The use of robot-assisted surgery for the unstable traumatic spine: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Robotic assistance has been shown to increase instrumentation placement accuracy in open and minimally invasive spinal fusion. These gains have been achieved without increases in operative times, blood loss, or hospitalization duration. However, most work has been done in the degenerative population and little is known of the utility of robotic assistance when applied to spinal trauma. This is largely due to the uncertainty stemming from the disruption of normal anatomy by the traumatic injury. Since the robot depends upon registration for instrumentation guidance according to the fiducials it uses, trauma can introduce unique challenges. The present study sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of robotic assistance in a consecutive cohort of spine trauma patients. Methods: All patients with Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Scale (TLICS) >4 who underwent robot-assisted spinal fusion using the Globus ExcelsiusGPS at a single tertiary care center for trauma between 2020 and 2022 were identified. Demographic, clinical, and surgical data were collected and analyzed; the primary endpoints were operative time, fluoroscopy time, estimated blood loss, postoperative complications, admission time, and 90-day readmission rate. The paired t-test was used to compare differences between mean values when looking at the number of surgical levels. Results: Forty-two patients undergoing robot-assisted spinal surgery were included (mean age 61.3±17.1 year; 47% female. Patients were stratified by the number of operative levels, 2 (n = 10), 3-4 (n = 11), 5 to 6 (n = 13), or >6 (n = 8). There appeared to be a positive correlation between number of levels instrumented and odds of postoperative complications, admission duration, fluoroscopy time, and estimated blood loss. There were no instances of screw malposition or breach. Conclusions: This initial experience suggests robotic assistance can be safely employed in the spine trauma population. Additional experiences in larger patient populations are necessary to delineate those traumatic pathologies most amenable to robotic assistance.

Three-Dimensional-Printed Titanium Versus Polyetheretherketone Cages for Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Systematic Review of Comparative In Vitro, Animal, and Human Studies.

Interbody fusion is a workhorse technique in lumbar spine surgery that facilities indirect decompression, sagittal plane realignment, and successful bony fusion. The 2 most commonly employed cage materials are titanium (Ti) alloy and polyetheretherketone (PEEK). While Ti alloy implants have superior osteoinductive properties they more poorly match the biomechanical properties of cancellous bones. Newly developed 3-dimensional (3D)-printed porous titanium (3D-pTi) address this disadvantage and are proposed as a new standard for lumbar interbody fusion (LIF) devices. In the present study, the literature directly comparing 3D-pTi and PEEK interbody devices is systematically reviewed with a focus on fusion outcomes and subsidence rates reported in the in vitro, animal, and human literature. A systematic review directly comparing outcomes of PEEK and 3D-pTi interbody spinal cages was performed. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. Mean Newcastle-Ottawa Scale score for cohort studies was 6.4. A total of 7 eligible studies were included, comprising a combination of clinical series, ovine animal data, and in vitro biomechanical studies. There was a total population of 299 human and 59 ovine subjects, with 134 human (44.8%) and 38 (64.4%) ovine models implanted with 3D-pTi cages. Of the 7 studies, 6 reported overall outcomes in favor of 3D-pTi compared to PEEK, including subsidence and osseointegration, while 1 study reported neutral outcomes for device related revision and reoperation rate. Though limited data are available, the current literature supports 3D-pTi interbodies as offering superior fusion outcomes relative to PEEK interbodies for LIF without increasing subsidence or reoperation risk. Histologic evidence suggests 3D-Ti to have superior osteoinductive properties that may underlie these superior outcomes, but additional clinical investigation is merited.

