Methylprednisolone in acute traumatic spinal cord injury: case-matched outcomes from the NASCIS2 and Sygen historical spinal cord injury studies with contemporary statistical analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Methylprednisolone (MP) to treat acute traumatic spinal cord injury (ATSCI) remains controversial since the release of the second National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (NASCIS2) in 1990. As two historical studies, NASCIS2 and Sygen in ATSCI, used identical MP dosages, it was possible to construct a new case-level pooled ATSCI data set satisfying contemporary criteria and able to clarify the effect of MP. METHODS: The new pooled data set was first modernized by excluding patients with injury levels caudal to T10, lower-extremity American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) motor scores (LEMSs) ≥ 46, Glasgow Coma Scale scores ≤ 11, and age < 15 or > 75 years, and then standardized to the ASIA grading and scoring format. A new updated NASCIS2 data set from this pooled data set contained 31.6% fewer patients than the 1990 NASCIS2 data set. RESULTS: In the new pooled data set, recovery of LEMSs from baseline to 26 weeks, the primary outcome variable, was separated statistically into five different injury severity cohorts (p < 0.0001). The severity cohorts contained groups with severe floor (62.9%) and ceiling (10.7%) effects, which do not contribute to drug effects. The new NASCIS2 data set duplicated the p value for MP versus placebo in the sub-subgroup analysis of MP initiated ≤ 8 hours (the subgroup) and recovery of motor function on only the right side of the body (a further subgroup within the ≤ 8-hour subgroup), presented as the positive MP effect in the original NASCIS2 reporting. However, current statistical interpretation considers results seen only in post hoc sub-subgroups, without multi-test corrections, to be random effects without clinical significance. The combined case-level pooled data set from the NASCIS2 and Sygen studies increased the MP group from 106 to 431 patients, creating a new MP combined group. This new data set served as a surrogate for a contemporary MP study and found that administration of MP did not enhance ASIA motor score improvement in the lower extremities at 26 weeks. Secondary analysis of descending ASIA motor and sensory cervical neurological levels in cervical ATSCI patients at 26 weeks also found no MP drug effect. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of both the new updated NASCIS2 data set and the new case-matched pooled data set from two historical ATSCI studies revealed that administration of MP after spinal cord injury did not demonstrate any enhancement in neurological recovery at 26 weeks. The results of this analysis warrant review by clinical guideline groups.

Adverse effects of frailty on the outcomes of surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy: results from a prospective multicenter international data set of 757 patients.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to determine the effect of the degree of frailty on long-term neurological and functional outcomes after surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). METHODS: A combined database of patients enrolled in the Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy-North America and Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy-International prospective international multicenter observational studies who underwent surgery for DCM was used as the source data. All patients underwent baseline and follow-up assessment at 2 years after surgery for functional, disability, and quality of life measurements (modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association [mJOA] scale, Neck Disability Index, SF-36 physical and mental component summary scores). Patients were separated into 4 groups according to their baseline modified frailty index 5-point scale score: not frail, pre-frail, frail, and severely frail. Differences among groups were analyzed at baseline and at 2 years after surgery, including change in scores (delta values) and the odds ratio of achieving the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) through univariate and multivariable logistic regression adjusting for age, approach, number of levels treated, and sex. RESULTS: A total of 757 patients (63% male) with a mean age of 56 (95% CI 55.5-57.2) years were included: 470 patients underwent an anterior approach, 310 had a posterior approach, and 23 had a combined anterior/posterior approach. A total of 50% (n = 378) of patients were classified as not frail, with 33% (n = 250) pre-frail, 13% (n = 101) frail, and 4% (n = 28) severely frail. The baseline mJOA score was significantly lower with increasing frailty (14.00 [95% CI 13.75-14.19] for not frail vs 9.71 [95% CI 9.01-10.42] for severely frail patients; p < 0.05), but the change at 2 years was not significantly different among all groups (2.43 [95% CI 2.16-2.71] for not frail vs 2.56 [95% CI 1.10-4.02] for severely frail). The SF-36 delta values were also not different among groups, but significantly worse at baseline with increasing frailty. The odds ratio of achieving MCID for mJOA was significantly higher in the not frail group (1.89 [95% CI 1.36-2.61]; p < 0.05) compared to the other frailty cohorts, which remained after adjusting for age, approach, levels treated, and sex. The odds ratio of achieving MCID for the SF-36 domains was similar among all frailty groups. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing frailty is associated with worse baseline functional and quality of life measures in patients undergoing surgery for DCM. Frailty does not affect the magnitude of improvement in outcome measures after surgery, but reduces the chance of achieving the MCID for functional impairment significantly. Preoperative frailty assessment can therefore help guide clinicians in managing expectations after surgery for DCM. Potentially modifiable factors should be optimized in frail patients preoperatively to enhance functional outcomes.

