Are Variable Screw Angle Change and Screw-to-Vertebral Body Ratio Associated With Radiographic Subsidence Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion?

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective Cohort. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the easily measurable radiographic landmarks of screw-to-vertebral body ratio and changes in screw angle to identify if they are associated with early subsidence following an Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients undergoing 1-3 level ACDF with allograft or PEEK cages. Preoperative, immediate postoperative, and 6-month postoperative radiographs were analyzed to measure intradiscal height (or distance between 2 vertebral bodies) as an anterior vertebral distance (AVD), middle (MVD), and posterior (PVD), screw angle, screw-to-vertebral body length ratio, and interscrew distance. Multivariate stepwise regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: 92 patients were included (42 single-level, 32 two-level, and 18 3-level ACDFs). In single-level ACDFs, a decrease in the caudal screw angle was associated with a decrease in AVD (=.001) and MVD (P = .03). A decrease in the PVD was associated with a decrease in segmental lordosis (P < .001). For two-level ACDFs, a higher caudal screw-to-body ratio was associated with a lower MVD (P = .01). CONCLUSION: Six months following an ACDF for degenerative pathology, a decrease in the caudal screw angle was associated with an increase in radiographic subsidence at the antero-medial aspect of the disc space albeit largely subclinical. This suggests that the caudal screw angle change may serve as a reliable radiographic marker for early radiographic subsidence. Furthermore, a greater screw-to-vertebral body ratio may be protective against radiographic subsidence in two-level ACDF procedures.

Correction of cervical kyphoscoliosis, bisected spinal cord, and vertebral artery to epidural vein fistula in neurofibromatosis type 1.

Neurofibromatosis-1 (NF1) presents complex challenges due to its multisystemic effects, including kyphoscoliosis, dural ectasia, and arteriovenous fistulas (AVF). We present a case of a 31-year-old male with NF1 exhibiting severe cervical kyphoscoliosis, dural ectasia, a bisected cervical cord, and an arteriovenous fistula, highlighting the intricacies of managing such intricate cases. Rapid weakening in the patient's right arm and leg prompted imaging revealing severe cervical kyphotic deformity and a dural fold dividing the spinal cord. Surgical intervention addressed a high-flow arteriovenous fistula involving the right vertebral artery and an epidural vein, necessitating sacrifice of the artery. Posterior fusion and laminectomy were performed, resulting in stable neurological status postoperatively and significant improvement in sensory loss and weakness at three months. This case underscores the importance of a tailored posterior-only approach, involving dural fold release, to allow the spinal cord to relocate to a less tense position, thus demonstrating effective decompression in complex NF1 cases with concurrent kyphotic deformity and vertebral artery AVF.

Opiate-reduction protocol for common outpatient spinal procedures: a long-term feasibility study and single-center experience.

OBJECTIVE: The opioid epidemic continues to be at the forefront of public health. As a response to this crisis, many statewide and national medical groups have sought to develop opioid-prescribing guidelines for both acute and chronic pain states. Given the lack of evidence in the neurosurgical landscape, the authors' institution implemented opioid-prescribing guidelines for common outpatient spinal procedures in 2017, subsequently demonstrating a significant reduction in the narcotics prescribed. However, the ability to maintain the results garnered from such guidelines long term has not been described. The objective of this study was to evaluate postoperative opioid utilization at a high-volume quaternary referral center 5 years after the initial implementation of an opioid-reduction protocol for common outpatient spinal procedures. METHODS: From the electronic medical records, authors collected data on the number of tablets and total morphine equivalent dose (MED) prescribed, acute postoperative readmissions for pain concerns, refill requests, and conversion to long-term opiate use in the 5 years following implementation of an opioid-reduction protocol for common outpatient spinal procedures. These procedures, undertaken in opiate-naive patients, included 1- or 2-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, 1- or 2-level cervical disc replacement, and 1- or 2-level laminectomy, laminotomy, or foraminotomy (cervical or lumbar). RESULTS: The total quantity of narcotics was reduced by 37.0 tablets per patient after protocol implementation and over the 5-year period thereafter. Generally, patients were discharged with an average of 23.3 tablets, concurrent with the initial goal of 24 tablets, set forth in 2017. These results confirm an ongoing reduction in opiate quantities prescribed and overall morphine equivalent totals at the time of discharge over the course of 5 years after initial protocol implementation. CONCLUSIONS: A standardized discharge protocol for postoperative outpatient spinal procedures can lead to long-term reductions in opioid discharge quantity, without compromising patient safety or increasing the utilization of hospital resources through readmissions, refill requests, or clinic phone calls. This study provides an example of a feasible and effective discharge prescription regimen that may be generalizable to common outpatient neurosurgical procedures with long-term evidence that a small intervention can lead to ongoing reduced quantities of postoperative opioids at the time of discharge.