Robot-assisted percutaneous pedicle screw placement accuracy compared with alternative guidance in lateral single-position surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: While single-position surgery (SPS) eliminates the need for patient repositioning, the placement of screws in the unconventional lateral position poses unique challenges related to asymmetry relative to the surgical table. Use of robotic guidance or intraoperative navigation can help to overcome this. The aim of this study was to compare the relative accuracies offered by these various navigation modalities for pedicle screws placed in lateral SPS. METHODS: According to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, the PubMed/Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were queried for studies reporting pedicle screw placement accuracy using fluoroscopic, CT-navigated, O-arm, or robotic guidance in lateral SPS, and a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. Included studies all compared evaluated screw placement accuracy in lateral SPS using a single navigation method. Quality assessment was performed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system; risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. The primary outcome, rate of pedicle screw breach, was analyzed using random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included comprising 548 patients who underwent the placement of instrumentation with 2488 screws. For the fluoroscopic, CT-navigated, O-arm, and robotic guidance cohorts, there were 3, 2, 3, and 3 studies, respectively. Breach rates by modality were as follows: fluoroscopic guidance (6.6%), CT navigation (4.7%), O-arm (3.9%), and robotic guidance (3.9%). Random-effects meta-analysis showed a significant difference between studies, with an overall breach rate of 4.9% (95% CI 3.1%-7.5%; p < 0.001); however, testing for subgroup differences failed to show a significant difference between guidance modalities (QM = 0.69, df = 3; p = 0.88). Heterogeneity between studies was significant (I2 = 79.0%, τ2 = 0.41, χ2 = 47.65, df = 10; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Robotic guidance of screws is noninferior to alternative guidance modalities in lateral SPS; however, additional prospective studies directly comparing different guidance types are merited.

Resident Training in Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review of Simulation-Based Educational Models.

OBJECTIVE: With the increasing prevalence of spine surgery, ensuring effective resident training is becoming of increasing importance. Training safe, competent surgeons relies heavily on effective teaching of surgical indications and adequate practice to achieve a minimum level of technical proficiency before independent practice. American Council of Graduate Medical Education work-hour restrictions have complicated the latter, forcing programs to identify novel methods of surgical resident training. Simulation-based training is one such method that can be used to complement traditional training. The present review aims to evaluate the educational success of simulation-based models in the spine surgical training of residents. METHODS: Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, the PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were systematically screened for English full-text studies examining simulation-based spine training curricula. Studies were categorized based on simulation model class, including animal-cadaveric, human-cadaveric, physical/3-dimensional, and computer-based/virtual reality. Outcomes studied included participant feedback regarding the simulator and competency metrics used to evaluate participant performance. RESULTS: Seventy-two studies were identified. Simulators displayed high face validity and were useful for spine surgery training. Objective measures used to evaluate procedural performance included implant placement evaluation, procedural time, and technical skill assessment, with numerous simulators demonstrating a learning effect. CONCLUSIONS: While simulation-based educational models are one potential means of training residents to perform spine surgery, traditional in-person operating room training remains pivotal. To establish the efficacy of simulators, future research should focus on improving study quality by leveraging longitudinal study designs and correlating simulation-based training with clinical outcome measures.

Radiographic Outcomes Following ACDF With Hyperlordotic Implants to Achieve Cervical Anterior Column Realignment.

BACKGROUND: Degenerative disc disease and progressive sagittal malalignment can both contribute to degenerative cervical myelopathy and radiculopathy. For patients with symptoms refractory to conservative management, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a thoroughly vetted intervention shown to improve pain and disability measures. Hyperlordotic implants can also help restore cervical sagittal balance through anterior column realignment (ACR). METHODS: A consecutive bi-institutional series of patients who underwent ACDF with hyperlordotic polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implants between 2014 and 2016 was reviewed. All included patients underwent ACDF between C3 and C7 inclusive of a hyperlordotic PEEK cervical implant (>10° lordosis), and had ≥12 months of radiographic follow-up. Lateral radiographs were analyzed to compare pre- and postoperative cervical parameters. RESULTS: Forty-six patients were included (mean age, 58.0 years; male, 35%). Mean body mass index was 28.3 kg/m2, and mean radiographic follow-up 14.4 months. Overall, cervical lordosis increased from -7.8° preoperatively to -14.8° postoperatively and to -15.7° at last follow-up (P < 0.001). Additionally, the mean segmental lordosis of ACR levels treated increased from -0.2° preoperatively to -4.8° postoperatively (P < 0.001), but no significant change was observed at last follow-up. Lastly, improvement in segmental lordosis was seen at both postoperative time points at the C3-C4 (P = 0.002 and P = 0.005, respectively), C4-C5 (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively), and C5-C6 levels (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that hyperlordotic PEEK implants used for ACR effectively contribute to restoration of cervical lordosis in patients undergoing ACDF, potentially reducing the need for additional posterior surgery.