Cerebellopontine angle metastasis of a parotid mucoepidermoid carcinoma arising from perineural invasion along the facial nerve.

A 72-year-old male was referred with left sided hearing loss, tinnitus and disequilibrium with radiological appearances suggestive of an intracanalicular left vestibular schwannoma. The patient then developed left sided trigeminal nerve sensory loss over the next 9 months with an enlarging parotid swelling. The eventual diagnosis was a destructive lesion in the left cerebellopontine angle (CPA) arising from metastatic perineural invasion along the facial nerve by a parotid mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Surgical resection and targeted beam radiotherapy achieved a survival period of 9 months.

Frailty is an important predictor of 30-day morbidity in patients treated for lumbar spondylolisthesis using a posterior surgical approach.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Traditionally, a nonoperative approach has been favored for elderly patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis due to a perceived higher risk of morbidity with surgery. However, most studies have used an arbitrary age cut-off to define "elderly" and this research has yielded conflicting results. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of frailty on morbidity after surgery for degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis treated with a posterior approach. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study was performed. PATIENT SAMPLE: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database, with years 2010 to 2018 included in this study. Patients who received posterior lumbar spine decompression with or without single level posterior instrumented fusion for degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis were included. Patients who received anterior and/or lateral approaches were excluded. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was Clavien-Dindo grade IV complication. Secondary outcomes were readmission, reoperation, and discharge to location other than home. METHODS: Patient demographics and comorbidities were extracted. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between outcomes and the Modified Frailty Index-5, adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, smoking status, and surgical procedure performed. A sub-analysis was done to assess the effect of frailty in three different age groups (18-45 years, 46-65 years, and >65 years) for the two surgical cohorts. RESULTS: There were 15,658 patients in this study. The mean age was 62.5 years. Approximately 70% of the patients received decompression with fusion. Frailty was significantly associated with an increased risk of major complication, unplanned readmission, reoperation, and non-home discharge. The risk increased with increasing frailty. For patients who received decompression, frailty was associated with a higher risk of readmission and non-home discharge in patients >65 years. For patients who received decompression and fusion, frailty was associated with a higher risk of complications, readmission, and non-home discharge in patients >65 years. CONCLUSIONS: Frailty is independently associated with a higher risk of morbidity after posterior surgery in patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis, especially in patients older than 65. These data are of significance to clinicians in planning treatment for these patients.

Establishing Diagnostic Criteria for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy [AO Spine RECODE-DCM Research Priority Number 3].

STUDY DESIGN: Narrative review. OBJECTIVES: To discuss the importance of establishing diagnostic criteria in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM), including factors that must be taken into account and challenges that must be overcome in this process. METHODS: Literature review summarising current evidence of establishing diagnostic criteria for DCM. RESULTS: Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) is characterised by a degenerative process of the cervical spine resulting in chronic spinal cord dysfunction and subsequent neurological disability. Diagnostic delays lead to progressive neurological decline with associated reduction in quality of life for patients. Surgical decompression may halt neurologic worsening and, in many cases, improves function. Therefore, making a prompt diagnosis of DCM in order to facilitate early surgical intervention is a clinical priority in DCM. CONCLUSION: There are often extensive delays in the diagnosis of DCM. Presently, no single set of diagnostic criteria exists for DCM, making it challenging for clinicians to make the diagnosis. Earlier diagnosis and subsequent specialist referral could lead to improved patient outcomes using existing treatment modalities.

Improving Awareness Could Transform Outcomes in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy [AO Spine RECODE-DCM Research Priority Number 1].