Is spinopelvic mismatch associated with increased disability at 2 years following short-segment lumbar fusions?

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the impact of pelvic incidence (PI) and lumbar lordosis (LL) matching on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes in patients undergoing one- or two-level lumbar fusions for degenerative pathology. The study also examined changes in alignment and HRQOL over a 24-month follow-up period. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study used data from a multicenter, prospectively collected database. Radiographic parameters were measured preoperatively and at 3-month and 24-month postoperative time points. Patients were categorized as having alignment (PI-LL ≤ 10°) or malalignment (PI-LL > 10°) at all time points. The Oswestry Disability Index scores were collected at the same time points. Statistical analyses assessed differences in HRQOL scores and radiographic parameters between the aligned and malaligned groups. RESULTS: Seventy-six patients were included. Both the aligned and malaligned groups showed improved HRQOL scores after surgery, but patients with proper alignment (PI-LL ≤ 10°) had significantly better HRQOL scores at the 24-month follow-up. Alignment remained stable from 3 months to 24 months postoperatively, with minimal movement between the aligned and malaligned groups. CONCLUSIONS: Proper PI-LL matching in one- and two-level lumbar fusions for degenerative pathology leads to improved HRQOL outcomes at the 24-month follow-up. Patients with maintained proper alignment after surgery experience continued improvement in disability levels. Surgeons should consider longer follow-up for patients who do not achieve proper alignment initially, as 24 months is crucial for assessing the consequences of malalignment in short-segment lumbar fusions.

A Tubular-Mounted Digital Camera Versus Optical Surgical Microscope for Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression Surgery: The Impact on Operative Times, Ergonomics, and Workflow.

OBJECTIVE: Understanding ergonomic impact is foundational to critically evaluating value and safety of enabling technologies in minimally invasive spine surgeries. This study assessed the impact of a tubular-mounted digital camera (TMDC) versus an optical surgical microscope (OSM) in single-level minimally invasive spine surgeries on operative times, durotomy rate, surgeon ergonomics, safety, and operating room workflow. METHODS: This retrospective study compared consecutive single-level minimally invasive lumbar decompression surgeries in a TMDC cohort (September 2021-June 2022) with an historical OSM cohort (January 2020-July 2021). Data included patient demographics, operative times, durotomy incidence, surgeon ergonomics (Rapid Entire Body Assessment scores), and equipment impact via staff surveys. Operative times were assessed by t test, while Pearson χ2 test compared sex. Age, body mass index, and Charlson Comorbidity Index comparisons were made by Wilcoxon rank sum tests, and survey results were analyzed with Wilcoxon signed rank tests. RESULTS: TMDC and OSM groups included 74 and 82 patients, respectively. Age, sex, and Charlson Comorbidity Index did not significantly differ between groups. The TMDC group had a higher body mass index (29.6 ± 5.1) than the OSM group (29.0 ± 7.5) (P = 0.04). The TMDC group had significantly shorter operative times (57.3 ± 16.6 minutes) than the OSM group) (66.7 ± 22.5 minutes) (P = 0.004), with no difference in durotomy rates (P = 0.42). TMDC use yielded lower Rapid Entire Body Assessment scores compared with OSM (4.1 ± 0.77) (P < 0.001). Surveys indicated improved safety, setup time, and workflow with TMDC (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: TMDC in single-level minimally invasive lumbar decompression surgery improved surgeon ergonomics, reduced operative times, and maintained durotomy rates, enhancing operating room efficiency. Evaluating ergonomic impact of technology is vital for safety and value assessment.

