Long-term survivability of surgical and nonsurgical management of spinal epidural abscess.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is a rare and life-threatening infection within the epidural space with significant functional impairment and morbidity. Active debate remains over whether to operate for SEAs, with limited existing data comparing the long-term survivability after surgical versus nonsurgical management. PURPOSE: This study aims to determine the long-term survival of patients who underwent surgical and nonsurgical management for SEA. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PATIENT SAMPLE: A total of 250 consecutive SEA patients. OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival and mortality rates, complications. METHODS: All patients treated at a tertiary medical center for a primary SEA from January 2000 to June 2020 are identified. Data collection is by retrospective chart review. Cox proportional hazards regression models are used for all survival analyses while controlling for potential confounding variables and with multiple testing corrections. RESULTS: A total of 35 out of 250 patients died with an overall all-cause mortality of 14%. More than half of all deaths occurred within 90 days after treatment. The 90-day, 3-year, and 5-year survival rates are 92.8%, 89.2%, and 86.4%, respectively. Among surgery patients, the all-cause mortality was 13.07%, compared to 16.22% for medically-managed patients. Surgical treatment (decompression, fusion, debridement) significantly reduced the risk of death by 62.4% compared to medical therapy (p=.03), but surgery patients experienced a significantly longer mean length of stay (p=.01). Risk factors of short-term mortality included hypoalbuminemia (<3.5 g/dL), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) 4+, and cardiac arrest. Risk factors of long-term mortality were immunocompromised state, elevated WBC count >12,000, sepsis, septic shock, ASA 4+, and cardiac arrest (p<.05). In terms of complications, surgically-managed patients experienced a higher proportion of deep vein thrombosis (p<.05). CONCLUSIONS: The overall long-term survivability of SEA treatment is relatively high at (86% at 5-year) in this study. The following SEA mortality risk factors were identified: hypoalbuminemia (short-term), immunocompromised state (long-term), leukocytosis (long-term), sepsis and septic shock (long-term), ASA 4+ and cardiac arrest (overall). For primary SEA patients, surgical management may reduce mortality risk compared to nonsurgical management.

Factors Predisposing Patients to Nonhome Discharge After Surgery for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: A Retrospective Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate factors associated with discharge to subacute care after surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy. DESIGN: This is a retrospective chart review of adults who underwent cervical spine surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy between 2014 and 2020 ( N = 135). RESULTS: Patients discharged to a subacute setting were older (68.1 ± 8.6 vs. 64.1 yrs ± 8.8, P = 0.01), more likely to be unmarried (55.8% vs. 33.7% married, P = 0.01), and more likely to have Medicare or Medicaid (83.7% vs. 65.9% private insurance, P = 0.03) than patients discharged home. A posterior surgical approach was associated with discharge to a subacute setting (62.8% vs. 43.5% anterior approach, P = 0.04). A total of 87.8% of patients discharged to a subacute setting required moderate or maximum assistance for bed mobility versus 26.6% of patients discharged home ( P < 0.0001). Compared with patients discharged home, patients discharged to a subacute setting ambulated a shorter distance in their first physical therapy evaluation after surgery (8.9 ± 35.8 vs. 53.7 ± 61.78 m in the home discharge group, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of these factors may guide discussions about patient expectations for postoperative discharge placement.

Factors Associated With the Rate of Recovery After Cervical Decompression Surgery for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: A Retrospective Analysis.

Introduction Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a debilitating spinal condition with a wide variety of symptoms that can differ greatly among individuals. Common symptoms include numbness, extremity weakness, loss of balance, and gait instability. Decompression surgeries are commonly indicated for the treatment of DCM with varying outcomes reported in the literature. However, there is little evidence on the rate of recovery defined as the time until improvement in symptoms such as numbness, balance, and strength after surgery for DCM. The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of neurological recovery after surgery for DCM and its subsequent association with various risk factors to guide clinicians while providing care and improve patient education. Methods This study was a retrospective case series (n=180 patients) examining patients who underwent cervical decompression surgery for DCM. All patients had a clinical presentation of DCM, were diagnosed with DCM, had radiographic degenerative changes and cervical stenosis, and received surgical management from 2010 to 2020 in a tertiary hospital system. Data recorded included age, smoking status, duration of pre-operative symptoms, preoperative and postoperative pain, and postoperative rate of recovery (days until improvement) in numbness, upper extremity strength, and balance. Results Patients (n=180) had an average age of 65.7 years (SD ±9.2 years, range 43-93 years). The mean ± standard deviation for the rate of recovery (days until improvement) in numbness, upper extremity strength, and balance was 84.5 ± 94.4 days, 50.6 ± 42.8 days, and 60.4 ± 69.9 days, respectively. There was only a marginally significant association between the rate of recovery for numbness after surgery and patient age (p=0.053). The average rate of recovery in numbness for patients older than 60 years was significantly longer than those younger than 60 years (99.3 versus 60.2 days). Preoperative smoking status was significantly associated with persistent moderate to severe pain (p=0.032) within the six-month postoperative period. No significant correlations were seen between the rate of recovery for balance or strength and patient age or preoperative duration of symptoms. Conclusion There was great variability in the rate of recovery for postoperative symptoms after surgery for DCM. A longer time for improvement in postoperative numbness was only marginally correlated with the increased patient age after surgery for DCM. There was no correlation found between strength or balance recovery times and patient age. Smoking status was associated with moderate to severe postoperative pain after surgery for DCM. Furthermore, the duration of preoperative symptoms was not associated with improvement in postoperative symptoms after surgery for DCM. More research is needed to determine factors impacting the rate of recovery after surgery for DCM.

