Rates of Postoperative Complications and Approach-related Neurological Symptoms After L4-L5 Lateral Transpsoas Lumbar Interbody Fusion Compared With Upper Lumbar Levels.

STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective comparative study. OBJECTIVE: To compare the likelihood of approach-related complications for patients undergoing single-level lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) at L4-L5 to those undergoing the procedure at upper lumbar levels. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: LLIF has been associated with a number of advantages when compared with traditional interbody fusion techniques. However, potential risks with the approach include vascular or visceral injury, thigh dysesthesias, and lumbar plexus injury. There are concerns of a higher risk of these complications at the L4-L5 level compared with upper lumbar levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort review was completed for consecutive patients undergoing single-level LLIF between 2004 and 2019 by a single surgeon. Indication for surgery was symptomatic degenerative lumbar stenosis and/or spondylolisthesis. Patients were divided into 2 cohorts: LLIF at L4-L5 versus a single level between L1 and L4. Baseline characteristics, intraoperative complications, postoperative approach-related neurological symptoms, and patient-reported outcomes were compared and analyzed between the cohorts. RESULTS: A total of 122 were included in analysis, of which 58 underwent LLIF at L4-L5 and 64 underwent LLIF between L1 and L4. There were no visceral or vascular injuries or lumbar plexus injuries in either cohort. There was no significant difference in the rate of postoperative hip pain, anterior thigh dysesthesias, and/or hip flexor weakness between the cohorts (53.5% L4-L5 vs. 37.5% L1-L4; P =0.102). All patients reported complete resolution of these symptoms by 6-month postoperative follow-up. DISCUSSION: LLIF surgery at the L4-L5 level is associated with a similar infrequent likelihood of approach-related complications and postoperative hip pain, thigh dysesthesias, and hip flexor weakness when compared with upper lumbar level LLIF. Careful patient selection, meticulous use of real-time neuromonitoring, and an understanding of the anatomic location of the lumbar plexus to the working corridor are critical to success.

Review of Prospective Trials for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy.

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is the leading cause of spinal cord dysfunction in adults. DCM refers to a collection of degenerative conditions that cause the narrowing of the cervical canal resulting in neurological dysfunction. A lack of high-quality studies and a recent increase in public health awareness has led to numerous prospective studies evaluating DCM. Studies evaluating the efficacy of surgical intervention for DCM can be characterized by the presence (comparative) or absence (noncomparative) of a nonoperative control group. Noncomparative studies predominate due to concerns regarding treatment equipoise. Comparative studies have been limited by methodological issues and have not produced consistent findings. More recent noncomparative studies have established the safety and efficacy of surgical intervention for DCM, including mild myelopathy. The optimal surgical intervention for DCM remains controversial. A recent randomized clinical trial comparing dorsal and ventral techniques found similar improvements in patient-reported physical function at early follow-up. Recent prospective studies have enriched our understanding of DCM and helped guide current treatment recommendations.

Augmented Reality in Spine Surgery: Current State of the Art.

Augmented reality (AR) is the superimposition of a virtual environment on the real world. The use of AR in spine surgery continues to grow, with multiple companies and products becoming available. The proposed benefits of AR include decreased attention shift, decreased line-of-site interruption, opportunity for more minimally invasive approaches, decreased radiation exposure to the operative team, and improved pedicle screw accuracy. In this review, we examine our institutional experiences with utilization and implementation of some of the current AR products.

Does an Author's Social Media Presence Affect Dissemination of Spine Literature?