STUDY DESIGN: Literature Review (Narrative). OBJECTIVE: To introduce the number one research priority for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM): Raising Awareness. METHODS: Raising awareness has been recognized by AO Spine RECODE-DCM as the number one research priority. This article reviews the evidence that awareness is low, the potential drivers, and why this must be addressed. Case studies of success from other diseases are also reviewed, drawing potential parallels and opportunities for DCM. RESULTS: DCM may affect as many as 1 in 50 adults, yet few will receive a diagnosis and those that do will wait many years for it. This leads to poorer outcomes from surgery and greater disability. DCM is rarely featured in healthcare professional training programs and has received relatively little research funding (<2% of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or Multiple Sclerosis over the last 25 years). The transformation of stroke and acute coronary syndrome services, from a position of best supportive care with occasional surgery over 50 years ago, to avoidable disability today, represents transferable examples of success and potential opportunities for DCM. Central to this is raising awareness. CONCLUSION: Despite the devastating burden on the patient, recognition across research, clinical practice, and healthcare policy are limited. DCM represents a significant unmet need that must become an international public health priority.

Inter-rater Reliability of the Modified Japanese Orthopedic Association Score in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: A Cross-sectional Study.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cross-sectional blinded-assessor cohort study. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the inter-rater reliability of the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score in a large cohort of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) patients. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The mJOA score is widely accepted as the primary outcome measure in DCM; it has been utilized in clinical practice guidelines and directly influences treatment recommendations, but its reliability has not been established. METHODS: A refined version of the mJOA was administered to DCM patients by two or more blinded clinicians. Inter-rater reliability was measured using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), agreement, and mean difference for mJOA total score and subscores. Data were also analyzed with analysis of variance for differences by mJOA severity (mild: 15-17, moderate: 12-14, severe: <12), assessor, assessment order, previous surgery, age, and sex. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-four DCM patients underwent 322 mJOA assessments (183 paired assessments). ICC was 0.88 for total mJOA, 0.79 for upper extremity (UE) motor, 0.84 for lower extremity (LE) motor, 0.63 for UE sensation, and 0.78 for urinary function subscores. Paired assessments were identical across all four subscores in 25%. The mean difference in mJOA was 0.93 points between assessors, and this differed by severity (mild: 0.68, moderate: 1.24, severe: 0.87, P = 0.001). Differences of ≥ 2 points occurred in 19%. Disagreement between mild and moderate severity occurred in 12% of patients. Other variables did not demonstrate significant relationships with mJOA scores. CONCLUSION: The inter-rater reliability of total mJOA and its subscores is good, except for UE sensory function (moderate). However, the vast majority of assessments differed between observers, indicating that this measure should be interpreted carefully, particularly when near the threshold between severity categories, or when a patient is reassessed for deterioration. Further efforts to educate clinicians on administration and to refine the UE sensory subscore may enhance the reliability of this tool.Level of Evidence: 1.

Frailty adversely affects outcomes of patients undergoing spine surgery: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: With an aging population, there are an increasing number of elderly patients undergoing spine surgery. Recent literature in other surgical specialties suggest frailty to be an important predictor of outcomes. PURPOSE: The aim of this review was to examine the association between frailty and outcomes after spine surgery. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review was performed. PATIENT SAMPLE: Electronic databases from 1946 to 2020 were searched to identify articles on frailty and spine surgery. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was adverse events. Secondary outcomes included other measures of morbidity, mortality, and patient outcomes. METHODS: Sample size, mean age, age limitation, data source, study design, primary pathology, surgical procedure performed, follow-up period, assessment of frailty used, surgical outcomes, and impact of frailty on outcomes were extracted from eligible studies. Quality and bias were assessed using the PRISMA 27-point item checklist and the QUADAS-2 tool. RESULTS: Thirty-two studies were selected for review, with a total of 127,813 patients. There were eight different frailty indices/measures. Regardless of how frailty was measured, frailty was associated with an increased risk of adverse events, mortality, extended length of stay, readmission, and nonhome discharge. CONCLUSION: There is strong evidence that frailty is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality in patients who received spine surgery. However, it remains inconclusive whether frailty impacts patient outcomes and quality of life after surgery.