Parsonage Turner syndrome after cervical trauma and COVID-19 infection: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Parsonage Turner syndrome is an uncommon condition characterized by acute onset shoulder pain, followed by neurologic deficits such as weakness and paresthesia. It is a condition that is thought to be immune-mediated, and triggered by several recognized factors such as trauma, surgery, infections, and immunizations. Upper extremity Parsonage Turner syndrome may affect any distribution of the brachial plexus and most commonly presents unilaterally. Clinical history and examination are the basis of diagnosis, although electrodiagnostic studies may be important for confirmation. Magnetic resonance and ultrasonographic studies have also been effectively used in the diagnosis of Parsonage Turner syndrome. The case herein presents a patient with multiple possible triggers of Parsonage Turner syndrome. Case Description: We present a case of 62-year-old Caucasian male with bilateral radicular pain and weakness in the upper extremities after cervical spine surgery for a fracture in a patient that was infected with COVID-19. The patient underwent electrodiagnostic testing, as well as ultrasonographic studies that demonstrated Parsonage Turner syndrome. A literature review on Parsonage Turner syndrome associated with trauma, surgery and COVID-19 was also performed. Conclusions: Most cases of Parsonage Turner syndrome have a known associated risk factor. The patient in this report is unique in that they had several known risk factors for Parsonage Turner syndrome simultaneously. For timely and accurate diagnosis, it is important to consider the potential triggers of Parsonage Turner syndrome including trauma, surgery and viral illnesses such as COVID-19.

Outcomes in surgical treatment for tandem spinal stenosis: systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Tandem spinal stenosis (TSS) refers to a narrowing of the spinal canal in distinct, noncontiguous regions. TSS most commonly occurs in the cervical and lumbar regions. Decompressive surgery is indicated for those with cervical myelopathy or persistent symptoms from lumbar stenosis despite conservative management. Surgical management typically involves staged procedures, with cervical decompression taking precedence in most cases, followed by lumbar decompression at a later time. However, several studies have shown favorable outcomes in simultaneous decompression. PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to provide a literature review and compare surgical outcomes in patients undergoing staged vs simultaneous surgery for TSS. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: Systematic literature review. METHODS: A systematic review using PRISMA guidelines to identify original research articles for tandem spinal stenosis. PubMed, Cochrane, Ovid, Scopus, and Web of Science were used for electronic literature search. Original articles from 2005 to 2021 with more than eight adult patients treated surgically for cervical and lumbar TSS in staged or simultaneous procedures were included. Articles including pediatric patients, primarily thoracic stenosis, stenosis secondary to neoplasm or infectious disease, minimally invasive surgery, and non-English language were excluded. Demographic, perioperative, complications, functional outcome, and neurologic outcome data including mJOA (modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association), Nurick grade (NG), and ODI (Oswestry disability index), were extracted and summarized. RESULTS: A total of 667 articles were initially identified. After preliminary screening, 21 articles underwent full-text screening. Ten articles met our inclusion criteria. A total of 831 patients were included, 571 (68%) of them underwent staged procedures, and 260 (32%) underwent simultaneous procedures for TSS. Mean follow-ups ranged from 12 to 85 months. There was no difference in estimated blood loss (EBL) between staged and simultaneous groups (p=.639). Simultaneous surgeries had shorter surgical time than staged surgeries (p<.001). Mean changes in mJOA, NG, and ODI was comparable between staged and simultaneous groups. Complications were similar between the groups. There were more major complications reported in simultaneous operations, although this was not statistically significant (p=.301). CONCLUSION: Staged and simultaneous surgery for TSS have comparable perioperative, functional, and neurologic outcomes, as well as complication rates. Careful selection of candidates for simultaneous surgery may reduce the length of stay and consolidate rehabilitation, thereby reducing hospital-associated costs.

