Computed tomography assessment of robotic versus fluoroscopic implant accuracy in sacroiliac joint fusion.

OBJECTIVE: Computed tomography is considered the gold-standard imaging tool to evaluate spinal implant accuracy. However, there are no studies that evaluate the accuracy of robotic sacroiliac joint (SIJ) implant placement using CT to date. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of implant placement on CT between robotic and fluoroscopic navigation for SIJ fusion and the subsequent complications and clinical outcomes of suboptimally placed screws. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of SIJ fusions utilizing either robotic or fluoroscopic guidance at a single institution was conducted from 2014 to 2023. Implant placement accuracy was evaluated on intra- or postoperative CT. Primary endpoints were SIJ screw placement accuracy and complications. Secondary endpoints were pain status at the first and second follow-ups and rates of 2-year revision surgery. Statistical analysis was performed using chi-square tests. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients who underwent 78 SIJ fusions were included, of which 63 were robotic and 15 were fluoroscopic. The mean age of the cohort at the time of surgery was 55.9 ± 14.2 years, and 35 patients (50.7%) were female. There were 135 robotically placed and 34 fluoroscopically placed implants. A significant difference was found in implant placement accuracy between robotic and fluoroscopic fusion (97.8% vs 76.5%, p < 0.001). When comparing optimal versus suboptimal implant placement, no difference was found in the presence of 30-day complications (p = 0.98). No intraoperative complications were present in this cohort. No difference was found in subjective pain status at the first (p = 0.69) and second (p = 0.45) follow-ups between optimal and suboptimal implant placement. No patients underwent 2-year revision surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Use of robotic navigation was significantly more accurate than the use of fluoroscopic navigation for SIJ implant placement. Complications overall were low and not different between optimally and suboptimally placed implants. Suboptimally placed implants did not differ in degree of subjective pain improvement or rates of revision surgery postoperatively.

Risk factors of emergency department visits following elective cervical and lumbar surgical procedures: a multi-institution analysis from the Michigan Spine Surgery Improvement Collaborative.

OBJECTIVE: Emergency department visits 90 days after elective spinal surgery are relatively common, with rates ranging from 9% to 29%. Emergency visits are very costly, so their reduction is of importance. This study's objective was to evaluate the reasons for emergency department visits and determine potentially modifiable risk factors. METHODS: This study retrospectively reviewed data queried from the Michigan Spine Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MSSIC) registry from July 2020 to November 2021. MSSIC is a multicenter (28-hospital) registry of patients undergoing cervical and lumbar degenerative spinal surgery. Adult patients treated for elective cervical and/or lumbar spine surgery for degenerative pathology (spondylosis, intervertebral disc disease, low-grade spondylolisthesis) were included. Emergency department visits within 90 days of surgery (outcome measure) were analyzed utilizing univariate and multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS: Of 16,224 patients, 2024 (12.5%) presented to the emergency department during the study period, most commonly for pain related to spinal surgery (31.5%), abdominal problems (15.8%), and pain unrelated to the spinal surgery (12.8%). On multivariate analysis, age (per 5-year increase) (relative risk [RR] 0.94, 95% CI 0.92-0.95), college education (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.69-0.96), private insurance (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.70-0.89), and preoperative ambulation status (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.79-0.97) were associated with decreased emergency visits. Conversely, Black race (RR 1.30, 95% CI 1.13-1.51), current diabetes (RR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.26), history of deep venous thromboembolism (RR 1.28, 95% CI 1.16-1.43), history of depression (RR 1.13, 95% CI 1.03-1.25), history of anxiety (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.19-1.46), history of osteoporosis (RR 1.21, 95% CI 1.09-1.34), history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.06-1.34), American Society of Anesthesiologists class > II (RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.08-1.29), and length of stay > 3 days (RR 1.29, 95% CI 1.16-1.44) were associated with increased emergency visits. CONCLUSIONS: The most common reasons for emergency department visits were surgical pain, abdominal dysfunction, and pain unrelated to index spinal surgery. Increased focus on postoperative pain management and bowel regimen can potentially reduce emergency visits. The risks of diabetes, history of osteoporosis, depression, and anxiety are areas for additional preoperative screening.