Prone-lateral access to the lumbar spine: single-level corpectomy with approach discussion.

The lateral lumbar interbody fusion has evolved as newly envisioned access corridors become feasible with technological advances. Prone lateral access has evolved as a single-access approach to combine the benefits of minimally invasive surgery with direct and indirect decompression of the neural elements with synergistic anterior and posterior column correction. In this video, the authors discuss the pearls, pitfalls, and adjuvant technologies they use in a high-volume prone lateral center via case demonstration of a prone lateral corpectomy. The video can be found here: https://stream.cadmore.media/r10.3171/2022.3.FOCVID2216.

The Use of Psychedelics in the Treatment of Medical Conditions: An Analysis of Currently Registered Psychedelics Studies in the American Drug Trial Registry.

Although early therapeutic research on psychedelics dates back to the 1940s, this field of investigation was met with many cultural and legal challenges in the 1970s. Over the past two decades, clinical trials using psychedelics have resumed. Therefore, the goal of this study was to (1) better characterize the recent uptrend in psychedelics in clinical trials and (2) identify areas where potentially new clinical trials could be initiated to help in the treatment of widely prevalent medical disorders. A systematic search was conducted on the clinicaltrials.gov database for all registered clinical trials examining the use of psychedelic drugs and was both qualitatively and quantitatively assessed. Analysis of recent studies registered in clinicaltrials.gov was performed using Pearson's correlation coefficient testing. Statistical analysis and visualization were performed using R software. In totality, 105 clinical trials met this study's inclusion criteria. The recent uptrend in registered clinical trials studying psychedelics (p = 0.002) was similar to the uptrend in total registered clinical trials in the registry (p < 0.001). All trials took place from 2007 to 2020, with 77.1% of studies starting in 2017 or later. A majority of clinical trials were in phase 1 (53.3%) or phase 2 (25.7%). Common disorders treated include substance addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, and major depressive disorder. Potential research gaps include studying psychedelics as a potential option for symptomatic treatment during opioid tapering. There appears to be a recent uptrend in registered clinical trials studying psychedelics, which is similar to the recent increase in overall trials registered. Potentially, more studies could be performed to evaluate the potential of psychedelics for symptomatic treatment during opioid tapering and depression refractory to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Demographic predictors of treatment and complications for adult spinal deformity: An analysis of the national inpatient sample.

PURPOSE: To examine the role of demographics on surgical management and inpatient complications in patients with spinal deformity between 2010 and 2014 via retrospective analysis. METHODS: Data were obtained from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS). International Classification of Diseases 9th revision codes were used to identify patients with a primary diagnosis of adult spinal deformity (ASD). Multivariable Poisson regression analyses were used to determine whether any individual demographic variables were predictive of surgical management, surgical complexity, postoperative complications and revision operations. RESULTS: 17,433 patients were identified for analysis. Surgical intervention was performed for 94.5% of patients with a primary diagnosis of ASD. Patients at urban teaching hospitals were the most likely to receive surgery (OR= 2.13; 95% CI 1.51-2.95; p < 0.001) relative to rural patients. Female patients were the majority undergoing surgery and were more likely to receive a complication or require a revision when controlling for surgical complexity. Medicare patients were the least likely to undergo surgery and the most likely to receive complex fusion when undergoing an operation. Medicare patients were the least likely to experience complications (OR=0.89; 95% CI 0.80-0.98; p = 0.022) after adjusting for surgical complexity. With regards to race and ethnicity, Hispanics had a decreased likelihood of receiving a revision surgery. CONCLUSION: There were substantial differences in rates of surgical management, postoperative complications, and revisions among individuals of different demographics including sex, insurance status, ethnicity and hospital teaching status. Further research evaluating the effect of demographics in spine surgery is warranted to fully understand their influence on patient outcomes.

Novel use of nonpenetrating titanium clips for pediatric primary spinal dural closure: A technical note.