An Anatomic Study Examining Lumbar Pars Interarticularis Distance and Spinal Canal Width in Relation to Lumbar Decompressive Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Lumbar laminectomy is a surgical procedure allowing for decompression of neural structures. A wide laminectomy to adequately decompress neural elements without compromising the structural integrity of the spinal column is ideal. Pars interarticularis fractures with spinal instability after isolated laminectomy from overresection of the posterior elements have been reported. There are limited anatomical studies in the spine literature that measure the pars interarticularis distance (PID) and spinal canal width (SCW) in the lumbar spine. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in PID and SCW at each level of the lumbar spine and to determine their effects on the extent of laminectomy at each lumbar level. METHODS: We performed an anatomic study measuring PID and SCW in the lumbar spine from 93 skeletally matured osseous specimens. Groups were compared using an independent sample t test, 1-way analysis of variance, and Wilcoxon test, and significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Our study suggests that the distance between PID and SCW increases from L1 to L5 in African American and Caucasian women and men. However, the respective increase in SCW at each lumbar level is less than the respective increase in PID at the same levels. This trend suggests that there is a wider window available for decompression without compromising spinal stability in the lower lumbar spine compared with the upper lumbar spine. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the upper lumbar spine has a narrower window for decompression; therefore, care should be taken to preserve as much of the pars at L1-L3. Understanding the variations in PID and SCW in the lumbar spine will help surgeons perform adequate decompression of a stenotic canal while avoiding postoperative spinal instability. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Awareness of PID to SCW ratio may help spine surgeons avoid iatrogenic instability, postoperative intractable back pain, spondylolisthesis, or complications involving alterations of the lumbar spine biomechanics.

Recurrence of Epidural Spinal Sarcoidosis.

Neurosarcoidosis involving the spine is uncommon. Sarcoidosis of the spine usually presents as an intramedullary lesion and rarely an epidural lesion. To have recurrence of neurosarcoidosis is an even rarer presentation. Here, we present a 37-year-old man with poorly controlled sarcoidosis who initially presented to our medical center in 2015 with thoracic myelopathy from epidural spinal sarcoidosis treated with thoracic decompression and fusion. He presented to the hospital 5 years later with a month history of progressive upper extremity weakness. MRI revealed recurrent stenosis and spinal cord compression in the cervicothoracic junction. Urgent surgical intervention along with medical management resulted in symptomatic and functional improvement. Surgical intervention and compliance with postoperative corticosteroid therapy seem to yield a favorable prognosis for patients with epidural spinal sarcoidosis and to avoid recurrence.

Complications of a Unilateral Nondisplaced Cervical Facet Fracture in a Patient With Previously Noninstrumented Anterior Cervical Fusion.

Fused motion segments have been documented to alter the biomechanics of the cervical spine and compromise its stability. Current literature describes a growing association between the presence of prior noninstrumented fused cervical segments and the predisposition to acute, traumatic instability at adjacent levels. We present the case of a stable cervical spine fracture pattern in a patient with a history of multilevel noninstrumented anterior cervical spine fusion-initially presenting as a small, nondisplaced unilateral facet fracture that ultimately progressed to overt displacement with kyphosis resulting in acute cervical pain and instability. The patient underwent urgent open reduction and instrumented posterior fixation. We discuss the challenges associated with a timely diagnosis and offer insight into the surgical management of this rare yet potentially catastrophic complication.

Body mass index and the risk of deep surgical site infection following posterior cervical instrumented fusion.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infection (SSI) following spine surgery is associated with increased morbidity, reoperation rates, hospital readmissions, and cost. The incidence of SSI following posterior cervical spine surgery is higher than anterior cervical spine surgery, with rates from 4.5% to 18%. It is well documented that higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with increased risk of SSI after spine surgery. There are only a few studies that examine the correlation of BMI and SSI after posterior cervical instrumented fusion (PCIF) using national databases, however, none that compare trauma and nontraumatic patients. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine the odds of developing SSI with increasing BMI after PCIF, and to determine the risk of SSI in both trauma and nontraumatic adult patients. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study of a prospective surgical database collected at one academic institution. PATIENT SAMPLE: The patient sample is from a prospectively collected surgical registry from one institution, which includes patients who underwent PCIF from April 2011 to October 2017. OUTCOME MEASURES: A SSI that required return to the operating room for surgical debridement. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study using a prospectively collected database of all spine surgeries performed at our institution from April 2011 to October 2017. We identified 1,406 patients, who underwent PCIF for both traumatic injuries and nontraumatic pathologies using International Classification of Diseases 9 and 10 procedural codes. Thirty-day readmission data were obtained. Patient's demographics, BMI, presence of diabetes, preoperative diagnosis, and surgical procedures performed were identified. Using logistic regression analysis, the risk of SSI associated with every one-unit increase in BMI was determined. This study received no funding. All the authors in this study report no conflict of interests relevant to this study. RESULTS: Of the 1,406 patients identified, 1,143 met our inclusion criteria. Of those patients, 688 had PCIF for traumatic injuries and 454 for nontraumatic pathologies. The incidence of SSI for all patients, who underwent PCIF was 3.9%. There was no significant difference in the rate of SSI between our trauma group and nontraumatic group. There was a higher rate of infection in patients, who were diabetic and with BMI≥30 kg/m2. The presence of both diabetes and BMI≥30 kg/m2 had an added effect on the risk of developing SSI in all patients, who underwent PCIF. Additionally, logistic regression analysis showed that there was a positive difference measure between BMI and SSI. Our results demonstrate that for one-unit increase in BMI, the odds of having a SSI is 1.048 (95% CI: 1.007-1.092, p=.023). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that our rate of SSI after PCIF is within the range of what is cited in the literature. Interestingly, we did not see a statistically significant difference in the rate of infection between our trauma and nontrauma group. Overall, diabetes and elevated BMI are associated with increased risk of SSI in all patients, who underwent PCIF with even a higher risk in patient, who are both diabetic and obese. Obese patients should be counseled on elevated SSI risk after PCIF, and those with diabetes should be medically optimized before and after surgery when possible to minimize SSI.

