Records Database using Current Procedural Terminology and International Classification of Diseases procedure codes, retrospective cohort analysis was carried out. This study involved 445,480 patients who underwent LF with at least 2-year follow-up and were followed up for 2 years. Of the patients, 2,762 underwent I&D. Using univariate analysis employing Pearson Chi-square and Student t-test, where appropriate (Table 1), patient demographics between cohorts were gathered. 2-year cumulative incidence (CI) between LF and I&D cohorts was calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis (Fig. 1, 2, 3). Cox proportional hazards were employed to observe significant differences in CI rates (Table 2). Results: For patients who received I&D, 2-year CI depression (HR: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.49-1.99; P<0.001) and stress (HR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.02-1.79; P=0.035) rates were significantly higher than for those who did not. There was no statistically significant difference in 2-year CI anxiety rates between cohorts (HR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.58-1.46; P=0.719). Conclusions: In conclusion, 16.8% of patients developed new-onset depression 2 years following I&D, in comparison to 10.3% of those who underwent LF. Patients who underwent I&D following LF were significantly more likely to experience depression and stress. To mitigate negative mental health outcomes, mental health services should be available to patients who underwent surgery.

Addressing the Impact of Race and Ethnicity on Musculoskeletal Spine Care in the United States.

➤ Despite being a social construct, race has an impact on outcomes in musculoskeletal spine care.➤ Race is associated with other social determinants of health that may predispose patients to worse outcomes.➤ The musculoskeletal spine literature is limited in its understanding of the causes of race-related outcome trends.➤ Efforts to mitigate race-related disparities in spine care require individual, institutional, and national initiatives.

Exploring the Impact of TLR-2 Signaling on miRNA Dysregulation in Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key mediators of inflammation in intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. TLR-2 activation contributes to the degenerative process by increasing the expression of extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and neurotrophins. As potent post-transcriptional regulators, microRNAs can modulate intracellular mechanisms, and their dysregulation is known to contribute to numerous pathologies. This study aims to investigate the impact of TLR-2 signaling on miRNA dysregulation in the context of IVD degeneration. Small-RNA sequencing of degenerated IVD cells shows the dysregulation of ten miRNAs following TLR-2 activation by PAM2CSK4. The miR-155-5p is most significantly upregulated in degenerated and non-degenerated annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus cells. Sequence-based target and pathway prediction shows the involvement of miR-155-5p in inflammation- and cell fate-related pathways and TLR-2-induced miR-155-5p expression leads to the downregulation of its target c-FOS. Furthermore, changes specific to the activation of TLR-2 through fragmented fibronectin are seen in miR-484 and miR-487. Lastly, miR-100-3p, miR-320b, and miR-181a-3p expression exhibit degeneration-dependent changes. These results show that TLR-2 signaling leads to the dysregulation of miRNAs in IVD cells as well as their possible downstream effects on inflammation and degeneration. The identified miRNAs provide important opportunities as potential therapeutic targets for IVD degeneration and low back pain.

Clinical Improvement After Lumbar Fusion: Using PROMIS to Assess Recovery Kinetics.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of a single institution cohort. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study is to identify features that predict delayed achievement of minimum clinically important difference (MCID) following elective lumbar spine fusion using Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) surveys. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Preoperative prediction of delayed recovery following lumbar spine fusion surgery is challenging. While many studies have examined factors impacting the achievement of MCID for patient-reported outcomes in similar cohorts, few studies have assessed predictors of early functional improvement. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients undergoing elective one-level posterior lumbar fusion for degenerative pathology. Patients were subdivided into two groups based on achievement of MCID for each respective PROMIS domain either before six months ("early responders") or after six months ("late responders") following surgical intervention. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine features associated with odds of achieving distribution-based MCID before or after six months follow up. RESULTS: 147 patients were included. The average age was 64.3±13.0 years. At final follow-up, 57.1% of patients attained MCID for PI and 72.8% for PF. However, 42 patients (49.4%) reached MCID for PI by six months, compared to 44 patients (41.1%) for PF. Patients with severe symptoms had the highest probability of attaining MCID for PI (OR 10.3; P =0.001) and PF (OR 10.4; P =0.001) Preoperative PROMIS symptomology did not predict early achievement of MCID for PI or PF. Patients who received concomitant iliac crest autograft during their lumbar fusion had increased odds of achieving MCID for PI (OR 8.56; P =0.001) before six months. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that the majority of patients achieved MCID following elective one-level lumbar spine fusion at long-term follow-up, although less than half achieved this clinical benchmark for each PROMIS metric by six months. We also found that preoperative impairment was not associated with when patients would achieve MCID. Further prospective investigations are warranted to characterize the trajectory of clinical improvement and identify the risk factors associated with poor outcomes more accurately.