OBJECTIVE: Our study assesses the impact of an author's social media presence on citation rates and readership of spine literature. METHODS: The Altmetric database was queried for spine-related articles between 2016 and 2021; the top 100 by Altmetric Attention Score (AAS) were assessed. Public profile presence, number of followers, number of posts, and promotion of articles were assessed for Twitter/Instagram. Social media profiles were identified by searching for the author's name followed by "Twitter" or "Instagram" on Google.com or searching each platform. Descriptive statistics assessed social media use and attention metrics. Negative binomial regression assessed presence/promotion/number of followers/number of posts on Twitter/Instagram as predictors of Dimensions citation rates/AAS/Mendeley reader counts, while accounting for time passed since publication. RESULTS: Twitter promotion was noted for 9.0% of articles and Instagram promotion for 1.0%. Mean number of Twitter and Instagram followers was 447.9 ± 1406.1(range: 0-9079) and 173.2 ± 1097.1(range: 0:10,700), respectively. Mean number of Twitter and Instagram posts was 411.6 ± 1210.5 and 18.4 ± 96.4, respectively. Dimensions citations ranged from 0-641, AAS from 79-2257, and Mendeley readers from 2-1854. Following negative binomial regression, Instagram presence was identified as a significant predictor of Mendeley readers (P = 0.043), number of Twitter posts was a significant predictor of AAS (P = 0.008). Additionally, Twitter presence was identified as a negative predictor of Mendeley readers (P = 0.005) and Twitter promotion was identified as a negative predictor of AAS (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Activity on Twitter and Instagram may have variable associations with altmetrics of literature visibility and readership but with citation rates. Interestingly, presence/promotion on Twitter predicted less attention/readership, while Instagram presence predicted higher Mendeley readership.

Patients With Opioid Use Disorder Have Increased Readmission Rates, Emergency Room Visits, and Costs Following a Hallux Valgus Procedure.

BACKGROUND: Patients with a history of opioid use disorder (OUD) tend to have more complications, higher readmission rates, and increased costs following orthopaedic procedures. This study evaluated patients undergoing hallux valgus correction for their odds of increased (1) readmission rates, (2) emergency room (ER) visits, and (3) costs. METHODS: Patients undergoing hallux valgus corrections with OUD history were identified using a national Medicare administrative claims database of approximately 24 million orthopaedic surgery patients. OUD patients were matched to non-opioid use disorder (NUD) patients in a 1:4 ratio by age, sex, Elixhauser-Comorbidity Index (ECI), diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and tobacco use. The query yielded 6318 patients (OUD = 1276; NUD = 5042) who underwent a hallux valgus correction. Primary outcomes analyzed included odds of 90-day readmission rates, 30-day ER visits, and 90-day episode-of-care costs. Demographics, odds ratios (ORs), ECI, and cost were assessed as appropriate using a Pearson χ2 test, logistic regression, and a t test. A P value <.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in demographics between OUD and NUD patients. OUD patients had higher incidence and odds of 90-day readmission (9.56% vs 6.04%; OR = 1.55; P < .001) and 30-day ER visits (0.86% vs 0.35%; OR = 2.42; P = .021) and incurred greater 90-day episode-of-care costs ($7208.28 vs $6134.75; P < .001) compared with NUD patient controls. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates the possible influence of OUD on higher odds of readmission, ER visits, and costs following a hallux valgus correction. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: Level III: Retrospective cohort study.

Demineralized Bone Matrix in Spine Surgery: A Review of Current Applications and Future Trends.

BACKGROUND: Graft augmentation for spinal fusion is an area of continued interest, with a wide variety of available products lacking clear recommendations regarding appropriate use. While iliac crest autograft has long been considered the "gold standard", suboptimal fusion rates along with harvest-related concerns continue to drive the need for graft alternatives. There are now multiple options of products with various characteristics that are available. These include demineralized bone matrix (DBM) and demineralized bone fibers (DBF), which have been used increasingly to promote spine fusion. The purpose of this review is to provide an updated narrative on the use of DBM/DBF in spine surgery. METHODS: Literature review. RESULTS: The clinical application of DBM in spine surgery has evolved since its introduction in the mid-1900s. Early preclinical studies demonstrated its effectiveness in promoting fusion. When used in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine, more recent clinical data suggest similar rates of fusion compared with autograft, although clinical studies are primarily limited to level III or IV evidence with few level I studies. However, significant variability in surgical technique and type of product used in the literature limits its interpretation and overall application. CONCLUSIONS: DBM and DBF are bone graft options in spine surgery. Most commonly used as graft extenders, they have the ability to increase the volume of traditional grafting techniques while potentially inducing new bone formation. While the literature supports good fusion rates when used in the lumbar spine and when used with adjuvant cages or additional grafting techniques in the cervical spine, care should be taken when using as a stand-alone product. As new literature emerges, DBM and DBF can be a useful method in a surgeon's armamentarium for fusion-based procedures.

