A validated preoperative score for predicting 30-day readmission after 1-2 level elective posterior lumbar fusion.

PURPOSE: To develop a model to predict 30-day readmission rates in elective 1-2 level posterior lumbar spine fusion (PSF) patients. METHODS: In this retrospective case control study, patients were identified in the State Inpatient Database using ICD-9 codes. Data were queried for 30-day readmission, as well as demographic and surgical data. Patients were randomly assigned to either the derivation or the validation cohort. Stepwise multivariate analysis was conducted on the derivation cohort to predict 30-day readmission. Readmission after posterior spinal fusion (RAPSF) score was created by including variables with odds ratio (OR) > 1.1 and p < 0.01; value assigned to each variable was based on the OR and calibrated to 100. Linear regression was performed between readmission rate and RAPSF score to test correlation in both cohorts. RESULTS: There were 92,262 and 90,257 patients in the derivation and validation cohorts. Thirty-day readmission rates were 10.9% and 11.1%, respectively. Variables in RAPSF included: age, female gender, race, insurance, anterior approach, cerebrovascular disease, chronic pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, hemiplegia/paraplegia, rheumatic disease, drug abuse, electrolyte disorder, osteoporosis, depression, obesity, and morbid obesity. Linear regression between readmission rate and RAPSF fits the derivation cohort and validation cohort with an adjusted r2 of 0.92 and 0.94, respectively, and a coefficient of 0.011 (p < 0.001) in both cohorts. CONCLUSION: The RAPSF can accurately predict readmission rates in PSF patients and may be used to guide an evidence-based approach to preoperative optimization and risk adjustment within alternative payment models for elective spine surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Is Propionibacterium acnes becoming the most common bacteria in delayed infections following adolescent idiopathic scoliosis surgery?

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of hospital charts. OBJECTIVE: (1) To determine the microbiological profile of patients with surgical site infections following posterior spinal fusion surgery (PSF) for Adolescent Idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). (2) To study the treatment outcome of patients with surgical site infections (SSI) following surgery for AIS. (3) To identify the key differences in presentation and management of acute and delayed SSI following AIS surgery. There has been increasing evidence of the role of P. acnes in deep surgical site infections. Literature related to this is abundant in relation to shoulder arthroplasty; however, it is sparse in relation to spine surgery. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of all patients treated for AIS during a 5-year period (2010-2014) at our institution, with a minimum of 2-year follow-up after the index surgery. Patients with a postoperative infection following their index surgery were included. Charts of AIS patients with post-op infections were reviewed for details of the index surgery, time to presentation of the infection, presenting signs/symptoms, microbiology details, details of surgical and antibiotic treatment, and outcomes. RESULTS: Nine (2.8%) post-op infections were identified out of 315 cases for AIS during this period. Seven (2.2%) involved P. acnes. Two (0.6%) involved MSSA. The average time for cultures to show growth was 6.1 days (range 5-8 days) in P. acnes group and 2-3 days in MSSA group. Patients with P. acnes infections were treated with implant removal, debridement and antibiotics. All patients achieved solid fusion except two patients from the P. acnes group had pseudoarthrosis and had to undergo revision fusion. CONCLUSION: Propionibacterium acnes was the single most common bacteria isolated from delayed surgical site infection following PSF in AIS patients. Optimal treatment consists of debridement, implant removal and antibiotics. These patients have high incidence of pseudoarthrosis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

In Degenerative Spondylolisthesis, Unilateral Laminotomy for Bilateral Decompression Leads to Less Reoperations at 5 Years When Compared to Posterior Decompression With Instrumented Fusion: A Propensity-matched Retrospective Analysis.

STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare reoperation rates at 5-year follow-up of unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression (ULBD) versus posterior decompression with instrumented fusion (Fusion) for patients with low-grade degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) in a multicenter database. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Controversy exists regarding whether fusion should be used to augment decompression surgery in patients with LSS with DS. For years, the standard has been fusion with standard laminectomy to prevent postoperative instability. However, this strategy is not supported by Level 1 evidence. Instability and reoperations may be reduced or prevented using less invasive decompression techniques. METHODS: We identified 164 patients with DS and LSS who underwent ULBD between January 2007 and December 2011 in a multicenter database. These patients were propensity score-matched on age, sex, race, and smoking status with patients who underwent Fusion (n = 437). Each patient required a minimum of 5-year follow-up. The primary outcome was 5-year reoperation. Secondary outcome measures included postoperative complication rates, blood loss during surgery, and length of stay. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio of the 5-year reoperation rate between the two surgical groups. RESULTS: The reoperation rate at 5-year follow-up was 10.4% in the ULBD group and 17.2% in the Fusion group. ULBD reoperations were more frequent at the index surgical level; Fusion reoperations were more common at an adjacent level. The two types of operations had similar postoperative complication rates, and both groups tended to have fusion reoperations. CONCLUSION: For patients with stable DS and LSS, ULBD is a viable, durable option compared to fusion with decreased blood loss and length stay, as well as a lower reoperation rate at 5-year follow-up. Further prospective studies are required to determine the optimal clinical scenario for ULBD in the setting of DS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

Postoperative Spine Dressing Changes Are Unnecessary.