BACKGROUND: Dural closure is an important part of any pediatric spinal procedure with intradural pathology to prevent post-operative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) egress and associated complications. Utilization of nonpenetrating titanium clips is one closure option that may have technical advantages such as ease of use and amenability to a narrow surgical corridor. No data exist on the efficacy of these clips for pediatric spinal dural closure. METHODS: A single surgeon case series of 152 pediatric patients underwent procedures involving lumbar durotomy with subsequent dural closure using the AnastoClip® nonpenetrating titanium clip closure system. Rates of infection and cerebrospinal fluid leak were measured during the follow-up period. RESULTS: A total of 152 pediatric patients (mean age: 6.25 ± 5.85 years, 50.7 % female) underwent intradural surgery with clip closure. The mean follow-up time was 57.0 ± 28.5 months. All patients were initially indicated for procedures involving spinal durotomy, with a majority being isolated tethered cord release (84.2 %). Others required tethered cord release and excision of a lipomyelomeningocele, spinal meningioma or arachnoid cyst (15.8 %). Post operative CSF leak occurred in two (1.32 %) patients at 11 and 18 days. Only one (0.66 %) patient was diagnosed with an infection, which was in a separate patient from those that had CSF leaks. CONCLUSION: The remarkably low incidence of post-operative CSF leak and infection with nonpenetrating titanium clips suggests a strong safety and efficacy profile for this form of dural closure in a pediatric cohort. Further research evaluating this technique is required to fully demonstrate its acceptability as a cost-effective alternative to traditional suture-based closure.

A case report of robotic-guided prone transpsoas lumbar fusion in a patient with lumbar pseudarthrosis, adjacent segment disease, and degenerative scoliosis.

BACKGROUND: Surgical treatment of scoliosis includes long and invasive multi-level instrumentation and correction which may result in high rates of postoperative complications, especially in elderly patients with osteopenia or multiple comorbidities. Minimally invasive surgical options may benefit these patients. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 73-year-old female patient with a history of degenerative lumbar scoliosis, L4-5 pseudarthrosis, and resulting L5-S1 adjacent segment following prior unsuccessful lateral L4-5 interbody fusion presented to the clinic with severe lower back pain and lower extremity radiculopathy. The decision was made to proceed with surgical correction via a robotic-guided prone transpsoas (PTP) approach, which is a novel approach similar to lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) with the patient in a prone decubitus position. Excellent spinal alignment was achieved with no complications. On two-month follow-up, imaging revealed pedicle screws at the L3, L4, L5 levels and at the sacrum without change and continued interbody cages position with no signs or symptoms of infection. DISCUSSION: Minimally invasive procedures have demonstrated benefit in spine surgery especially for at risk populations. The LLIF procedure has been well established for use in a wide range of spinal pathologies given its noted benefits in increasing spinal column stability through posterior fixation and indirect decompression. However, only marginal improvements in segmental lordosis are expected and there are reports of neurological complications. The PTP procedure has emerged as an alternative to LLIF for the treatment of spinopelvic pathologies. This approach enables greater improvements to spinal lordosis through single-position surgery while simultaneously reducing intraoperative repositioning and providing the known benefits of lateral interbody surgery. CONCLUSION: Our experience suggests that the PTP approach is safe and effective because it does not require patient repositioning, easily interfaces with robotic guidance, and achieves increased lordosis gains via the prone positional effect compared to LLIF and comparable approaches.

Demographic predictors of treatments and surgical complications of lumbar degenerative diseases: An analysis of over 250,000 patients from the National Inpatient Sample.

ABSTRACT: This was a national database study.To examine the role of comorbidities and demographics on inpatient complications in patients with lumbar degenerative conditions.Degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine account for the most common indication for spine surgery in the elderly population in the United States. Significant studies investigating demographic as predictors of surgical rates and health outcomes for degenerative lumbar conditions are lacking.Data were obtained from the National Inpatient Sample from 2010 to 2014 and International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification codes were used to identify patients with a primary diagnosis of degenerative lumbar condition. Patients were stratified based on demographic variables and comorbidity status. Multivariate regression analyses were used to determine whether any individual demographic variables, such as race, sex, insurance, and hospital status predicted postoperative complications.A total of 256,859 patients were identified for analysis. The rate of overall complications was found to be 16.1% with a mortality rate of 0.10%. Female, Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander patients had lower odds of receiving surgical treatment compared to White patients (P<.001). Medicare and Medicaid patients were less likely to be surgically managed than patients with private insurance (OR = 0.75, 0.37; P<.001, respectively). Urban hospitals were more likely to provide surgery when compared to rural hospitals (P < .001). Patients undergoing fusion had more complications than decompression alone (P < .001). Females, Medicare insurance status, Medicaid insurance status, urban hospital locations, and certain geographical locations were found to predict postoperative complications (P < .001).There were substantial differences in surgical management and postoperative complications among individuals of different sex, races, and insurance status. Further investigation evaluating the effect of demographics in spine surgery is warranted to fully understand their influence on patient complications.