The Perioperative Symptom Severity of Higher Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Scores Between Genders in Single-Level Lumbar Fusion.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative depression is associated with increased perioperative pain, worse physical function, reduced quality of life, and inferior outcomes. Few studies have evaluated depressive symptoms between genders for individuals undergoing minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS TLIF). The purpose of this investigation was to assess the severity of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores among patients with depressive symptoms before and after single-level MIS TLIF. METHODS: A prospective surgical registry was retrospectively reviewed for spine surgeries between March 2016 and December 2018. We included patients with at least mild depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 scores ≥ 5) who underwent primary, single-level MIS TLIF and compared genders using χ2 tests and t tests. Genders were stratified by depressive symptom severity: mild (5-9), moderate (10-14), and moderately severe (≥15) and then analyzed at preoperative and postoperative intervals: 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year. Finally, PHQ-9 scores were validated with a Pearson correlation test against the 12-item Short Form (SF-12) Mental Composite Score (MCS) and the Veterans RAND (VR-12) MCS. RESULTS: Of 75 subjects, 44.0% were women and the mean age was 49.9 years. The preoperative distribution among PHQ-9 subgroups was 38.7%, 26.6%, and 34.7% for mild, moderate, and moderately severe depressive symptoms, respectively. Among PHQ-9 stratifications both genders demonstrated intermittent statistically significant improvements in PHQ-9 scores. The moderately severe PHQ-9 subgroup had improvement at all postoperative time points. The PHQ-9 scores demonstrated a strong correlation with the SF-12 MCS and VR-12 MCS at all postoperative evaluations. CONCLUSION: At baseline and by the final 1-year follow-up there were no statistically significant PHQ-9 score differences between genders within any depressive symptom stratifications. Whereas some contend that men and women have substantial mental health differences, this study is aligned with growing evidence that demonstrates similar depressive symptoms between genders. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Men and women may be at an equivalent risk for perioperative depressive symptoms.

A Retrospective Review of Differences in Complication Rates between Dorsal Percutaneous and Mini-Open Surgical Fixation of Scaphoid Fractures.

Objective We retrospectively reviewed the complications of 80 cases of scaphoid screw fixation in acute fractures and early nonunions comparing dorsal percutaneous and mini-open approaches. Methods We performed a chart review of all patients who underwent surgical fixation of a scaphoid fracture or a nascent nonunion using a dorsal percutaneous or dorsal mini-open technique by a single surgeon. We collected data on patient demographics, including age and smoking status, time to surgery, fracture type, union, and the major and minor complications that occurred in each group. Fisher's exact tests were used to compare the complication rates between the groups. Results We identified 80 patients who underwent surgical fixation. Of these, 44 underwent percutaneous fixation and 36 underwent mini-open fixation. All fractures went on to heal. There was a total of five complications identified. There were no major complications in the percutaneous group, but one major complication in the mini-open group (a delayed union that eventually healed at 6 months). There were two minor complications in each group. There was no statistically significant difference in total, major, or minor complication rates between the groups. Conclusions This study suggests that a dorsal percutaneous surgical technique for scaphoid fracture repair does not affect the complication rate despite prior literature to the contrary. Both techniques analyzed produce excellent rates of union with very low complication rates. Surgeon-specific technique rather than operative approach or exposure may be responsible for previously reported complication rates in the fixation of scaphoid fractures. Level of Evidence This is a level III, therapeutic study.

MRI and Clinical Risk Indicators for Osteomyelitis.