Gout-Induced Cervical Deformity and Progressive Myelopathy Mimicking Infection Requiring Cervical Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: This study describes a rare case where gout, a condition primarily associated with joint inflammation, initially manifested as a progressive cervical kyphotic deformity, mimicking infection and causing myelopathy. The patient, a previously healthy 56-year-old woman, presented with severe jaw pain and a temporomandibular joint abscess, alongside 2 months of worsening balance and arm/hand tingling. Extensive clinical and radiographic assessments revealed a severe cervical kyphotic deformity with bony erosion at multiple vertebral levels, raising suspicion of an infectious cause of compressive myelopathy. METHODS: The patient underwent an urgent staged surgical intervention involving multilevel cervical decompression and fusion, coupled with cervical deformity correction. RESULTS: Post surgery, she received antibiotics for 7 days, during which pathologic analysis unveiled collections of macrophages reacting to urate crystal deposition in a pattern consistent with gouty tophus. This unexpected diagnosis marked a novel case of undiagnosed gout-induced severe cervical deformity presenting with myelopathic symptoms and successfully managed through cervical spine deformity correction. CONCLUSIONS: This report underscores the significance of considering gout as a potential cause when encountering unusual spinal pathologies, especially in cases where gout-related symptoms are atypical. The presented 540-degree surgical approach effectively addressed both the cervical deformity and gout-induced myelopathic symptoms. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first documented instance of a patient with undiagnosed gout-induced severe cervical deformity successfully treated through cervical spine deformity correction, emphasizing the importance of vigilance and innovative management approaches in such rare clinical scenarios. As of the 2-year follow-up, the patient exhibited significant symptom improvement and overall well-being.

Monthly multidisciplinary complex spine conference: a cost-analysis utilizing time-driven activity-based costing.

PURPOSE: To understand costs and provide an initial framework associated with conference implementation as it pertains to complication prevention. METHODS: Team members' time spent on conference preparation, presentation, and follow-up tasks was recorded and averaged to determine the time required to prepare and present one patient. Using 2022 hourly wage rates based on our urban hospital setting, wage values were calculated for each personnel type and applied to their time spent. The total cost of the conference was annualized and calculated from the time spent in the three phases of the conference multiplied by the wage rate. Published data on complication rates and associated costs before and after conference implementation were used to calculate total cost reduction. RESULTS: With 3 active spine surgeons and 108 patients per year, the total time investment was 104.04 min per patient, costing $21,791 annually. Total RN equivalent value per patient was 5.25 for all three phases. Using a historical model, this multidisciplinary approach for adult spinal deformity reduced complications by 51% at 30 days, resulting in cost savings of $418,518 per year. Thus, the model demonstrates that implementation of this approach resulted in a potential total savings of $396,726/year. CONCLUSION: Implementing a cost-saving tool for managing complex spinal disorders is a responsibility of the spine team, who should lead a multidisciplinary conference. The combination of TDABC and lean methodology can effectively demonstrate the variable costs associated with this multidisciplinary effort and models provide evidence of potential cost-savings when applied to a multidisciplinary adult spinal deformity conference. These findings should encourage clinicians and administrators to allocate resources to improve patient care by reducing complications and costs.

Early Compensatory Segmental Angle Changes at L3-4 and L4-5 Following a L5-S1 Interbody Fusion for a Grade 1 Spondylolisthesis.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study included patients who underwent a L5-S1 ALIF or TLIF with posterior pedicle screw instrumentation for grade 1 spondylolisthesis 2018-2022. OBJECTIVE: To compare early reciprocal changes at the L3-4 and L4-5 adjacent levels six months after anterior (ALIF) or transforaminal (TLIF) lumbar interbody fusion at L5-S1. BACKGROUND: Degenerative and chronic isthmic spondylolistheses often result in decreased segmental lordosis at L5-S1. This can lead to lordotic overcompensation at adjacent levels to maintain spinopelvic balance. However, the fate of adjacent angles following interbody fusion is not well understood. METHODS: Preoperative and 6-month postoperative measurements of segmental lordosis (L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S1), lumbar lordosis, and pelvic incidence were obtained from sagittal standing radiographs. Preliminary t-tests were performed for descriptive purposes, and multiple regression was used for hypothesis testing. RESULTS: Ninety-eight patients met the inclusion criteria (50 ALIF and 48 TLIF). A greater amount of lordosis achieved at L5-S1 was significantly associated with a greater reduction of segmental lordosis at L4-5 (r=-0.65, P<.001) or L3-4 (r=-0.46, P<.001) (Fig. 3A). A greater preoperative PI was associated with a greater reduction of segmental lordosis at L4-L5 (r=-0.42, P<.001) and at L3-L4 (r=-0.44, P<.001). CONCLUSION: At six months following a lumbar interbody fusion at L5-S1, greater compensatory changes with lordosis reduction are observed at the supra-adjacent L4-5 and L3-4 levels in patients achieving greater L5-S1 segmental lordosis. Additionally, preoperative pelvic incidence (PI) played a role in influencing lordotic correction.