Complications and Avoidance in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery.

Adult spinal deformity (ASD) is a complex disease that can result in significant disability. Although surgical treatment has been shown to be of benefit, the complication rate in the perioperative and postoperative periods can be as high as 70%. Some of the most common complications of ASD surgery include intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak, high blood loss, new neurologic deficit, hardware failure, proximal junctional kyphosis/failure, pseudarthrosis, surgical site infection, and medical complications. For each of these complications, one or more strategies can be utilized to avoid and/or minimize the consequences.

Patients with progression of spinal metastases who present to the clinic have better outcomes compared to those who present to the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: As cancer therapies have improved, spinal metastases are increasingly common. Resulting complications have a significant impact on patient's quality of life. Optimal methods of surveillance and avoidance of neurologic deficits are understudied. This study compares the clinical course of patients who initially presented to the emergency department (ED) versus a multidisciplinary spine oncology clinic and who underwent stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) secondary to progression/presentation of metastatic spine disease. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database of adult oncologic patients who underwent spinal SBRT at a single hospital from 2010 to 2021. Descriptive statistics and survival analyses were performed. RESULTS: We identified 498 spinal radiographic treatment sites in 390 patients. Of these patients, 118 (30.3%) presented to the ED. Patients presenting to the ED compared to the clinic had significantly more severe spinal compression (52.5% vs. 11.7%; p < 0.0001), severe pain (28.8% vs. 10.3%; p < 0.0001), weakness (24.5% vs. 4.5%; p < 0.0001), and difficulty walking (24.5% vs. 4.5%; p < 0.0001). Patients who presented to the ED compared to the clinic were significantly more likely to have surgical intervention followed by SBRT (55.4% vs. 15.3%; p < 0.0001) compared to SBRT alone. Patients who presented to the ED compared to the clinic had a significantly quicker interval to distant spine progression (5.1 ± 6.5 vs. 9.1 ± 10.2 months; p = 0.004), systemic progression (5.1 ± 7.2 vs. 9.2 ± 10.7 months; p < 0.0001), and worse overall survival (9.3 ± 10.0 vs. 14.3 ± 13.7 months; p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: The establishment of multidisciplinary spine oncology clinics is an opportunity to potentially allow for earlier, more data-driven treatment of their spinal metastatic disease.

Robotic versus nonrobotic sacroiliac joint fusion.

OBJECTIVE: Robot-assisted pedicle screw placement in spinal fusion has been well studied. However, few studies have evaluated robot-assisted sacroiliac joint (SIJ) fusion. The aim of this study was to compare surgical characteristics, accuracy, and complications between robot-assisted and fluoroscopically guided SIJ fusion. METHODS: A retrospective review of 110 patients with 121 SIJ fusions done at a single academic institution was conducted from 2014 to 2023. Inclusion criteria included adult age and a robot- or fluoroscopically guided approach to SIJ fusion. Patients were excluded if the SIJ fusion was part of a longer fusion construct, not minimally invasive, and/or had missing data. Demographics, approach type (robotic vs fluoroscopic), operative time, estimated blood loss (EBL), number of screws, intraoperative complications, 30-day complications, number of intraoperative fluoroscopic images (as a surrogate for radiation exposure), implant placement accuracy, and pain status at the first follow-up were recorded. Primary endpoints were SIJ screw placement accuracy and complications. Secondary endpoints were operative time, radiation exposure, and pain status at the first follow-up. RESULTS: Ninety patients were included who underwent a total of 101 SIJ fusions, of which 78 were robotic and 23 were fluoroscopic. The mean age of the cohort at the time of surgery was 55.9 ± 13.8 years; 46 patients were females (51.1%). No difference was found in screw placement accuracy between robotic and fluoroscopic fusion (1.3% vs 8.7%, p = 0.06). Chi-square analysis of robotic versus fluoroscopic fusion found no difference in the presence of 30-day complications (p = 0.62). Mann-Whitney U-test analysis found that robotic fusion had a significantly longer operative time than fluoroscopic fusion (72.0 vs 61.0 minutes, p = 0.01); however, robot-assisted fusions involved significantly lower radiation exposure (26.7 vs 187.4 fluoroscopic images, p < 0.001). No difference in EBL was noted (p = 0.17). No intraoperative complications were present in this cohort. Subgroup analysis comparing the 23 most recent robotic cases against the 23 fluoroscopic cases found that robotic fusion still was associated with significantly longer operative times than fluoroscopic fusion (74.0 ± 26.4 vs 61.0 ± 14.9 minutes, respectively; p = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: SIJ screw placement accuracy did not significantly differ between robot-assisted and fluoroscopic SIJ fusion. Complications overall were low and similar between the two groups. The operative time was longer with robotic assistance, but there was markedly less radiation exposure to the surgeon and staff.