Introduction. The sensitivity and specificity for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis of osteomyelitis is 90% and 80%, respectively; findings include bone marrow edema, T2-weighted image hyperintensity (HI-T2WI), T1-weighted image confluent signal(CS-T1WI), and cortical erosion (CE). The goal is to determine which risk factors and MRI findings are most predictive of osteomyelitis. Materials and Methods. After institutional review board approval, records of patients who underwent bone biopsy of the foot/ankle between 2015 and 2017 were reviewed. Diagnosis was determined histologically. Blinded MRI review identified indicators of osteomyelitis: HI-T2WI, CS-T1WI, ulcer depth, and CE. Bivariate and multivariate regression determined an association between osteomyelitis and radiographic indicators. Results. Of 59 subjects, 41 (69.5%) and 18 (30.5%) had pathologic evidence of osteomyelitis or were indeterminate. The sensitivity and specificity by radiologist diagnosis was 51.4% and 91.7%, respectively. Diabetes (relative risk [RR]=2.9, 95% CI = 1.0.8-7.77, P = .034), CS-T1WI (RR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.23-2.20, P < .001), and CE (RR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.34-2.28, P < .001) were risk factors on bivariate analysis. Ulcer depth demonstrated a trend toward statistical significance. Diabetes (RR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.00-5.69, P = .049) and CE (RR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.27-2.37, P < .001) were independent risk factors on multivariate analysis. Discussion. Diabetes and CS-T1WI are independent risk factors for pedal osteomyelitis. Patients with diabetes, CS-T1WI, and CE should be evaluated for osteomyelitis with recommendation for bone biopsy in appropriate clinical settings.Levels of Evidence: Level III Retrospective Comparative Study.

Amyloidoma: a review and case report.

Amyloidoma is a solitary mass of amyloid protein that arises in patients with or without evidence of systemic amyloidosis, and can be found in a variety of different organ systems. Herein, we describe three cases of localized biopsy-positive amyloidomas with no evidence of systemic involvement-primary amyloidoma. Our cases include a patient with a paraspinal soft tissue amyloidoma, a patient with multiple primary amyloidomas involving the thoracic cavity and flank, and a patient with insulin-injection induced amyloidoma of the left shoulder. We present these cases to provide further insights into the clinical presentation of this uncommon clinical entity. We review the pathophysiology of amyloidosis and discuss our cases in the context of previous reports of amyloidoma.

Association between depression and hypertension using classic and revised blood pressure thresholds.

BACKGROUND: In a primary care population, the relationship between treatment of depression and hypertension (HTN) under the recently revised American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association HTN thresholds for diagnosing HTN is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To compare the association between changes in severity of co-occurring depression and HTN over time using the newly revised versus previous HTN guidelines. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, outpatients ≥18 years (n = 3018) with clinically significant depressive symptoms and elevated blood pressure at baseline were divided into a 'revised' guideline group (baseline blood pressure ≥130/80 mmHg), a 'classic' guideline group (≥140/90 mmHg) and a 'revised-minus-classic' group (≥130/80 and <140/90 mmHg). Depressive symptom change was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Correlations between changes in PHQ-9 scores and HTN levels by group over a 6- to 18-month observation period were assessed using robust regression analysis. RESULTS: There were demographic and clinical differences between groups. A total of 41% of study subjects (1252/3018) had a visit during the follow-up period where additional PHQ-9 and HTN results were available. Depressive symptom change was unrelated to change in blood pressure in the revised and revised-minus-classic groups. The classic HTN group demonstrated a clinically insignificant change in systolic blood pressure for each unit change in PHQ-9 score (ß = 0.23, P-value =0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Although a statistically significant association between reduced HTN levels and improvement in depressive symptoms was demonstrated under classic HTN guidelines, there was no clinically meaningful association between treatment of depression and improved HTN levels under either guideline.

Tranexamic acid with a pre-operative suspension of anticoagulation decreases operative time and blood transfusion in the treatment of pelvic and acetabulum fractures.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to evaluate the impact of intra-operative administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) and pre-operative discontinuation of prophylactic chemoprophylaxis in patients undergoing internal fixation of pelvic or acetabular fractures on the need for subsequent blood transfusion. Operative time and the incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) were also assessed. METHODS: Data from a single level one trauma centre was retrospectively reviewed from January 2014 to December 2017 to identify pelvic ring or acetabular fractures managed operatively. Patients who did not receive their scheduled dose of chemoprophylaxis prior to surgery but who did receive intra-operative TXA were identified as the treatment group. Due to the interaction of VTE prophylaxis and TXA, the variables were analyzed using an interaction effect to account for administration of both individually and concomitantly. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-nine patients were included. The treatment group experienced a 20.7% reduction in blood product transfusion (regression coefficient (RC): - 0.207, p = 0.047, 95%CI: - 0.412 to - 0.003) and an average of 36 minutes (RC): - 36.90, p = 0.045, 95%CI: - 72.943 to - 0.841) reduction in surgical time as compared to controls. The treatment group did not experience differential rates of PE or DVT (RC: 1.302, p = 0.749, 95%CI: 0.259-6.546) or PE (RC: 1.024, p = 0.983, 95%CI: 0.114-9.208). CONCLUSIONS: In the study population, the combination of holding pre-operative chemoprophylaxis and administering intra-operative TXA is a safe and effective combination in reducing operative time and blood product transfusions.