In-hospital Course and Complications of Laminectomy Alone Versus Laminectomy Plus Instrumented Posterolateral Fusion for Lumbar Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: A Retrospective Analysis of 1804 Patients from the NSQIP Database.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of data from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP). OBJECTIVE: We sought to compare the short-term outcomes of laminectomy with/without fusion for single-level lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Lumbar DS is a common cause of low back and radicular pain. Controversy remains over the safety and efficacy of fusion in addition to standard decompressive surgery. METHODS: Patients with lumbar DS who underwent laminectomy alone or laminectomy plus posterolateral fusion at a single level were identified from the 2012-2017 NSQIP database. Outcomes included 30-day mortality, major complication, reoperation, readmission, as well as operative duration, need for blood transfusion, length of stay (LOS), and discharge destination. Outcomes were compared between treatment groups by multivariable regression, adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities (modified Frailty Index). Effect sizes were reported by adjusted odds ratio (aOR) or mean difference (aMD). RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 1804 patients; of these, 802 underwent laminectomy alone and 1002 laminectomy plus fusion. On both unadjusted and adjusted analyses, there was no difference in 30-day mortality, major complications, reoperation, or readmission. However, laminectomy plus fusion was associated with longer operative time (170.0 vs. 152.7 minutes; aMD 16.00 minutes, P < 0.001), longer hospital LOS (3.2 vs. 2.5 days; aMD 0.68, P < 0.001), more frequent need for intra- or postoperative blood transfusion (6.8% vs. 3.1%; aOR 2.24, P = 0.001), and less frequent discharge home (80.7% vs. 89.2%; aOR 0.46, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We found single-level laminectomy plus fusion for lumbar DS to have a comparable short-term safety profile to laminectomy alone. However, fusion was associated with longer operative time and LOS, higher risk of blood transfusion, and greater need for inpatient rehabilitation. These factors should be recognized by clinicians and discussed with patients in the context of their values when weighing surgical treatment of lumbar DS.Level of Evidence: 3.

Multidisciplinary approach to degenerative cervical myelopathy.

INTRODUCTION: Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a prevalent condition causing significant impairment spanning several domains of health. A multidisciplinary approach to the care of DCM would be ideal in utilizing complex treatments from different disciplines to address broad patient needs. AREAS COVERED: In this article the authors will discuss the importance of multidisciplinary care and establish a general framework for its use. The authors will then highlight the potential role of a multidisciplinary team in each aspect of DCM care including assessment, diagnosis, decision-making, surgical intervention, non-operative therapy, monitoring, and postoperative care. EXPERT OPINION: In order to provide comprehensive personalized care to DCM patients, it is necessary to have a multidisciplinary team composed by a combination of the patient, surgeon, primary care practitioner, neurologist, anesthesiologist, radiologist, physiatrist, nurses, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, pain specialist, and social workers all functioning independently and communicating to achieve a common goal.

Frailty Is a Better Predictor than Age of Mortality and Perioperative Complications after Surgery for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: An Analysis of 41,369 Patients from the NSQIP Database 2010-2018.

BACKGROUND: The ability of frailty compared to age alone to predict adverse events in the surgical management of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) has not been defined in the literature. METHODS: 41,369 patients with a diagnosis of DCM undergoing surgery were collected from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) Database 2010-2018. Univariate analysis for each measure of frailty (modified frailty index 11- and 5-point; MFI-11, MFI-5), modified Charlson Co-morbidity index and ASA grade) were calculated for the following outcomes: mortality, major complication, unplanned reoperation, unplanned readmission, length of hospital stay, and discharge to a non-home destination. Multivariable modeling of age and frailty with a base model was performed to define the discriminative ability of each measure. RESULTS: Age and frailty have a significant effect on all outcomes, but the MFI-5 has the largest effect size. Increasing frailty correlated significantly with the risk of perioperative adverse events, longer hospital stay, and risk of a non-home discharge destination. Multivariable modeling incorporating MFI-5 with age and the base model had a robust predictive value (0.85). MFI-5 had a high categorical assessment correlation with a MFI-11 of 0.988 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Measures of frailty have a greater effect size and a higher discriminative value to predict adverse events than age alone. MFI-5 categorical assessment is essentially equivalent to the MFI-11 score for DCM patients. A multivariable model using MFI-5 provides an accurate predictive tool that has important clinical applications.

The Treatment of Perioperative Spinal Cord Injury With Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: A Case Report.