Local Control in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma to the Spine: The Experience of an Institution with a Multidisciplinary Spine Oncology Program.

BACKGROUND: The outcomes for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) to the spine who underwent stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) through a multidisciplinary spine oncology program are not well described. We sought to describe the clinical course and local control rates at 1 and 2 years for these patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database of adult oncologic patients receiving SBRT to the spine through a multidisciplinary spine oncology program at a single institution from 2010 to 2021 was performed. Patients with a pathologic diagnosis of RCC were included. RESULTS: A total of 75 spinal sites were treated in 60 patients. Of the 60 patients, 75.0% were men, and the mean patient age was 59.2 ± 11.3 years. At 1 year after treatment, 6 of the 60 patients were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 54 patients, 18 were censored by death and 7 treatment sites showed local recurrence, for 37 of 44 treatment sites with local control (87.8%). At 2 years, 1 additional local recurrence had developed, 15 patients were censored by death, and no additional patients had been lost to follow-up, resulting in 28 of 36 treatment sites with local control (83.2%). None of the patients who had undergone repeat SBRT had local recurrence at 1 or 2 years. For those with local recurrence, the average time from treatment to progression was 6.6 ± 6.5 months. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, one of the largest reported studies of spine SBRT for metastatic RCC, local control was high at 1 and 2 years. Our findings support the role of coordinated, algorithmic treatment for these patients.

How closely are outcome questionnaires correlated to patient satisfaction after cervical spine surgery for myelopathy?

OBJECTIVE: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have become the standard means to measure surgical outcomes. Insurers and policy makers are also increasingly utilizing PROs to assess the value of care and measure different aspects of a patient's condition. For cervical myelopathy, it is currently unclear which outcome measure best reflects patient satisfaction. In this investigation, the authors evaluated patients treated for cervical myelopathy to determine which outcome questionnaires best correlate with patient satisfaction. METHODS: The Quality Outcomes Database (QOD), a prospectively collected multi-institutional database, was used to retrospectively analyze patients undergoing surgery for cervical myelopathy. The North American Spine Society (NASS) satisfaction index, Neck Disability Index (NDI), numeric rating scales for neck pain (NP-NRS) and arm pain (AP-NRS), EQ-5D, and modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scale were evaluated. RESULTS: The analysis included 1141 patients diagnosed with myelopathy, of whom 1099 had an NASS satisfaction index recorded at any of the follow-up time points. Concomitant radiculopathy was an indication for surgery in 368 (33.5%) patients, and severe neck pain (NP-NRS ≥ 7) was present in 471 (42.8%) patients. At the 3-month follow-up, NASS patient satisfaction index scores were positively correlated with scores for the NP-NRS (r = 0.30), AP-NRS (r = 0.32), and NDI (r = 0.36) and negatively correlated with EQ-5D (r = -0.38) and mJOA (r = -0.29) scores (all p < 0.001). At the 12-month follow-up, scores for the NASS index were positively correlated with scores for the NP-NRS (r = 0.44), AP-NRS (r = 0.38), and NDI (r = 0.46) and negatively correlated with scores for the EQ-5D (r = -0.40) and mJOA (r = -0.36) (all p < 0.001). At the 24-month follow-up, NASS index scores were positively correlated with NP-NRS (r = 0.49), AP-NRS (r = 0.36), and NDI (r = 0.49) scores and negatively correlated with EQ-5D (r = -0.44) and mJOA (r = -0.38) scores (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Neck pain was highly prevalent in patients with myelopathy. Notably, improvement in neck pain-associated disability rather than improvement in myelopathy was the most prominent PRO factor for patients. This finding may reflect greater patient concern for active pain symptoms than for neurological symptoms caused by myelopathy. As commercial payers begin to examine novel remuneration strategies for surgical interventions, thoughtful analysis of PRO measurements will have increasing relevance.