Risk factors for failure to achieve minimal clinically important difference following cervical disc replacement.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: While cervical disc replacement (CDR) has been emerging as a reliable and efficacious treatment option for degenerative cervical spine pathology, not all patients undergoing CDR will achieve minimal clinically important difference (MCID) in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) postoperatively-risk factors for failure to achieve MCID in PROMs following CDR have not been established. PURPOSE: To identify risk factors for failure to achieve MCID in Neck Disability Index (NDI, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) neck and arm following primary 1- or 2-level CDRs in the early and late postoperative periods. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data. PATIENT SAMPLE: Patients who had undergone primary 1- or 2-level CDR for the treatment of degenerative cervical pathology at a single institution with a minimum follow-up of 6 weeks between 2017 and 2022. OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient-reported outcomes: Neck disability index (NDI), Visual analog scale (VAS) neck and arm, MCID. METHODS: Minimal clinically important difference achievement rates for NDI, VAS-Neck, and VAS-Arm within early (within 3 months) and late (6 months to 2 years) postoperative periods were assessed based on previously established thresholds. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed for each PROM and evaluation period, with failure to achieve MCID assigned as the outcome variable, to establish models to identify risk factors for failure to achieve MCID and predictors for achievement of MCID. Predictor variables included in the analyses featured demographics, comorbidities, diagnoses/symptoms, and perioperative characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 154 patients met the inclusion criteria. The majority of patients achieved MCID for NDI, VAS-Neck, and VAS-Arm for both early and late postoperative periods-79% achieved MCID for at least one of the PROMs in the early postoperative period, while 80% achieved MCID for at least one of the PROMs in the late postoperative period. Predominant neck pain was identified as a risk factor for failure to achieve MCID for NDI in the early (OR: 3.13 [1.10-8.87], p-value: .032) and late (OR: 5.01 [1.31-19.12], p-value: .018) postoperative periods, and VAS-Arm for the late postoperative period (OR: 36.63 [3.78-354.56], p-value: .002). Myelopathy was identified as a risk factor for failure to achieve MCID for VAS-Neck in the early postoperative period (OR: 3.40 [1.08-10.66], p-value: .036). Anxiety was identified as a risk factor for failure to achieve MCID for VAS-Neck in the late postoperative period (OR: 6.51 [1.91-22.18], p-value: .003). CDR at levels C5C7 was identified as a risk factor for failure to achieve MCID in NDI for the late postoperative period (OR: 9.74 [1.43-66.34], p-value: .020). CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified several risk factors for failure to achieve MCID in common PROMs following CDR including predominant neck pain, myelopathy, anxiety, and CDR at levels C5-C7. These findings may help inform the approach to counseling patients on outcomes of CDR as the evidence suggests that those with the risk factors above may not improve as reliably after CDR.

Clinical Guidelines for the Evaluation and Treatment of Lumbar Disc Herniations: How Accurate is the Internet?