Socioeconomic disadvantage is correlated with worse PROMIS outcomes following lumbar fusion.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Socioeconomic status (SES) has been associated with differential healthcare outcomes and may be proxied using the area-deprivation index (ADI). Few studies to date have investigated the role of ADI on patient-reported outcomes and clinically meaningful improvement following lumbar spine fusion surgery. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of SES on lumbar fusion outcomes using Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) surveys. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: Retrospective review of a single institution cohort. PATIENT SAMPLE: About 205 patients who underwent elective one-to-three level posterior lumbar spine fusion. OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in PROMIS scores and achievement of minimum clinically important difference (MCID). METHODS: Patients 18 years or older undergoing elective one-to-three level lumbar spine fusion secondary to spinal degeneration from January 2015 to September 2021 with minimum one year follow-up were reviewed. ADI was calculated using patient-supplied addresses and patients were grouped into quartiles. Higher ADI values represent worse deprivation. Minimum clinically important difference (MCID) thresholds were calculated using distribution-based methods. Analysis of variance testing was used to assess differences within and between the quartile cohorts. Multivariable regression was used to identify features associated with the achievement of MCID. RESULTS: About 205 patients met inclusion and exclusion criteria. The average age of our cohort was 66±12 years. The average time to final follow-up was 23±8 months (range 12-36 months). No differences were observed between preoperative baseline scores amongst the four quartiles. All ADI cohorts showed significant improvement for pain interference (PI) at final follow-up (p<.05), with patients who had the lowest socioeconomic status having the lowest absolute improvement from preoperative baseline physical function (PF) and PI (p=.01). Only those patients who were in the lowest socioeconomic quartile failed to significantly improve for PF at final follow-up (p=.19). There was a significant negative correlation between socioeconomic level and the absolute proportion of patients reaching MCID for PI (p=.04) and PF (p=.03). However, while ADI was a significant predictor of achieving MCID for PI (p=.02), it was nonsignificant for achieving MCID for PF. CONCLUSIONS: Our study investigated the influence of ADI on postoperative PROMIS scores and identified a negative correlation between ADI quartile and the proportion of patients reaching MCID. Patients in the worse ADI quartile had lower chances of reaching clinically meaningful improvement in PI. Policies focused on alleviating geographical deprivation may augment clinical outcomes following lumbar surgery.

Academic and Demographic Characteristics of Pediatric Orthopaedic Division Chiefs in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: Division Chiefs (DCs) and department leadership play an integral role within the service. The goal of this study is to assess the demographics and scholarly work of the leadership in pediatric orthopaedics services across the United States and comment on the role of diversity within leadership positions. METHODS: Academic medical centers and pediatric hospitals were identified using the Electronic Residency Application Service website, the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America website, and the Children's Hospital Association website. Leadership was identified using the hospitals' respective websites where data such as sex, race/ethnicity, fellowship institution, time since graduating fellowship, and academic rank were collected. Scopus database was used to determine h-indices and PubMed was used to determine the number of publications. RESULTS: Of 196 academic centers and 223 pediatric hospitals identified, 98 had a designated DC of the pediatric orthopaedics division. The majority of the DCs were male (85.7%), and leadership positions at hospitals with academic affiliations had a higher proportion of female DCs than nonacademic centers ( P =0.0317). DCs were mostly white (83.7%), followed by Asian (12.2%), and African American (2.0%). The average time since fellowship was 21.1 years and the average h-index was 15.7. The average age of the DCs was 56.8 years old. Of those in academic settings, 48.5% held the rank of professor. The fellowship programs that trained the most DCs were Boston Children's Hospital (16.3%) and Texas Scottish Rite for Children (14.3%). DISCUSSION: There is a paucity of available research on leadership characteristics in pediatric orthopaedic surgery. While progress has been made, there is still a lack of diversity that exists among leadership in pediatric orthopaedics, both within the academic setting as well as the private sector. The position of DC is held predominately by white males with a rank of either professor or no academic association. Intentional efforts are needed to continue to increase diversity in leadership positions within pediatric orthopaedic programs in the United States. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Perioperative Complications and Radiographic Outcomes Following Cervical Laminoplasty: A Review of 105 Cases from a Single Academic Center.