Alternatives to DEXA for the assessment of bone density: a systematic review of the literature and future recommendations.

OBJECTIVE: Osteoporosis has significant implications in spine fusion surgery, for which reduced spinal bone mineral density (BMD) can result in complications and poorer outcomes. Currently, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is the gold standard for radiographic diagnosis of osteoporosis, although DEXA accuracy may be limited by the presence of degenerative spinal pathology. In recent years, there has been an evolving interest in using alternative imaging, including CT and MRI, to assess BMD. In this systematic review of the literature, the authors assessed the use and effectiveness of MRI, opportunistic CT (oCT), and quantitative CT (qCT) to measure BMD. METHODS: In accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, the authors conducted a systematic search for articles posted on PubMed between the years 2000 and 2022 by using the keywords "opportunistic CT, quantitative CT, MRI" AND "bone density" AND "spine." Inclusion criteria consisted of articles written in English that reported studies pertaining to human or cadaveric subjects, and studies including a measure of spinal BMD. Articles not related to spinal BMD, osteoporosis, or spinal surgery or reports of studies that did not include the use of spinal MRI or CT were excluded. Key study outcomes were extracted from included articles, and qualitative analysis was subsequently performed. RESULTS: The literature search yielded 302 articles. Forty-two articles reported studies that met the final inclusion criteria. Eighteen studies utilized MRI protocols to correlate spinal BMD with vertebral bone quality scores, M-scores, and quantitative perfusion markers. Eight studies correlated oCT with spinal BMD, and 16 studies correlated qCT with spinal BMD. With oCT and qCT imaging, there was consensus that Hounsfield unit (HU) values > 160 demonstrated significant reduction in risk of osteoporosis, whereas HU values < 110 were significantly correlated with osteoporosis. CONCLUSIONS: Osteoporosis is increasingly recognized as a significant risk factor for complications after spinal fusion surgery. Consequently, preoperative assessment of BMD is a critical factor to consider in planning surgical treatment. Although DEXA has been the gold standard for BMD measurement, other imaging modalities, including MRI, oCT, and qCT, appear to be viable alternatives and may offer cost and time savings.

Acute Flaccid Myelitis: Review of Clinical Features, Diagnosis, and Management with Nerve Transfers.