Tophaceous gout of the cervical and thoracic spine with concomitant epidural infection.

Tophaceous gout of the spine is an underappreciated source of back pain in patients with or without neurological decline. It has been reported to occur in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine. Rarely, does it occur at more than one region of the spine. Advanced imaging with magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography are usually not helpful in differentiating between infection, malignancy and gout. Clinician should have a high suspicion of spinal gout in patients with history of gout who presents with renal insufficiency, presence of peripheral tophi on exam, with elevated serum uric acid and creatinine levels, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein. Here we present a case of a 23-year-old male with history of gout and chronic renal disease with progressive weakness in his lower extremities with new urinary incontinence who was found to have spinal gout with epidural infection of both the cervical and thoracic spine. Our patient was successfully managed with surgical decompression followed by medical treatment with antibiotics and steroids.

Heterotopic Ossification of the Inferior Pubic Ramus.

The hip is a common location for heterotopic ossification after surgical trauma, blunt trauma, or muscle injury. However, the region around the pubic rami is an unusual location for heterotopic bone formation. Here, we present a case of a young, active man in the Armed Forces Reserve with a large heterotopic bone involving the left inferior pubic ramus who underwent surgical excision through an unusual approach via the perineum. The patient had notable pain relief postoperatively and returned to his active duties 1 month after surgery without discomfort or functional limitation.

Spatially organized differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells within biphasic microparticle-incorporated high cell density osteochondral tissues.

Giving rise to both bone and cartilage during development, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) have the unique capacity to generate the complex tissues of the osteochondral interface. Utilizing a scaffold-free hMSC system, biphasic osteochondral constructs are incorporated with two types of growth factor-releasing microparticles to enable spatially organized differentiation. Gelatin microspheres (GM) releasing transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) combined with hMSC form the chondrogenic phase. The osteogenic phase contains hMSC only, mineral-coated hydroxyapatite microparticles (MCM), or MCM loaded with bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), cultured in medium with or without BMP-2. After 4 weeks, TGF-ß1 release from GM within the cartilage phase promotes formation of a glycosaminoglycan- and type II collagen-rich matrix, and has a local inhibitory effect on osteogenesis. In the osteogenic phase, type X collagen and osteopontin are produced in all conditions. However, calcification occurs on the outer edges of the chondrogenic phase in some constructs cultured in media containing BMP-2, and alkaline phosphatase levels are elevated, indicating that BMP-2 releasing MCM provides better control over region-specific differentiation. The production of complex, stem cell-derived osteochondral tissues via incorporated microparticles could enable earlier implantation, potentially improving outcomes in the treatment of osteochondral defects.

Decellularized tissue and cell-derived extracellular matrices as scaffolds for orthopaedic tissue engineering.

The reconstruction of musculoskeletal defects is a constant challenge for orthopaedic surgeons. Musculoskeletal injuries such as fractures, chondral lesions, infections and tumor debulking can often lead to large tissue voids requiring reconstruction with tissue grafts. Autografts are currently the gold standard in orthopaedic tissue reconstruction; however, there is a limit to the amount of tissue that can be harvested before compromising the donor site. Tissue engineering strategies using allogeneic or xenogeneic decellularized bone, cartilage, skeletal muscle, tendon and ligament have emerged as promising potential alternative treatment. The extracellular matrix provides a natural scaffold for cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation. Decellularization of in vitro cell-derived matrices can also enable the generation of autologous constructs from tissue specific cells or progenitor cells. Although decellularized bone tissue is widely used clinically in orthopaedic applications, the exciting potential of decellularized cartilage, skeletal muscle, tendon and ligament cell-derived matrices has only recently begun to be explored for ultimate translation to the orthopaedic clinic.