OBJECTIVE: To compare information online regarding lumbar disc herniation (LDH) on commonly searched websites and compare those findings with the evidence-based recommendations listed in the North American Spine Society (NASS) clinical practice guidelines. METHODS: NASS Clinical Practice Guidelines, Internet searches were performed utilizing three common search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo) and keywords associated with LDH. The top 20 websites from each search were selected. The content regarding diagnosis and treatment of LDH was compared to the NASS clinical practice guidelines. RESULTS: On average, websites mentioned only 59% of recommendations supported by Level I evidence. Websites included an average of 3 recommendations not discussed in the NASS guidelines out of an average of 12 total recommendations. Muscle and sensory testing and physical therapy were the most frequent recommendations, appearing on over 80% of websites. Websites were equally likely to contain recommendations backed by high-quality evidence as recommendations not included in NASS guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that websites regarding LDH contain a mix of information, with only a fraction of recommendations aligning with NASS clinical guidelines. Patients who use these websites are presented with unsubstantiated information, conceivably impacting their understanding, expectations and decision-making in physician offices.

Deep phenotyping the cervical spine: automatic characterization of cervical degenerative phenotypes based on T2-weighted MRI.

PURPOSE: Radiological degenerative phenotypes provide insight into a patient's overall extent of disease and can be predictive for future pathological developments as well as surgical outcomes and complications. The objective of this study was to develop a reliable method for automatically classifying sagittal MRI image stacks of cervical spinal segments with respect to these degenerative phenotypes. METHODS: We manually evaluated sagittal image data of the cervical spine of 873 patients (5182 motion segments) with respect to 5 radiological phenotypes. We then used this data set as ground truth for training a range of multi-class multi-label deep learning-based models to classify each motion segment automatically, on which we then performed hyper-parameter optimization. RESULTS: The ground truth evaluations turned out to be relatively balanced for the labels disc displacement posterior, osteophyte anterior superior, osteophyte posterior superior, and osteophyte posterior inferior. Although we could not identify a single model that worked equally well across all the labels, the 3D-convolutional approach turned out to be preferable for classifying all labels. CONCLUSIONS: Class imbalance in the training data and label noise made it difficult to achieve high predictive power for underrepresented classes. This shortcoming will be mitigated in the future versions by extending the training data set accordingly. Nevertheless, the classification performance rivals and in some cases surpasses that of human raters, while speeding up the evaluation process to only require a few seconds.

What is the fate of the adjacent segmental angles 6 months after single-level L3-4 or L4-5 lateral lumbar interbody fusion?

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) is an effective technique for fusion and sagittal alignment correction/maintenance. Studies have investigated the impact on the segmental angle and lumbar lordosis (and pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis mismatch), however not much is documented regarding the immediate compensation of the adjacent angles. PURPOSE: To evaluate acute adjacent and segmental angle as well as lumbar lordosis changes in patients undergoing a L3-4 or L4-5 LLIF for degenerative pathology. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: Retrospective cohort study. PATIENT SAMPLE: Patients included in this study were analyzed pre- and post-LLIF performed by one of three fellowship-trained spine surgeons, 6 months following surgery. OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient demographics (including body mass index, diabetes diagnosis, age, and sex) as well as VAS and ODI scores were measured. Lateral lumbar radiograph parameters: lumbar lordosis (LL), segmental lordosis (SL), infra and supra-adjacent segmental angle, and pelvic incidence (PI). METHODS: Multiple regressions were applied for the main hypothesis tests. We examined any interactive effects at each operative level and used the 95% confidence intervals to determine significance: a confidence interval excluding zero indicates a significant effect. RESULTS: We identified 84 patients who underwent a single level LLIF (61 at L4-5, 23 at L3-4). For both the overall sample and at each operative level, the operative segmental angle was significantly more lordotic postop compared to preop (all ps≤.01). Adjacent segmental angles were significantly less lordotic postop compared to pre-op overall (p=.001). For the overall sample, greater lordotic change at the operative segment led to more compensatory reduction of lordosis at the supra-adjacent segment. At L4-5, more lordotic change at the operative segment led to more compensatory lordosis reduction at the infra-adjacent segment. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that LLIF resulted in significant increase in operative level lordosis and a compensatory decrease in supra- and infra-adjacent level lordosis, and subsequently no significant impact on spinopelvic mismatch.

Incidence, etiology and time course of delays to adult spinal deformity surgery: a single-center experience.