OBJECTIVE: To assess complications and to compare preoperative and postoperative radiographic measures in patients who underwent cervical laminoplasty. METHODS: We evaluated patients undergoing cervical laminoplasty between 2011 and 2022 at an academic medical center. Patient demographics, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and preoperative and postoperative radiographic parameters were recorded. RESULTS: Of 150 patients undergoing cervical laminoplasty during 2011-2022, 105 met the inclusion criteria. We identified 22 (21.0%) adverse events in 20 patients: 4 intraoperative (3.8%), 10 perioperative (9.5%), and 8 delayed postoperative (7.6%). Among adverse events, 13 (12.4%) were judged to be minor and 9 (8.6%) were judged to be major complications. Revision surgery was required in 6 (5.7%) patients. Both preoperative and postoperative cervical spine radiographic imaging was available in 47 (44.8%) of the 105 patients. Mean preoperative and postoperative C2-7 Cobb angles were 14.7° and 12.3°, respectively (P = 0.04). Mean preoperative and postoperative sagittal vertical axis measurements were 29.2 mm and 33.3 mm, respectively (P = 0.07). Mean preoperative and postoperative T1 slopes were 32.3° and 30.2°, respectively (P = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Cervical laminoplasty carries a significant risk of adverse events, the majority of which are minor, and has a low rate of reoperation (5.7%). The procedure does not result in significant changes in sagittal vertical axis or T1 slope. Cervical laminoplasty remains a valuable surgical option for selected patients with cervical myelopathy.

Characteristics, comorbidities, and complications in multiple sclerosis (MS) and non-MS patients undergoing lumbar fusion for deformity.

Background: We compared the characteristics, comorbidities, and complications in spinal deformity patients with and without multiple sclerosis (MS) undergoing primary lumbar spine fusion. Methods: We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2003 to 2014, International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis and procedure codes to create experimental MS (842 patients) and non-MS control (165,726 patients) cohorts undergoing primary lumbar spine fusion. Characteristics, comorbidities, and complications in spinal deformity patients with and without MS were evaluated using univariate and bivariate analysis. Results: MS spinal deformity patients undergoing primary lumbar spine fusion were younger, more likely to be female and more likely to undergo surgery at urban teaching hospitals. They also exhibited higher rates of depression and lower rates of diabetes without chronic complications, hypertension, and renal failure. However, no significant differences were found in mortality or total perioperative complication rates between MS and nonMS patients. Conclusion: We found that MS versus non-MS patients undergoing primary lumbar fusion for spinal deformity were younger, more likely to be female and had higher rates of depression but lower rates of diabetes, hypertension, and renal failure. Notably, both groups experienced comparable mortality and perioperative complication rates.

AOA Critical Issues: Perceptions on the State of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Orthopaedic Surgery: A Survey of the AOA Membership.

BACKGROUND: Orthopaedic surgery continues to trail other specialties in increasing diversity among its physician workforce. Various efforts have been and are currently being made to not only increase diversity, but also promote equity and inclusion in the field. The purpose of this study was to survey members of the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) to determine how leaders in orthopaedics view diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the present time and to understand their perspective while moving into the future. METHODS: An anonymous 11-question survey was disseminated online to AOA members in May 2022. These individuals were identified by the AOA membership directory and the email ListServe. The survey included free-response and multiple-choice questions. Demographic information was self-identified, and both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. RESULTS: Of the 1,657 AOA members who were provided the survey, 262 (15.8%) responded. Approximately 29.5% (77) and 45.6% (119) of the surveyed population ranked "retention of underrepresented populations in orthopaedic residency (women, URiM)" as "very important" or "absolutely essential," respectively. The answers to the free-response questions identified multiple core themes that responders were passionate about, namely resident and attending physician recruitment and retention, as well as resident selection. CONCLUSIONS: Leaders in the field of orthopaedic surgery desire for action to be taken in the field of DEI. The findings of this survey denote positive attitudes even though many inequalities still pervade the field of orthopaedics. Through mentorship, objective evaluation, transparency, and continued intentional action, orthopaedic surgery is well-positioned to continue to move forward with DEI.

Spinal fusion for postlaminectomy kyphosis following intramedullary spinal cord tumor resection: A 34-year follow-up.