STUDY DESIGN: Case report (level IV evidence). OBJECTIVE: To describe a potential novel application of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in the successful treatment of a postoperative spinal cord injury. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: A 68-year-old man presented with an acute spinal cord injury (ASIA impairment scale D), on the background of degenerative lower thoracic and lumbar canal stenosis. He underwent emergent decompression and instrumented fusion (T9-L5), with an uncomplicated intraoperative course and no electrophysiological changes. Immediate postoperative assessment demonstrated profound bilateral limb weakness (1/5 on the Medical Research Council [MRC] grading scale, ASIA impairment scale B), without radiological abnormality. METHODS: Conventional medical management (hypertension, level 2 care) was instigated with the addition of Riluzole, with no effect after 30 hours. At 36 hours 100% oxygen at 2.8 atmospheres was applied for 90 minutes, and repeated after 8 hours, with a further three treatments over 48 hours. RESULTS: The patient demonstrated near-immediate improvement in lower limb function to anti-gravity (MRC grading 3/5) after one treatment. Motor improvement continued over the following treatments, and after 2 weeks the patient was ambulatory. At 4 months, the patient demonstrated normal motor function with no sphincteric disturbance. CONCLUSION: The application of HBOT contributed to the immediate and sustained improvement (ASIA B to ASIA E) in motor recovery after postoperative spinal cord injury. HBOT may represent a new avenue of therapy for spinal cord injury, and requires further prospective investigation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

The Use of Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring in Spine Surgery.

STUDY DESIGN: Narrative review. OBJECTIVE: To summarize relevant studies regarding the utilization of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) techniques in spine surgery implemented in recent years. METHODS: A literature search of the Medline database was performed. Relevant studies from all evidence levels have been included. Titles, abstracts, and reference lists of key articles were included. RESULTS: Multimodal intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (MIONM) has the advantage of compensating for the limitations of each individual technique and seems to be effective and accurate for detecting perioperative neurological injury during spine surgery. CONCLUSION: Although there are no prospective studies validating the efficacy of IONM, there is a growing body of evidence supporting its use during spinal surgery. However, the lack of validated protocols to manage intraoperative alerts highlights a critical knowledge gap. Future investigation should focus on developing treatment methodology, validating practice protocols, and synthesizing clinical guidelines.

Quality and Safety Improvement in Spine Surgery.

STUDY DESIGN: Review article. OBJECTIVES: A narrative review of the literature on the current advances and limitations in quality and safety improvement initiatives in spine surgery. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed using Ovid MEDLINE focusing on 3 preidentified concepts: (1) quality and safety improvement, (2) reporting of outcomes and adverse events, and (3) prediction model and practice guidelines. The search was conducted under appropriate subject headings and using relevant text words. Articles were screened, and manuscripts relevant to this discussion were included in the narrative review. RESULTS: Quality and safety improvement remains a major research focus attracting investigators from the global spine community. Multiple databases and registries have been developed for the purpose of generating data and monitoring the progress of quality and safety improvement initiatives. The development of various prediction models and clinical practice guidelines has helped shape the care of spine patients in the modern era. With the reported success of exemplary programs initiated by the Northwestern and Seattle Spine Team, other quality and safety improvement initiatives are anticipated to follow. However, despite these advancements, the reporting metrics for outcomes and adverse events remain heterogeneous in the literature. CONCLUSION: Constant surveillance and continuous improvement of the quality and safety of spine treatments is imperative in modern health care. Although great advancement has been made, issues with reporting outcomes and adverse events persist, and improvement in this regard is certainly needed.

The Effect of Older Age on the Perioperative Outcomes of Spinal Fusion Surgery in Patients With Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease With Spondylolisthesis: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) is often treated with lumbar spinal fusion (LSF). However, there is concern that the morbidity of LSF may be prohibitively high in older adults. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of advanced age on the safety of LSF for DS. METHODS: Patients who underwent LSF for DS were retrospectively identified from National Surgical Quality Improvement Program datasets for 2011 to 2015 using Current Procedural Terminology codes. Data on demographic characteristics, comorbidities, surgical factors, and 30-d morbidity and mortality were collected. Propensity score matching (nearest neighbor) was performed with age (<70 vs ≥70 yr) as the dependent variable and sex, type of fusion procedure, number of levels fused, diabetes, smoking, hypertension, and chronic steroid use as covariates. Outcomes were compared between age <70 and ≥70 groups. RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 2238 patients (n = 1119, age <70; n = 1119, age ≥70). The 2 age groups were balanced for key covariates including sex, race, diabetes, hypertension, CHF, smoking, chronic steroid use, type of fusion, and number of levels. Rates of all complications were similar between younger and older age groups, except urinary tract infection, which was more frequent among the ≥70 age group (OR 2.32, P = .009). Further, patients in the older age group were more likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation (OR 2.94, P < .001) or skilled care (OR 3.66, P < .001) facility, rather than directly home (OR 0.25, P < .001). CONCLUSION: LSF may be performed safely in older adults with DS. Our results suggest older age alone should not exclude a patient from undergoing lumbar fusion for DS.