BACKGROUND: Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a devastating neurologic condition in children, manifesting as acute limb weakness and/or paralysis. Despite increased awareness of AFM following initiation of U.S. surveillance in 2014, no treatment consensus exists. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the most current knowledge regarding AFM epidemiology, cause, clinical features, diagnosis, and supportive and operative management, including nerve transfer. METHODS: The authors systematically reviewed the literature based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines using multiple databases to search the keywords ("acute flaccid myelitis"), ('acute flaccid myelitis'/exp OR 'acute flaccid myelitis'), and (Acute AND flaccid AND myelitis). Included articles reported on (1) AFM diagnosis and (2) patient-specific data regarding epidemiology, cause, clinical features, diagnostic features, or management of AFM. RESULTS: Ninety-nine articles were included in this review. The precise cause and pathophysiologic mechanism of AFM remain undetermined, but AFM is strongly associated with nonpolio enterovirus infections. Clinical presentation typically comprises preceding viral prodrome, pleocytosis, spinal cord lesions on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, and acute onset of flaccid weakness/paralysis with hyporeflexia in at least one extremity. Supportive care includes medical therapy and rehabilitation. Early studies of nerve transfer for AFM have shown favorable outcomes for patients with persistent weakness. CONCLUSIONS: Supportive care and physical therapy are the foundation of a multidisciplinary approach to managing AFM. For patients with persistent limb weakness, nerve transfer has shown promise for improving function in distal muscle groups. Surgeons must consider potential spontaneous recovery, patient selection, donor nerve availability, recipient nerve appropriateness, and procedure timing.

Intrathecal Medication From Pain Pump Caused Prolonged Alteration in Mental Status Following Decompression of Severe Spinal Stenosis.

Intrathecal drug delivery (IDD) has multiple indications, including chronic pain, spasticity, and spinal cord injury. Patients with an IDD device implanted who are undergoing decompressive spinal surgery may be at risk for intrathecal (IT) drug overdose in the perioperative setting. The present report describes a patient with an IDD device who underwent elective spinal surgery that was complicated by prolonged, severe alteration in mental status over several days, requiring discontinuation of his IT medications. The patient eventually returned to his neurological baseline by postoperative day 14. In the setting of severe spinal stenosis cranially in relation to an IDD device, consideration for weaning IT medications prior to elective surgery is recommended to avoid potential IT overdose. Patients undergoing weaning should be monitored for signs and symptoms of medication withdrawal.

Rapid Automated Analysis of Skull Base Tumor Specimens Using Intraoperative Optical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence.

BACKGROUND: Accurate specimen analysis of skull base tumors is essential for providing personalized surgical treatment strategies. Intraoperative specimen interpretation can be challenging because of the wide range of skull base pathologies and lack of intraoperative pathology resources. OBJECTIVE: To develop an independent and parallel intraoperative workflow that can provide rapid and accurate skull base tumor specimen analysis using label-free optical imaging and artificial intelligence. METHODS: We used a fiber laser-based, label-free, nonconsumptive, high-resolution microscopy method (<60 seconds per 1 × 1 mm2), called stimulated Raman histology (SRH), to image a consecutive, multicenter cohort of patients with skull base tumor. SRH images were then used to train a convolutional neural network model using 3 representation learning strategies: cross-entropy, self-supervised contrastive learning, and supervised contrastive learning. Our trained convolutional neural network models were tested on a held-out, multicenter SRH data set. RESULTS: SRH was able to image the diagnostic features of both benign and malignant skull base tumors. Of the 3 representation learning strategies, supervised contrastive learning most effectively learned the distinctive and diagnostic SRH image features for each of the skull base tumor types. In our multicenter testing set, cross-entropy achieved an overall diagnostic accuracy of 91.5%, self-supervised contrastive learning 83.9%, and supervised contrastive learning 96.6%. Our trained model was able to segment tumor-normal margins and detect regions of microscopic tumor infiltration in meningioma SRH images. CONCLUSION: SRH with trained artificial intelligence models can provide rapid and accurate intraoperative analysis of skull base tumor specimens to inform surgical decision-making.

