Outpatient Spine Procedures in Poland: Clinical Outcomes, Safety, Complications, and Technical Insights into an Ambulatory Spine Surgery Center.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of spine procedures performed in an ambulatory spine surgery unit in Poland. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 318 patients who underwent ambulatory spine surgery between 2018 and 2021, with procedures including microdiscectomy (MLD), anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), endoscopic interbody fusion (endoLIF), posterior endoscopic cervical discectomy (PECD), interlaminar endoscopic lumbar discectomy IELD, and transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy (TELD). Patient data were analyzed for pre-operative and post-operative visual analog scale (VAS) scores. RESULTS: The findings indicated that outpatient techniques were safe and effective, with a 2.83% complication rate. All procedures significantly improved VAS scores under short-term observation, and core outcome measurement index (COMI) scores under long-term observation. CONCLUSIONS: Ambulatory spine surgery represents a relatively new approach in Poland, with only a select few centers currently offering this type of service. Outpatient spine surgery is a safe, effective, and cost-effective option for patients requiring basic spine surgeries.

Ultrasound-Guided Blocks for Spine Surgery: Part 1-Cervix.

Postoperative pain is common following spine surgery, particularly complex procedures. The main anesthetic efforts are focused on applying multimodal analgesia beforehand, and regional anesthesia is a critical component of it. The purpose of this study is to examine the existing techniques for regional anesthesia in cervical spine surgery and to determine their effect and safety on pain reduction and postoperative patient's recovery. The electronic databases were searched for all literature pertaining to cervical nerve block procedures. The following peripheral, cervical nerve blocks were selected and described: paravertebral block, cervical plexus clock, paraspinal interfascial plane blocks such as multifidus cervicis, retrolaminar, inter-semispinal and interfacial, as well as erector spinae plane block and stellate ganglion block. Clinicians should choose more superficial techniques in the cervical region, as they have been shown to be comparably effective and less hazardous compared to paravertebral blocks.

Translation, validation, and cross-cultural adaptation of the Polish version of the pain sensitivity questionnaire.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to provide a translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the Polish language version of the pain sensitivity questionnaire (PSQ). The process followed widely accepted guidelines. METHODS: The translated questionnaire underwent thorough psychometric testing. In total, the data of 144 subjects (mean age 52.53±13 years), who underwent evaluation for lower back pain, were included. RESULTS: The exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure, PSQ-moderate and PSQ-minor. The internal consistency was good (Cronbach's α was 0.96). There was a fair and significant correlation between the results of the PSQ and the coping strategy questionnaire (CSQ; Spearman's rho was 0.27). The test-retest reliability was favorable, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the CSQ total was 0.93 with a mean interval of 9.04 days between administrations. CONCLUSION: Our results show that the Polish version of the PSQ is valid and can be recommended for Polish-speaking patients.