PURPOSE: We sought to determine the incidence, origin, and timeframe of delays to adult spinal deformity surgery so that institutions using preoperative multidisciplinary patient assessment teams might better anticipate and address these potential delays. METHODS: Complex spine procedures for treatment of adult spinal deformity from 1/1/18 to 8/31/21 were identified. Procedures for infection, tumor, and urgent/emergent cases were excluded. Operations delayed due to COVID or those that were performed outside of our established perioperative care pathway were also excluded. The electronic health record was used to identify the etiology and timeline of all pre- and peri-operative delays. RESULTS: Of 235 patients scheduled for complex spine surgery, 193 met criteria for inclusion. Of these patients, 35 patients experienced a surgical delay (18.1%) with a total of 41 delays recorded. Reasons for delay include medically unoptimized (25.6%), intraoperative complication (17.9%), patient directed delay (17.9%), patient illness/injury (15.4%), scheduling complication (10.3%), insurance delay/denial (5.1%), and unknown (2.6%). Twenty-four delays experienced by 22 individuals occurred within 7 days of their scheduled surgery date. CONCLUSION: At a single multidisciplinary center, most delays to adult spinal deformity surgery occur before a patient is admitted to the hospital, and for recommendations of additional medical workup/clearance. We suspect that the preoperative protocol might increase pre-admission delays for unoptimized patients, as the protocol is intended to ensure patients receive surgery only when they are medically ready. Further research is needed to determine the economic and system impact of delays related to a preoperative optimization protocol weighed against the reduction in adverse events these protocols can provide.

The Surgeon Ergonomic Impact of a Tubular-Based Digital Camera to Perform a Seated Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy.

BACKGROUND: Posterior cervical decompression is a common spine procedure that can be performed with the patient in prone or sitting position. The sitting position provides the potential benefits of more facile retraction of surrounding soft tissues, increased operative field and fluoroscopic visualization, and decreased epidural bleeding. However, the surgeon's ergonomics of this positioning can be quite challenging when using the standard operative microscope to perform the procedure and may cause musculoskeletal harm to the surgeon. METHODS: A sterile digital camera was brought into the field to perform a sitting foraminotomy completed through the tube retractor at both C6-7 and C7-T1 levels. For half of the procedure, a typical neurosurgical operative microscope was brought into the field to evaluate surgeon ergonomics using baseline Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) scores for 2 surgeons of differing stature. The digital camera was inserted onto the tubular retractor, and REBA scores were calculated. RESULTS: With a microscope, the surgeon with taller stature scored a 5 on the initial REBA scale, and the surgeon with shorter stature scored a 6, placing both in the medium-risk category. Once the tubular-based camera was placed, repeated REBA score of both surgeons was 3, placing them in the low-risk category. CONCLUSIONS: Using a tubular-based digital camera system, the ergonomics of the surgery are substantially improved. The surgeon can stand closer to the operative field and look directly at a front-facing screen, allowing increased relaxation of the upper extremity and cervical musculature; improving overall ergonomic function.

Endplate abnormalities, Modic changes and their relationship to alignment parameters and surgical outcomes in the cervical spine.

Modic changes (MC) and endplate abnormalities (EA) have been shown to impact preoperative symptoms and outcomes following spinal surgery. However, little is known about how these phenotypes impact cervical alignment. This study aimed to evaluate the impact that these phenotypes have on preoperative, postoperative, and changes in cervical alignment in patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). We performed a retrospective study of prospectively collected data of ACDF patients at a single institution. Preoperative magnetic resonance imagings (MRIs) were used to assess for the MC and EA. Patients were subdivided into four groups: MC-only, EA-only, the combined Modic-Endplate-Complex (MEC), and patients without either phenotype. Pre and postoperative MRIs were used to assess alignment parameters. Associations with imaging phenotypes and alignment parameters were assessed, and statistical significance was set at p < 0.5. A total of 512 patients were included, with 84 MC-only patients, 166 EA-only patients, and 71 patients with MEC. Preoperative MC (p = 0.031) and the MEC (p = 0.039) had significantly lower preoperative T1 slope compared to controls. Lower preoperative T1 slope was a risk factor for MC (p = 0.020) and MEC (p = 0.029) and presence of MC (Type II) and the MEC (Type III) was predictive of lower preoperative T1 slope. There were no differences in postoperative alignment measures or patient reported outcome measures. MC and endplate pathologies such as the MEC appear to be associated with worse cervical alignment at baseline relative to patients without these phenotypes. Poor alignment may be an adaptive response to these degenerative findings or may be a risk factor for their development.