Neurosurgical patients admitted via the emergency department initiating comfort care measures: a prospective cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: Given the serious nature of many neurosurgical pathologies, it is common for hospitalized patients to elect comfort care (CC) over aggressive treatment. Few studies have evaluated the incidence and risk factors of CC trends in patients admitted for neurosurgical emergencies. OBJECTIVES: To analyze all neurosurgical patients admitted to a tertiary care academic referral center via the emergency department (ED) to determine incidence and characteristics of those who initiated CC measures during their initial hospital admission. METHODS: We performed a prospective, cohort analysis of all consecutive adult patients admitted to the neurosurgical service via the ED between October 2018 and May 2019. The primary outcome was the initiation of CC measures during the patient's hospital admission. CC was defined as cessation of life-sustaining measures and a shift in focus to maintaining the comfort and dignity of the patient. RESULTS: Of the 428 patients admitted during the 7-month period, 29 (6.8%) initiated CC measures within 4.0 ± 4.0 days of admission. Patients who entered CC were significantly more likely to have a medical history of cerebrovascular disease (58.6% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.006), dementia (17.2% vs. 1.5%, p = 0.0004), or cancer with metastatic disease (24.1% vs. 7.0%, p = 0.001). Patients with a presenting pathology associated with cerebrovascular disease were significantly more likely to initiate CC (62.1% vs. 35.3, p = 0.04). Patients who underwent emergent surgery were significantly more likely to enter CC compared with those who had elective surgery (80.0% vs. 42.7%, p = 0.02). Only 10 of the 29 (34.5%) patients who initiated CC underwent a neurosurgical operation (p = 0.002). Twenty of the 29 (69.0%) patients died within 0.8 ± 0.8 days after the initiation of CC measures. CONCLUSION: CC measures were initiated in 6.8% of patients admitted to the neurosurgical service via the ED, with the majority of patients entering CC before an operation and presenting with a cerebrovascular pathology.

The Predictive Value of the HOSPITAL Score and LACE Index for an Adult Neurosurgical Population: A Prospective Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The HOSPITAL score (HS) and LACE index (LI) are 2 validated methods for quantifying the risk of 30-day unplanned readmission after discharge. However, neither score has been validated in the neurosurgical population. This study evaluated the HS and LI in the neurosurgical population as effective predictors for 30-day unplanned readmission. METHODS: We performed a prospective, cohort analysis of all consecutive adult patients admitted to the neurosurgical service between October 1, 2018 and May 1, 2019. Patient medical records were used to calculate HS and LI. HS defined groups as low risk (0-4), intermediate (5-6), and high (7-12); LI defined risk as low (1-4), moderate (5-9), and high (10-19). Data analysis used univariate and multivariate logistic regressions. RESULTS: The 1242 patients included 626 women (50.4%). The average age was 57.9 years, and most patients (86.5%) underwent surgery during their admission. In multivariate logistic regression, intermediate-risk HS was not predictive of 30-day readmission (odds ratio [OR], 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57-1.88; P = 0.53), whereas high-risk HS did predict readmission (OR, 2.87; 95% CI, 1.49-5.54; P = 0.002). Likewise, moderate-risk LI was not predictive of 30-day unplanned readmission or mortality (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 0.88-2.85; P = 0.12); however, high-risk LI did predict unplanned readmission or mortality (OR, 2.58; 95% CI, 1.16-5.73; P = 0.02). Both HS and LI showed poor to moderate discrimination (C = 0.62 and 0.60, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: A high-risk HS and high-risk LI were predictive of 30-day unplanned readmission. Although neither score is ideal for predicting moderate risk for 30-day unplanned readmission in neurosurgical patients, both have some predictiveness that may be clinically valuable.

Validation of the LACE Index (Length of Stay, Acuity of Admission, Comorbidities, Emergency Department Use) in the Adult Neurosurgical Patient Population.