Minimally invasive multiple-rod constructs with robotics planning in adult spinal deformity surgery: a case series.

PURPOSE: Multiple-rod constructs (MRCs) are often used in deformity correction for increased stability and rigidity. There are currently no reports showing minimally invasive placement of MRCs in adult deformity surgery and its technical feasibility through preoperative software planning. METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively from medical records of six consecutive patients who underwent minimally invasive MRCs with robotics planning by a single surgeon at an academic center between March-August 2020. RESULTS: A total of six patients (4 females, mean age 69.7 years) underwent minimally invasive long-segment (6 +) posterior fixation with multiple rods (3 +) using the Mazor X Stealth Edition robotics platform. Average follow-up was 14.3 months. All patients underwent oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) as a first stage, followed by second stage posterior fixation in the same day. The mean number of levels posteriorly instrumented was 8.8. One patient underwent 3 rod fixation (1 iliac, 2 S2AI) and 5 patients underwent quad rod fixation (2 iliac, 2 S2AI). The mean time to secure all rods was 8 min 36 s. Mean improvement in spinopelvic parameters was -4.9 cm sagittal vertical axis, 18.0° lumbar lordosis, and -10.7° pelvic tilt with an average pelvic incidence of 62.5°. Estimated blood loss (EBL) was 100-250 cc with no blood transfusions, and all but one patient ambulated on postoperative day 1 or 2. CONCLUSION: Spinal robotics brings us into a new era of minimally invasive construct design. To our knowledge, this is the first description of the technical feasibility of MRCs in minimally invasive adult spinal deformity surgery.

Determinants of Survival in Skull Base Chondrosarcoma: A National Cancer Database Study.

OBJECTIVE: Chondrosarcomas of the skull base are rare tumors most commonly treated surgically with or without adjuvant radiation therapy. Using the National Cancer Database (NCDB), we analyzed overall survival (OS), treatment modalities, and prognosticators. METHODS: The NCDB was queried for all cases of histologically confirmed skull base chondrosarcoma treated between 2004 and 2015, excluding patients with more than 1 malignant tumor, on palliative care, receiving unrelated concurrent treatments, or having less than 1 month of follow-up. The χ2 test for categorical variables, Cox proportional hazards models, and Kaplan-Meier log-rank analysis were used to test associations with the use of adjuvant radiation, OS, and survival time. RESULTS: A total of 498 patients with skull base chondrosarcoma were identified in the NCDB. Of them, 224 (45.0%) and 198 (39.8%) were treated with either surgery alone or surgery with adjuvant radiation therapy, respectively. Patients more likely to undergo surgery with adjuvant radiation had higher tumor grade (P = 0.008), later year of diagnosis (P = 0.002), positive surgical margins (P < 0.001), and treatment at an academic institution (P = 0.02). Patient, tumor, and socioeconomic factors associated with worse OS on multivariate analysis included the Charlson/Deyo Comorbidity Score ≥2 (P = 0.017), as well as clear cell (P = 0.02) and dedifferentiated (P = 0.006) histology. Age, tumor grade, tumor size, treatment modality, insurance status, facility type, and urban/rural population did not show a statistically significant impact on OS. CONCLUSION: The mainstay of treatment for skull base chondrosarcoma is surgery, with consideration of adjuvant radiation. This study demonstrated worse overall survival associated with more frail patients and aggressive histology types. It is important to consider these factors when planning the clinical management of these patients.

Simultaneous Robotic Single Position Oblique Lumbar Interbody Fusion With Bilateral Sacropelvic Fixation in Lateral Decubitus.

