Why Irrigate for the Same Contamination Rate: Wound Contamination in Pediatric Spinal Surgery Using Betadine Versus Saline.

BACKGROUND: The risk of surgical site infection in pediatric posterior spine fusion (PSF) is up to 4.3% in idiopathic populations and 24% in patients with neuromuscular disease. Twenty-three percent of pediatric PSF tissue cultures are positive before closure, with a higher rate in neuromuscular patients. Our primary aim was to evaluate the feasibility of a complete randomized controlled trial to study the efficacy of surgical site irrigation with povidone-iodine (PVP-I) compared with sterile saline (SS) to reduce the bacterial contamination rate before closure in children undergoing PSF. METHODS: One hundred seventy-five subjects undergoing PSF were enrolled in a multicenter, single-blind, pilot randomized controlled trial. We recruited patients at low-risk (LR) and high-risk (HR) for infection 3:1, respectively. Before closure, a wound culture was collected. Nonviable tissues were debrided and the wound was soaked with 0.35% PVP-I or SS for 3 minutes. The wound was then irrigated with 2 L of saline and a second sample was collected. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-three subjects completed the protocol. Seventy-seven subjects were allocated to PVP-I (18 HR, 59 LR) and 76 to SS (19 HR, 57 LR). Cultures were positive in 18% (14/77) of PVP-I samples (2 HR, 12 LR) and in 17% (13/76) of SS samples (3 HR, 10 LR) preirrigation and in 16% (12/77) of PVP-I samples (5 HR, 7 LR) and in 18% (14/76) of SS samples (4 HR, 10 LR) postirrigation. Eight percent (3/37) HR subjects (1 PVP-I, 2 SS) experienced infection at 30 days postoperative. No LR subjects experienced infection. CONCLUSIONS: Positive cultures were similar across treatment and risk groups. The bacterial contamination of wounds before closure remains high regardless of irrigation type. A complete randomized controlled trial would be challenging to adequately power given the similarity of tissue positivity across groups. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II-pilot randomized controlled trial.

Patterns of Pain in Adolescents with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively characterize pain locations in slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) and evaluate pain locations as predictors of a delay in diagnosis. STUDY DESIGN: This was an institutional review board approved prospective study of 110 children who underwent surgery for SCFE at a tertiary children's hospital between 2009 and 2015. Standardized pain diagrams were completed by 107 children. Pain zones were designated via a composite diagram. Hips without hip pain were categorized as atypical; hips with hip pain were typical. RESULTS: In total, 122 hips were eligible for pain zone analysis. Seventy hips (57.4%) had hip pain. Atypical pain was present in 52 hips (42.6%), which included groin pain in 17 hips (13.9%), thigh/leg pain in 43 (35.2%), knee pain in 32 (26.2%), and posterolateral pain of the hip and leg in 13 (10.7%). A combination of pain zones was present in 48 hips (39.3%). Forty-nine percent of patients had more than 1 visit until diagnosis. The three most common pain locations for typical hips were hip, hip/thigh, and hip/knee pain (77.2% of typical hips). The 3 most common pain locations for atypical hips were isolated thigh, knee, and groin (65.4% of atypical hips). The least common pain presentations had a longer duration of symptoms (P = .04) and more healthcare visits before diagnosis (P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: A combination of pain locations is common in SCFE. Less frequent pain presentations may delay diagnosis. Delays in diagnosis continue despite education efforts.

A peripherally inserted central catheter line, inserted the day before surgery, decreases the time from induction to incision for spinal deformity surgery and safely provides central venous access during surgery: a pilot study.

Pediatric patients undergoing surgery for spinal deformity may benefit from central venous access to provide intraoperative monitoring and fluid resuscitation. For pediatric surgical patients requiring central access, we hypothesized that placing a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line preoperatively should decrease time from induction of anesthesia to incision and result in improved patient safety and decreased operating room charges. This was a retrospective, nonrandomized, and case comparison study. Clinical records of all children with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis or neuromuscular scoliosis treated surgically by the senior author between December 2007 and April 2012 were reviewed. Control group patients had a central venous catheter (CVC) placed by the anesthesiologist after induction of anesthesia. The trial group had a PICC placed under local anesthesia the day before surgery by an experienced vascular access team. The time from induction of anesthesia to the time for the surgical incision was determined for each study group. The CVC line placement charges were determined by the operating room time charges at $214/min. Charges saved were the mean time difference multiplied by the operating room time charge, less the charge for PICC line insertion ($1282). There were 29 neuromuscular patients, the mean age was 13 years (SD: 4 years). The mean time from induction to incision for the PICC group was 91 min [95% confidence interval (CI): 67-115 min] and for the CVC group 113 min (95% CI: 99-127 min, P=0.083). For this mean time difference of 22 min, the estimated cost savings would be $3426 per patient. There were 59 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, the mean age was 14 years (SD: 2 years). The mean time from induction to incision for the PICC group was 78 min (95% CI: 74-82 min) and for the CVC group 106 min (95% CI: 96-116 min, P≤0.001). For this mean time difference of 28 min, the estimated cost savings would be $4710 per patient. When planning central vascular access for a pediatric spine patient, placing central access the day before surgery can decrease the time from induction to incision, therefore decreasing time under general anesthesia, potentially improving patient safety, and overall value. Prospective research into the use of PICC lines in pediatric spinal fusion surgery is planned. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Predictors of variability in the length of surgery of posterior instrumented arthrodesis in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

The most common corrective surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is posterior instrumented spinal fusion, which is a relatively lengthy procedure. Longer procedures are known to have higher rates of negative outcomes and higher economic costs across the surgical specialties. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that influence the length of this operation in AIS patients. This was an institutional review board-approved, retrospective cohort study. All primary posterior instrumented arthrodesis procedures in 2011-2013 performed by three surgeons on AIS patients at a tertiary care hospital were included. Age, race, sex, BMI, Cobb angle, curve flexibility, Lenke classification, number of levels fused, number of screws used, osteotomy use, intraoperative O-arm use, and length of surgery (time from incision to closure) were obtained from the electronic medical record. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to determine independent predictors of length of surgery, and standardized regression coefficients were calculated to compare the relative magnitude of significant variables. A total of 95 procedures were included. The average length of surgery was 375 ± 72.7 min. The multivariable linear regression analysis contained the variables Cobb angle, number of screws used, osteotomy use, Lenke curve type, surgeon, patient age, and sex. The regression identified the number of screws used [ß=4.72, P=0.003, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7-7.8], osteotomy use (ß = 50.2, P = 0.004, 95% CI 16.2-84.1), Lenke type 3 curve (ß = 77.9, P = 0.001, 95% CI 31.7-174), male sex (ß=62.5, P=0.003, 95% CI 21.5-103), the Cobb angle (ß=1.04, P=0.045, 95% CI 0.02-2.1), and the surgeon (ß = 75.2, P < 0.0001, 95% CI 40-110) as independently associated with the length of surgery. The most significant factor associated with operative duration was the surgeon performing the case. We identified male sex, number of screws used, Lenke type 3 curves, osteotomy use, Cobb angle, and the surgeon variable as significantly associated with increased length of surgery in posterior arthrodesis of AIS patients.