A Mini-Open, Dorsal Approach for Scaphoid Fracture Fixation With a Ligament Sparing Arthrotomy.

There are several surgical approaches that are currently used to address nondisplaced scaphoid waist fractures, including percutaneous fixation, limited exposure fixation, and traditional open techniques through a volar or dorsal approach. Although percutaneous fixation has some theoretical advantages, it is much more difficult to achieve an accurate starting point for a headless compression screw. The purpose of this paper is to describe a simple, dorsal, mini-open approach to the scaphoid that minimizes incision size, extensor tendon dissection, capsular trauma, and vascular disruption, while still allowing for direct visualization of the proximal pole and optimal exposure for accurate screw placement. As a case report, we retrospectively evaluated 80 consecutive patients with closed scaphoid fractures. There were 2 groups, with 44 patients (age: 24±10 y) receiving a percutaneous dorsal approach and 36 patients (age: 30±16 y) treated with a mini-open approach. All scaphoid fractures were acute or fibrous nonunions (<6 mo from injury, except for one) treated with cannulated headless compression screws. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were measured and evaluated for each group to assess for differences between the percutaneous approach and the mini-open technique. We found no significant difference in complication rate with the mini-open dorsal technique compared with the dorsal percutaneous approach (8.3% vs. 4.5%, respectively). Therefore, we suggest consideration of this mini-open dorsal approach for scaphoid fracture fixation as a useful and safe technique.

Is There a Correlation Between Preoperative or Postoperative Vitamin D Levels with Pseudarthrosis, Hardware Failure, and Revisions After Lumbar Spine Fusion?

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency is a well-known cause of postoperative complications in patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. Orthopedic complications seen in vitamin D deficiency include nonunion, pseudarthrosis, and hardware failure. We seek to investigate the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and outcomes after lumbar spinal fusions. METHODS: A retrospective patient chart review was conducted at a single center for all patients who underwent lumbar spinal fusions from January 2015 to September 2017 with preoperative or postoperative vitamin D laboratory values. We recorded demographics, social history, medications, pre-existing medical conditions, bone density (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) T-scores, procedural details, 1-year postoperative Visual Analog Score (VAS), documented pseudarthrosis, revisions, and hardware failure. A total of 150 patients were initially included in the cohort for analysis. RESULTS: Overall, preoperative and postoperative vitamin D levels were not significantly associated with a vast majority of the patient characteristics studied, including comorbidities, medications, or surgical diagnoses (P > 0.05). Age at surgery was significantly associated with vitamin D levels; older patients had higher serum levels of vitamin D both preoperatively (P = 0.03) and postoperatively (P = 0.01). Those with a higher average body mass index had lower vitamin D in both groups (P = 0.02). Vitamin D levels were not significantly associated with rates of postoperative pseudarthrosis, revision, or hardware complications (P > 0.05). VAS pain score at 1 year and smoking status preoperatively or postoperatively were not associated with vitamin D levels (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both preoperative and postoperative vitamin D levels were not significantly associated with an increased or decreased risk of pseudarthrosis, revision surgery, hardware failure, or 1-year VAS pain score after lumbar spine fusion surgery.

The 100 most influential spine fracture publications.