Background: Resection of intramedullary spinal cord tumors (IMSCTs) in pediatric patients results in a high incidence of spinal deformity (i.e., kyphoscoliosis often requiring fusion). Here, a 6-year-old male underwent a spinal fusion to correct postlaminectomy thoracic kyphosis following resection of an IMSCT. Case Description: A 6-year-old male initially underwent multilevel thoracic laminectomies for resection of an IMSCT. Six months later, he presented with the onset of kyphoscoliosis. During adolescence he became increasingly paraparetic due to a thoracic kyphosis that had now progressed to 118°. He underwent a 360 decompression/fusion that included a T1-T9 laminectomy, a T5 to T11 anterior interbody arthrodesis/rib autograft, and posterolateral T2-T12 fusion/iliac crest autograft with Harrington rods placed from T5 to T12. Postoperative radiographs showed the thoracic kyphosis improved to 62°. However, 4.5 years later, X-rays showed the thoracic kyphosis newly progressed to 90° (i.e., from T3 to T12). Thirty-four years after this corrective surgery, he remained neurologically intact with only mild complaints of balance changes, and bladder/bowel urgency while radiographs confirmed continued stability. Further, the thoracic magnetic resonance imaging showed only chronic thoracic spine/cord changes. Conclusion: A 6-year-old child originally underwent a thoracic laminectomy for an IMSCT. As an adolescent, due to progressive postlaminectomy kyphosis, he underwent a successful secondary thoracic 360° decompression/ fusion. Notably, 34 years later, he did not require any surgical revision.

The Most Impactful Articles on Cauda Equina Syndrome.

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is an uncommon condition that can lead to permanent neurological deficits if not diagnosed and addressed promptly. Varying prognoses, including retropulsed fracture fragments, disc herniations, and epidural abscesses, can result in CES. Our objective was to identify the top 50 most impactful articles on CES and analyze the characteristics of these publications. In August of 2021, we used the Web of Science Core Collection bibliographic database to query the phrase "cauda equina syndrome." Articles between 1900 and 2021 were included in the search, and these articles were ranked based on the number of citations. The following variables were recorded: title, first author, journal, year of publication, number of citations, country of origin, the institution of publication, and topic of the paper. A total of 2096 articles matched the search criteria. The top 50 most impactful articles ranged from 43 to 439 in their number of citations. All articles on the list were published in English, with the year of publication ranging from 1938 to 2014. The United States accounted for the greatest number of articles published at 27. The medical journal Spine accounted for the greatest number of publications at nine. And the 2000s was the decade with the most cited articles. It is generally acknowledged that the clinical signals for CES are diverse with no predictive value on patient outcomes. Similar uncertainty exists in the etiology of the condition, though CES induced by spinal anesthesia is a factor of particular interest. Additionally, it is generally recognized that delayed diagnosis of the condition often results in permanent neurological deficits. Identification of the most impactful articles on CES is critical in drawing attention to this significant condition.

Racial and Health Insurance Differences in Patient Outcomes After Surgical Treatment for Cauda Equina Syndrome: A United States Retrospective Hospital Claims Database Analysis.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective database evaluation. OBJECTIVES: To study the association between race, health care insurance, mortality, postoperative visits, and reoperation within a hospital setting in patients with cauda equina syndrome (CES) undergoing surgical intervention. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: CES can lead to permanent neurological deficits if the diagnosis is missed or delayed. Evidence of racial or insurance disparities in CES is sparse. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with CES undergoing surgery from 2000 to 2021 were identified from the Premier Health care Database. Six-month postoperative visits and 12-month reoperations within the hospital were compared by race ( i.e ., White, Black, or Other [Asian, Hispanic, or other]) and insurance ( i.e. , Commercial, Medicaid, Medicare, or Other) using Cox proportional hazard regressions; covariates were used in the regression models to control for confounding. Likelihood ratio tests were used to compare model fit. RESULTS: Among 25,024 patients, most were White (76.3%), followed by Other race (15.4% [ 8.8% Asian, 7.3% Hispanic, and 83.9% other]) and Black (8.3%). Models with race and insurance combined provided the best fit for estimating the risk of visits to any setting of care and reoperations. White Medicaid patients had the strongest association with a higher risk of 6-month visits to any setting of care versus White patients with commercial insurance (HR: 1.36 (1.26,1.47)). Being Black with Medicare had a strong association with a higher risk of 12-month reoperations versus White commercial patients (HR: 1.43 (1.10,1.85)). Having Medicaid versus Commercial insurance was strongly associated with a higher risk of complication-related (HR: 1.36 (1.21, 1.52)) and ER visits (HR: 2.26 (2.02,2.51)). Medicaid had a significantly higher risk of mortality compared with Commercial patients (HR: 3.19 (1.41,7.20)). CONCLUSIONS: Visits to any setting of care, complication-related, ER visits, reoperation, or mortality within the hospital setting after CES surgical treatment varied by race and insurance. Insurance type had a stronger association with the outcomes than race. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level-III.