BACKGROUND: The LACE index (Length of stay, Acuity of admission, Comorbidities, Emergency department use) quantifies the risk of mortality or unplanned readmission within 30 d after hospital discharge. The index was validated originally in a large, general population and, subsequently, in several specialties, not including neurosurgery. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the LACE index accurately predicts mortality and unplanned readmission of neurosurgery patients within 30 d of discharge. METHODS: We performed a retrospective, cohort study of consecutive neurosurgical procedures between January 1 and September 29, 2017 at our institution. The LACE index and other clinical data were abstracted. Data analysis included univariate and multivariate logistic regressions. RESULTS: Of the 1,054 procedures on 974 patients, 52.7% were performed on females. Mean age was 54.2 ± 15.4 yr. At time of discharge, the LACE index was low (1-4) in 58.3% of patients, moderate (5-9) in 32.4%, and high (10-19) in 9.3%. Rates of readmission and mortality within 30 d were 7.0, 11.4, and 14.3% in the low-, moderate-, and high-risk groups, respectively. Moderate-risk (odds ratio [OR] 1.62, 95% CI 1.02-2.56, P = .04) and high-risk LACE indexes (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.15-4.19, P = .02) were associated with greater odds of readmission or mortality, adjusting for all variables. Additionally, longer operations (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.02-1.21, P = .02) had greater odds of readmission. Specificity of the high-risk score to predict 30-d readmission or mortality was 91.2%. CONCLUSION: A moderate- or high-risk LACE index can be applied to neurosurgical populations to predict 30-d readmission and mortality. Longer operations are potential predictors of readmission or mortality.

Thirty-Day Hospital Readmission and Surgical Complication Rates for Shunting in Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: A Large National Database Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Research on age-related complications secondary to shunts in normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is primarily limited to single-center studies and small cohorts. OBJECTIVE: To determine the rates of hospital readmission and surgical complications, and factors that predict them, following shunt surgery for NPH in a large healthcare network. METHODS: Surgical procedures, complications, and readmissions for adults undergoing ventricular shunting for NPH were determined using de-identified claims from a privately insured United States healthcare network in years 2007-2014. Univariate and multivariate statistics were used to determine factors that predict poor surgical outcomes. The primary outcome variable was surgical complications or readmissions (composite variable for any major perioperative complication or 30-d readmission). RESULTS: The 30-d readmission rate for 974 patients with NPH who underwent ventricular shunting was 7.29%; the most common reasons for readmission were shunt-related complications, infection, hemorrhage, altered mental status, and cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal problems. The perioperative complication rate was 21.15%, including intraparenchymal hemorrhage (5.85%) and extra-axial (subdural or epidural) hematoma (5.54%). The overall rate of having a surgical complication or 30-d readmission was 25.15%. Age did not predict surgical complication or 30-d readmission. Preoperative comorbidities independently associated with poor outcome were myocardial infarction within 1 yr (OR = 3.984, 95% CI = 1.105-14.368); existing cerebrovascular disease (odds ratio [OR] = 2.206, 95% CI = 1.544-3.152); and moderate/severe renal disease (OR = 2.000, 95% CI = 1.155-3.464). CONCLUSION: The rate of complications or readmission within 30 d of ventricular shunting for NPH is 25.15%. Preoperative comorbidities of myocardial infarction within 1 yr, cerebrovascular disease, and moderate/severe renal disease are independent risk factors for poor outcome.

Length of Stay Beyond Medical Readiness in Neurosurgical Patients: A Prospective Analysis.

BACKGROUND: In an era of growing healthcare costs, there is increased pressure on medical care providers to discharge patients once they are medically fit. However, it is not uncommon for patients to stay beyond medical readiness (BMR). OBJECTIVE: To analyze the frequency with which patients remain in the hospital BMR. METHODS: A prospective cohort analysis utilizing a database maintained between 2014 and 2015 included 718 adults admitted to the neurosurgical service. The attending for admitted patients was asked on a daily basis as to whether the patient was medically cleared for discharge. Standard statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS: Of the 718 patients, 105 (14.6%) remained in the hospital BMR. Of the patients who presented with a spinal pathology, 17.8% had a length of stay (LOS)-BMR compared to 13.9% who presented with cerebrovascular pathologies and 14.8% who presented with a brain tumor. The average LOS-BMR was 1.8 d. Only 7.7% of patients who were discharged home had an LOS-BMR compared to 30.7% of patients who were discharged to a skilled nursing facility or rehabilitation center (P < .001). In logistic regression, a physical therapy consultation and discharge to a specialized nursing facility were both associated with a longer LOS (average 2.4 d longer, P < .001, and 6.2 d longer, P = .028, respectively). However, neither was associated with an LOS-BMR. CONCLUSION: LOS-BMR is an important process engineering concept within neurosurgery that represents a potential area for improvement to maximize limited healthcare resources. A sizeable portion of neurosurgical patients remained in the hospital BMR.