BACKGROUND: Management of spine fractures has advanced considerably even over the past decade. A review of the current and historical literature can lead to a better appreciation of current management protocols. This is the first comprehensive review of the most influential articles related to spine fracture management. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the 100 most cited publications in spine fracture management. METHODS: Using the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science, search phrases were used to identify publications pertaining to spine fractures (110,809 publications). The 100 most cited articles were isolated. The frequency of citations, year of publication, country of origin, journal of publication, level-of-evidence (LOE), article type, and contributing authors/institutions were recorded. We also highlighted the ten most cited articles (per year) from the past decade. RESULTS: The publications included ranged from 1953-2010, with the majority published between 2000-2009 (n=41). Total citations ranged from 154 to 1,076. A LOE of IV had the plurality at 36%. The most cited article was "The 3 Column Spine and Its Significance in The Classification of Acute Thoracolumbar Spinal-Injuries" (Spine 1983) by F Denis. The majority of papers originated in the United States (n=65), and the highest number were published in Spine (n=27). Osteoporotic fractures were the specific topic in 34 publications. In the past decade, the article with the most citations/year was "A Randomized Trial of Vertebroplasty for Osteoporotic Spinal Fractures" by DF Kalmes in 2009. CONCLUSIONS: Despite less time for citation than other decades, the 2000s contain the plurality of the influential publications. This may indicate that some of the most important changes to spine fracture management pertain to improved imaging modalities and surgical technologies. This review provides a guide for a comprehensive understanding of the historical and current literature pertaining to spine fracture management.

Durability of symptomatic responses obtained with adjunctive vagus nerve stimulation in treatment-resistant depression.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the durations of response achieved with adjunctive vagus nerve stimulation (VNS + TAU) vs treatment as usual (TAU) alone in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) over a 5-year period in the TRD registry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from 271 participants on TAU and 328 participants on VNS + TAU were analyzed. Response was defined as ≥50% decrease in baseline Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score at postbaseline visit and was considered retained until the decrease was <40%. MADRS was obtained quarterly in year 1 and biannually thereafter. Time-to-events were estimated using Kaplan-Meier method and compared using log-rank test. HR was estimated using Cox proportion hazard model. RESULTS: In the VNS + TAU arm, 62.5% (205/328) of participants had a first response over 5 years compared with 39.9% (108/271) in TAU. The time to first response was significantly shorter for VNS + TAU than for TAU (P<0.01). For responders in the first year, median time to relapse from first response was 10.1 months (Q1=4.2, Q3=31.5) for VNS + TAU vs 7.3 months (Q1=3.1, Q3=17.6) for TAU (P<0.01). HR=0.6 (95% CI: 0.4, 0.9) revealed a significantly lower chance for relapse in VNS + TAU. Probability of retaining first response for a year was 0.39 (0.27, 0.51) for TAU and 0.47 (0.38, 0.56) for VNS + TAU. Timing of the onset of the response did not impact the durability of the response. CONCLUSION: VNS therapy added to TAU in severe TRD leads to rapid onset and higher likelihood of response, and a greater durability of the response as compared to TAU alone.

Fibromyalgia as a Predictor of Increased Postoperative Complications, Readmission Rates, and Hospital Costs in Patients Undergoing Posterior Lumbar Spine Fusion.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify whether a concomitant diagnosis of fibromyalgia (FM) influences postoperative complications, readmission rates or cost following primary 1 to 2 level lumbar fusions in an elective setting. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Patients with FM often are limited by chronic lower back pain, many of whom will seek operative treatment. No previous study has evaluated whether patients with a concomitant diagnosis of FM have more complications following spine surgery. METHODS: Medicare data (2005-2014) from a national database was queried for patients who underwent primary 1 to 2 level posterolateral lumbar spine fusion for degenerative lumbar pathology. Thirty- and 90-day postoperative complication rates, readmission rates, and treatment costs were queried. To reduce confounding, FM patients were matched with a control cohort of non-FM patients using patient demographics, treatment modality, and comorbid conditions, and then analyzed by multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Within the first 30-day postoperative, acute post hemorrhagic anemia (odds ratio [OR]: 2.58; P < 0.001) and readmission rates were significantly higher in FM patients compared to controls. There was no significant difference in wound related complications within first 30-days (0.19% vs. 0.23%; P = 0.520) or with length of stay (3.60 vs. 3.53 days; P = 0.08). Within 90-day postoperative, FM patients had higher rates of pneumonia (OR: 3.73; P < 0.001) and incurred 5.31% more in hospital charges reimbursed compared to the control cohort. CONCLUSION: Primary 1 to 2 level lumbar fusions performed on FM patients have higher rates of postoperative anemia, pneumonia, cost of care, and readmission compared to match controls. FM patients and surgeons should be aware of these increased risks in an effort to control hospital costs and potential complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