A partial least squares analysis of functional status, disability, and quality of life after surgical decompression for degenerative cervical myelopathy.

Previous studies aimed at identifying predictors of clinical outcomes following surgical decompression for degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) are limited by multicollinearity among predictors, whereby the high degree of correlation between covariates precludes detection of potentially significant findings. We apply partial least squares (PLS), a data-driven approach, to model multi-dimensional variance and dissociate patient phenotypes associated with functional, disability, and quality of life (QOL) outcomes in DCM. This was a post-hoc analysis of DCM patients enrolled in the prospective, multi-center AOSpine CSM-NA/CSM-I studies. Baseline clinical covariates evaluated as predictors included demographic (e.g., age, sex), clinical presentation (e.g., signs and symptoms), and treatment (e.g., surgical approach) characteristics. Outcomes evaluated included change in functional status (∆mJOA), disability (∆NDI), and QOL (∆SF-36) at 2 years. PLS was used to derive latent variables (LVs) relating specific clinical covariates with specific outcomes. Statistical significance was estimated using bootstrapping. Four hundred and seventy-eight patients met eligibility criteria. PLS identified 3 significant LVs. LV1 indicated an association between presentation with hand muscle atrophy, treatment by an approach other than laminectomy alone, and greater improvement in physical health-related QOL outcomes (e.g., SF-36 Physical Component Summary). LV2 suggested the presence of comorbidities (respiratory, rheumatologic, psychological) was associated with lesser improvements in functional status post-operatively (i.e., mJOA score). Finally, LV3 reflected an association between more severe myelopathy presenting with gait impairment and poorer mental health-related QOL outcomes (e.g., SF-36 Mental Component Summary). Using PLS, this analysis uncovered several novel insights pertaining to patients undergoing surgical decompression for DCM that warrant further investigation: (1) comorbid status and frailty heavily impact functional outcome; (2) presentation with hand muscle atrophy is associated with better physical QOL outcomes; and (3) more severe myelopathy with gait impairment is associated with poorer mental QOL outcomes.

A comparison of the perioperative outcomes of anterior surgical techniques for the treatment of multilevel degenerative cervical myelopathy.

OBJECTIVE: Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is the most common cause of spinal cord dysfunction in adults. Multilevel ventral compressive pathology is routinely managed through anterior decompression and reconstruction, but there remains uncertainty regarding the relative safety and efficacy of multiple discectomies, multiple corpectomies, or hybrid corpectomy-discectomy. To that end, using a large national administrative healthcare data set, the authors sought to compare the perioperative outcomes of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF), and hybrid corpectomy-discectomy for multilevel DCM. METHODS: Patients with a primary diagnosis of DCM who underwent an elective anterior cervical decompression and reconstruction operation over 3 cervical spinal segments were identified from the 2012-2017 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Patients were separated into those undergoing 3-level discectomy, 2-level corpectomy, or a hybrid procedure (single-level corpectomy plus additional single-level discectomy). Outcomes included 30-day mortality, major complication, reoperation, and readmission, as well as operative duration, length of stay (LOS), and routine discharge home. Outcomes were compared between treatment groups by multivariable regression, adjusting for age and comorbidities (modified Frailty Index). Effect sizes were reported by adjusted odds ratio (aOR) or mean difference (aMD) and associated 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 1298 patients; of these, 713 underwent 3-level ACDF, 314 2-level ACCF, and 271 hybrid corpectomy-discectomy. There was no difference in 30-day mortality, reoperation, or readmission among the 3 procedures. However, on both univariate and adjusted analyses, compared to 3-level ACDF, 2-level ACCF was associated with significantly greater risk of major complication (aOR 2.82, p = 0.005), longer hospital LOS (aMD 0.8 days, p = 0.002), and less frequent discharge home (aOR 0.59, p = 0.046). In contrast, hybrid corpectomy-discectomy had comparable outcomes to 3-level ACDF but was associated with significantly shorter operative duration (aMD -16.9 minutes, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The authors found multiple discectomies and hybrid corpectomy-discectomy to have a comparable safety profile in treating multilevel DCM. In contrast, multiple corpectomies were associated with a higher complication rate, longer hospital LOS, and lower likelihood of being discharged directly home from the hospital, and may therefore be a higher-risk operation.