INTRODUCTION: There is minimal literature regarding when dressing changes should be performed. We present the dressing change protocol adopted by our institution. The purpose of this study was to provide an update of our experience with this dressing change protocol over a 15-year period. METHODS: Effective January 2005, we implemented our universal protocol of no dressing changes for five days after surgery. Reviewing a health system administrative database, all spine surgery cases involving instrumentation performed at our institution were captured. Surgical site infection (SSI) cases: superficial, deep, and organ space as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), were identified by reviewing an infection control database. Fisher exact test was used to compare SSI rates in all instrumented fusion cases from January 1999 to December 2004 (prior to implementation of the dressing change protocol) to those from January 2005 to December 2013 (after the protocol was initiated). RESULTS: A total of 8,631 instrumented spine fusions were performed at a single institution from 1999 to 2013. Overall, after instituting our universal no-dressing-change protocol, SSI rates for all cervical, thoracic, and lumbar instrumented cases combined decreased from 3.9% (97/2473) to 0.93% (57/6158) (p < .0001). The reduction in SSI rates was most significant for posterior cervical and posterior lumbar surgeries. After our dressing change protocol was implemented, we saw an improvement in SSI rates for posterior cervical instrumented cases from 3.2% (6/186) to 0.50% (4/815) (p = .0041). Posterior lumbar instrumented fusion SSI rates dropped from 5.5% (65/1179) to 1.1% (32/2890) (p < .0001). CONCLUSION: Dressing changes in the immediate postoperative period are not necessary. Applying a sterile dressing in the operating room may serve as a barrier to nosocomial pathogens during hospitalization. Our data suggest this dressing change protocol may lead to reduced SSI risk. Leaving the original postoperative surgical dressing intact is safe, simple, and cost-effective.

Does chronic kidney disease affect the mortality rate in patients undergoing spine surgery?

The number of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and their life expectancy has been increasing. With time number of patients undergoing spine surgery has also been on a rise. This study we did a retrospective review of registry data to investigate the mortality rate of chronic kidney disease patients following spine surgery using a large, multi-center spine registry. 12,276 consecutive spine-fusion patients from January 2009 to December 2012 were included and mortality rates in patients with CKD compared to those with normal kidney function following spine surgery. Logistic regression was usedto evaluate risk of mortality following spine surgery. The average age of the cohort was 59 (SD=13.4). 53% were female. Patients who had stage 3, 4 or 5 CKD were older than non-CKD patients (mean=71,SD=9.2 vs. 59, SD=13.3). After adjusting for confounding variables, patients with stage 3 or 4 CKD had higher mortality rates than patients with normal kidney function (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.3-2.45) Hemodialysis-dependent patients (stage 5 CKD) had even higher rates of mortality compared to patients with normal function (OR 4.18, 95% CI1.87-9.34). our findings suggest that spine surgery is associated with significantly higher mortality rates in patients with CKD compared to patients with normal kidney function. Understanding the additional morbidity and mortality of spine surgery in this medically complicated group of patients is imperative for accurate preoperative risk assessment.

Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva in a Four year Old Child.

INTRODUCTION: Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a rare genetic disoder characterized by bone formation within muscles tendons and ligaments. It has an incidence of one in two million. We hereby report a case of FOP in a four year male child from a tribal family in orissa. CASE REPORT: 4 yr old male child presented with gradual development of stiffness of neck and hard nodules on his body for which his parents had sought all sort of indegenous treatment and manipulations by traditional bone setters. Patient returned to our hospital at the age of four years with widespread ossification and stiffness of neck, shoulders and back. He also had upper tibial osteochondromas and scalp nodules and valgus deformity of bilateral great toes. A diagnosis of FOP was made on clinical and radiological examination. CONCLUSION: Though rare, diagnosis of Myositis ossificans progressiva should be considered in a child with heterotopic bone formation and valgus deformities of great toes. Being a rare condition, treatment guidelines are not clear and this condition need further research.