An epidural steroid injection in the 6 months preceding a lumbar decompression without fusion predisposes patients to post-operative infections.

BACKGROUND: To determine if the timing of a lumbar epidural steroid injection (LESI) effects rates of post-operative infection in patients receiving a non-fusion lumbar decompression (LDC) due to degenerative disc disease (DDD). Lumbar pain due to DDD can frequently be temporized or definitively treated with epidural injections. While there is ample literature regarding the infection risks associated with corticosteroid injections prior to hip/knee replacements, there are few studies relating to the spine. METHODS: A nationwide insurance database was queried to identify those who underwent LDC for DDD without instrumentation [2005-2014]. Lumbar fusion procedures were excluded. From this group those with a history of a LESI were identified and matched to a control group without a history of LESI. Four separate cohorts were examined: (I) LDC and no LESI within 6 months (control); (II) LDC performed within 0-1 month after LESI; (III) LDC between 1 and 3 months after LESI; (IV) LDC performed between 3 and 6 months after LESI. RESULTS: There was an increased odds of a 90-day postoperative infection if the LESI was within the 1-3 months (OR =4.69; P<0.001) and 3-6 months (OR =5.33; P<0.001) interval prior to the LDC. CONCLUSIONS: While LESI is helpful for possibly delaying or avoid lumbar surgery, it may predispose patients to higher infection rates following lumbar decompressions without fusion. Surgeons and pain management specialist should counsel patients on these risks and.

Comparison of implant survivability in primary 1- to 2-level lumbar fusion amongst opioid abusers and non-opioid abusers.

BACKGROUND: Primary lumbar fusion (LF) is a treatment option for degenerative disc disease. The literature is limited regarding postoperative complications in opioid abusers undergoing LF. The purpose of this study was to compare 2-year short term implant-related complications, infection rates, 90-day readmission rates, in-hospital length of stay, and cost of care amongst opioid abusers (OAS) and non-opioid abusers (NAS) undergoing primary 1- to 2-level primary lumbar fusion (1-2LF). METHODS: A retrospective review was performed using the Medicare Standard Analytical Files from an administrative database. Patients undergoing LF were queried using the International Classification of Disease, ninth revision (ICD-9) procedure codes 81.04-81.08. Patients who underwent 1-2LF were filtered using ICD-9 procedure code 81.62. Inclusion criteria for the study group consisted of patients undergoing primary 1-2LF with a diagnosis of opioid abuse and dependency 90-day prior to the procedure. NAS undergoing 1-2LF served as controls. Patients in the study group were matched to controls according to age, gender, and Charlson-Comorbidity Index (CCI). Two mutually exclusive cohorts were formed and outcome measures analyzed and compared were implant complications, infection rates, 90-day readmission rates, LOS, and cost of care. RESULTS: After the matching process 13,342 patients were identified with equal cohort distribution. OAS had higher odds implant related complications (OR: 2.78, P<0.001) such as prosthetic joint dislocation (OR: 3.83, P<0.001), requiring revision (OR: 2.89, P<0.001), pseudarthrosis (OR: 2.50, P<0.001), and spine related infections (OR: 1.58, P<0.001) compared to NAS. OAS had higher 90-day readmission rates, (OR: 1.29, P<0.001), higher hospital costs ($143,057.38 vs. $121,450.45, P<0.001), and greater in-hospital LOS (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: OAS are susceptible to complications following primary 1-2LF. Appropriate patient counseling regarding the effects of opioids on lumbar fusion should be given priority to maximize patient outcomes. Future studies should investigate the impact of pre-operative opioid abuse versus post-operative opioid use.