Complications in Patients Undergoing Microsurgical Clipping of Intracranial Aneurysms with Pre-existing Ventriculoperitoneal Shunts Following a Cranial Procedure.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with ventriculoperitoneal/pleural (VP) shunts occasionally must undergo subsequent craniotomy, craniectomy, or cranioplasty. Due to changes in pressure dynamics following shunt placement, we hypothesized that such patients may have an increased risk of developing symptomatic collections of extra-axial blood, fluid, and/or air postoperatively, leading to longer stays and worse outcomes compared to those undergoing cranial operations without a VP shunt. METHODS: From a retrospective cohort of patients who underwent cranial operations for management of cerebral aneurysms in 2005-2014, we identified patients who previously had a VP shunt placed, determined the temporal relationship between shunt placement and cranial operation, and investigated outcomes in those with and without a shunt. RESULTS: Of 818 patients who underwent cranial operations, 28 (3.4%) had a VP shunt. Four of these 28 (14.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.0%-32.7%) developed postoperative complications, compared to 42 of 790 (5.3%, 95% CI 4.0%-7.1%) without a history of VP shunt (P = .07). In addition, patients with a shunt were more likely to have longer cranial procedures (P = .04), longer hospital stays (P = .05), and more computed tomography scans during their craniotomy-associated admission (P = .002). Multivariate analysis, though not significant, demonstrated that the presence of a shunt contributed to the development of complications (odds ratio [OR] 2.24, 95% CI .70-7.13, P = .17). Length of surgery (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.04-1.31, P = .01) and length of stay (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.07, P = .01) were significantly longer in those with a postoperative complication. CONCLUSION: We found a nonsignificant trend toward increased postoperative complications in patients with a VP shunt who underwent a subsequent cranial operation.

Incidence of the initiation of comfort care immediately following emergent neurosurgical and endovascular procedures.

OBJECTIVE: It is unknown what proportion of patients who undergo emergent neurosurgical procedures initiate comfort care (CC) measures shortly after the operation. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the proportion and predictive factors of patients who initiated CC measures within the same hospital admission after undergoing emergent neurosurgery. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included all adult patients who underwent emergent neurosurgical and endovascular procedures at a single center between 2009 and 2014. Primary and secondary outcomes were initiation of CC measures during the initial hospitalization and determination of predictive factors, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 1295 operations, comfort care was initiated in 111 (8.6%) during the initial admission. On average, CC was initiated 9.3 ± 10.0 days postoperatively. One-third of the patients switched to CC within 3 days. In multivariate analysis, patients > 70 years of age were significantly more likely to undergo CC than those < 50 years (70-79 years, p = 0.004; > 80 years, p = 0.0001). Two-thirds of CC patients had been admitted with a cerebrovascular pathology (p < 0.001). Admission diagnosis of cerebrovascular pathology was a significant predictor of initiating CC (p < 0.0001). A high Hunt and Hess grade of IV or V in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage was significantly associated with initiation of CC compared to a low grade (27.1% vs 2.9%, p < 0.001). Surgery starting between 15:01 and 06:59 hours had a 1.70 times greater odds of initiating CC compared to surgery between 07:00 and 15:00. CONCLUSIONS: Initiation of CC after emergent neurosurgical and endovascular procedures is relatively common, particularly when an elderly patient presents with a cerebrovascular pathology after typical operating hours.

Erratum: Author Correction: Identification and targeting of an FGFR fusion in a pediatric thalamic "central oligodendroglioma".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/s41698-017-0036-8.].