Comparison of the Inpatient Complications and Health Care Costs of Anterior versus Posterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion in Patients with Multilevel Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: A Retrospective Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The optimal surgical approach for multilevel degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is unclear, and there is significant variation in practice patterns. We sought to compare inpatient complications and costs of anterior (ACDF) versus posterior cervical decompression and fusion (PCDF). METHODS: Patients who underwent multilevel ACDF or PCDF for DCM were identified from the National Inpatient Sample for 2004-2014 using ICD-9-CM codes. Propensity score matching was performed with age, sex, comorbidities, hospital bed size, and use of intraoperative monitoring as covariates. Hospitalization charges/costs, length of stay (LOS), discharge disposition, and inpatient morbidity/mortality were compared between matched ACDF and PCDF groups. RESULTS: Propensity score matching generated a cohort of 13,884 patients (n = 6,942 ACDF; n = 6,942 PCDF). PCDF was associated with greater LOS (mean difference [MD] +1.7 days, P < 0.001) and less frequent routine discharge home (odds ratio [OR] 0.26, P < 0.01). With regard to complications, PCDF had a higher rate of myocardial infarction (OR 1.6, P = 0.007), pulmonary embolism (OR 2.6, P = 0.009), deep vein thrombosis (OR 3.7, P < 0.001), neurological complications (OR 1.7, P = 0.037), hardware-related complications (OR 2.7, P < 0.001), wound infection/breakdown (OR 6.8, P < 0.001), and cerebrospinal fluid leak (OR 1.7, P = 0.011). By contrast, rates of postoperative hematoma (OR 0.61, P = 0.007), hoarseness (OR 0.13, P < 0.001), and dysphagia (OR 0.20, P < 0.001) were higher after ACDF. Mortality was comparable. Hospital charges (MD +$26,259, P < 0.001) and costs (MD +$7,728, P < 0.001) were significantly higher for PCDF. CONCLUSIONS: At a national level, for multilevel DCM, we found PCDF to be associated with greater LOS, in-hospital costs, and general medical and surgical complications. ACDF carried higher risk of postoperative hematoma, hoarseness, and dysphagia.

The Effect of Tobacco Smoking on Adverse Events Following Adult Complex Deformity Surgery: Analysis of 270 Patients From the Prospective, Multicenter Scoli-RISK-1 Study.

STUDY DESIGN: Post-hoc analysis of a prospective, multicenter cohort study. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the impact of smoking on rates of postoperative adverse events (AEs) in patients undergoing high-risk adult spine deformity surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Smoking is a known predictor of medical complications after adult deformity surgery, but the effect on complications, implant failure and other AEs has not been adequately described in prospective studies. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with a history of current smoking were identified out of the 272 patients enrolled in the SCOLI-RISK-1 study who underwent complex adult spinal deformity surgery at 15 centers, with 2-year follow-up. The outcomes and incidence of AEs in these patients were compared to the nonsmoking cohort (n = 244) using univariate analysis, with additional multivariate regression to adjust for the effect of patient demographics, complexity of surgery, and other confounders. RESULTS: The number of levels and complexity of surgery in both cohorts were comparable. In the univariate analysis, the rates of implant failure were almost double (odds ratio 2.28 [0.75-6.18]) in smoking group (n = 7; 26.9%)) that observed in the nonsmoking group (n = 34; 13.9%), but this was not statistically significant (P = 0.088). Surgery-related excessive bleeding (>4 L) was significantly higher in the smoking group (n = 5 vs. n = 9; 19.2% vs. 3.7%; OR 6.22[1.48 - 22.75]; P = 0.006). Wound infection rates and respiratory complications were similar in both groups. In the multivariate analysis, the smoking group demonstrated a higher incidence of any surgery-related AEs over 2 years (n = 13 vs. n = 95; 50.0% vs. 38.9%; OR 2.12 [0.88-5.09]) (P = 0.094). CONCLUSION: In this secondary analysis of patients from the SCOLI-RISK-1 study, a history of smoking significantly increased the risk of excessive intraoperative bleeding and nonsignificantly increased the rate of implant failure or surgery-related AEs over 2 years. The authors therefore advocate a smoking cessation program in patients undergoing complex adult spine deformity surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2.