Telemedicine in Spine Surgery: Global Perspectives and Practices.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional, anonymous, international survey. OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the rapid adoption of telemedicine in spine surgery. This study sought to determine the extent of adoption and global perspectives on telemedicine in spine surgery. METHODS: All members of AO Spine International were emailed an anonymous survey covering the participant's experiences with and perceptions of telemedicine. Descriptive statistics were used to depict responses. Responses were compared among regions. RESULTS: 485 spine surgeons participated in the survey. Telemedicine usage rose from <10.0% to >39.0% of all visits. A majority of providers (60.5%) performed at least one telemedicine visit. The format of "telemedicine" varied widely by region: European (50.0%) and African (45.2%) surgeons were more likely to use phone calls, whereas North (66.7%) and South American (77.0%) surgeons more commonly used video (P < 0.001). North American providers used telemedicine the most during COVID-19 (>60.0% of all visits). 81.9% of all providers "agreed/strongly agreed" telemedicine was easy to use. Respondents tended to "agree" that imaging review, the initial appointment, and postoperative care could be performed using telemedicine. Almost all (95.4%) surgeons preferred at least one in-person visit prior to the day of surgery. CONCLUSION: Our study noted significant geographical differences in the rate of telemedicine adoption and the platform of telemedicine utilized. The results suggest a significant increase in telemedicine utilization, particularly in North America. Spine surgeons found telemedicine feasible for imaging review, initial visits, and follow-up visits although the vast majority still preferred at least one in-person preoperative visit.

Anterior Cervical Corpectomy and Fusion for Degenerative Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Case Presentation With Surgical Technique Demonstration and Review of Literature.

Anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF) provides an extensive decompression and provides a large surface area for fusion in patients presenting with cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Unfortunately, this procedure is a more difficult spinal surgery to perform (compared with a traditional anterior cervical discectomy and fusion) and has a higher incidence of overall complications. In literature, ACCF has functional outcomes that seem clinically equivalent to those for multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, especially when contained to 1 vertebral body level, and in cases, for which both posterior and anterior procedures would be appropriate surgical options, may provide greater long-term clinical benefit than posterior fusion or laminoplasty. In this manuscript, we summarize the indications and outcomes following ACCF for degenerative cervical spondylotic myelopathy. We then describe a case presentation and associated surgical technique with a discussion of complication avoidance with this procedure.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Spine Surgeons Worldwide: A One Year Prospective Comparative Study.

STUDY DESIGN: Survey. OBJECTIVE: In March of 2020, an original study by Louie et al investigated the impact of COVID-19 on 902 spine surgeons internationally. Since then, due to varying government responses and public health initiatives to the pandemic, individual countries and regions of the world have been affected differently. Therefore, this follow-up study aimed to assess how the COVID-19 impact on spine surgeons has changed 1 year later. METHODS: A repeat, multi-dimensional, 90-item survey written in English was distributed to spine surgeons worldwide via email to the AO Spine membership who agreed to receive surveys. Questions were categorized into the following domains: demographics, COVID-19 observations, preparedness, personal impact, patient care, and future perceptions. RESULTS: Basic respondent demographics, such as gender, age, home demographics, medical comorbidities, practice type, and years since training completion, were similar to those of the original 2020 survey. Significant differences between groups included reasons for COVID testing, opinions of media coverage, hospital unemployment, likelihood to be performing elective surgery, percentage of cases cancelled, percentage of personal income, sick leave, personal time allocation, stress coping mechanisms, and the belief that future guidelines were needed (P<.05). CONCLUSION: Compared to baseline results collected at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, significant differences in various domains related to COVID-19 perceptions, hospital preparedness, practice impact, personal impact, and future perceptions have developed. Follow-up assessment of spine surgeons has further indicated that telemedicine and virtual education are mainstays. Such findings may help to inform and manage expectations and responses to any future outbreaks.