Single position lateral fusion reduces the need for a secondary surgery and robotic guidance allows for potentially higher accuracy of screw placement. We expand the role of robotics with a simultaneous workflow where 2 surgeons can work in single position surgery and discuss the technical feasibility of placement of S2-alar-iliac (S2AI) screws in the lateral position. A 70-year-old male presented with chronic back pain and bilateral leg pain with the left side worse than the right. He subsequently underwent an L3-S1 oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) with a minimally invasive L3-ilium robotic posterior spinal fixation simultaneously in single lateral position with S2AI screws. The software planning requisite of robotics allowed for a preoperative plan where lumbar cortical screws were used to line up with bilateral S2AI screws. Intraoperatively, the OLIF was performed anterior to the patient which allowed for a second surgeon to perform the posterior stage of screw placement simultaneously in overlapping fashion during OLIF exposure. Once all screws were placed, the OLIF discectomy and cage placement were completed. As the OLIF incision is closed, rodding proceeds posteriorly with subsequent closure simultaneously as well. Operative time from skin incision to skin closure was 3 hours and 47 minutes. We present here a novel technical report on the recommended workflow of simultaneous robotic single position surgery OLIF and demonstrate the feasibility of placement of sacroiliac fixation in the lateral decubitus position. We believe this technique to be minimally invasive, effective, with the benefit of shortening valuable operating room case time.

Minimally invasive robotic cervicothoracic fusion: a case report and review of literature.

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) of the posterior cervical spine with robotic assistance has recently emerged to treat degenerative disc disease. Robotic arms and 3D neuronavigation with preoperatively planned placement are used to achieve real-time intraoperative guidance, reducing screw malposition through increased accuracy and stability. This results in decreased blood loss, postoperative pain, and quicker recovery time compared to other techniques. We aim to demonstrate a novel technical approach to posterior cervical spine fusion using robotic assistance and discuss its advantages. In a patient with right hand weakness and a right paracentral disc herniation of the cervicothoracic spine, we performed a MIS percutaneous and robotically assisted posterior spinal fusion at C7-T2, with complete C7-T1 and T1-2 right-sided facetectomies and also a T1-T2 discectomy. Preoperative software planning and a robotic platform attachment configuration was used. There was immediate postoperative improvement in upper extremity strength and the patient was discharged without complications. Postoperative imaging confirmed accurate hardware placement, and follow-up at both 3- and 4-month confirmed improved upper extremity strength with sensation intact throughout. MIS robotic posterior cervicothoracic fusion can effectively be used to improve patient outcomes. Further implementation of robotic assistance during cervical fusion in larger studies is needed to further evaluate its effectiveness.

Determinants of Survival in Skull Base Osteosarcoma: A National Cancer Database Study.

OBJECTIVE: Skull base osteosarcoma is a rare and aggressive tumor that is most commonly treated with primary surgical resection and adjuvant chemoradiation. Using the National Cancer Database, we analyzed demographic and clinical prognosticators for overall survival (OS). METHODS: The National Cancer Database was queried for cases of histologically confirmed skull base osteosarcoma treated between 2004 and 2015, excluding patients receiving palliation or having <1 month of follow-up. A total of 314 patients treated with surgery alone (n = 82), surgery with adjuvant radiotherapy (n = 35), surgery with chemotherapy (n = 114), or trimodality therapy (n = 56) were identified. The χ2 test for categorical variables, Cox proportional hazards models, and Kaplan-Meier log-rank analysis were used to test associations with treatment, OS, and survival time. RESULTS: None of the studied demographic characteristics (age, sex, race, overall health) and socioeconomic factors (income and average regional education) were associated with OS (none P < 0.05). Treatment modalities also did not show a significant association with OS (none P < 0.05). Certain tumor characteristics showed an association with OS, with fibroblastic and Paget histologic subtypes (each P = 0.003), poorly differentiated tumor grade (P = 0.03), and tumor size >5 cm (P = 0.045) associated with poorer OS. CONCLUSIONS: Tumor histologic subtype, advanced tumor grade, and greater tumor size are predictors of worse OS in skull base osteosarcoma. No significant differences in OS were identified based on treatment modality, which warrants further investigation.

Simultaneous Robotic Single-Position Surgery (SR-SPS) with Oblique Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Case Series.

BACKGROUND: The oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) procedure is an important component of the surgeon's armamentarium for the treatment of degenerative spinal conditions. OLIF with posterior spinal fixation frequently is performed and requires additional time because the patient is flipped to a prone position and redraped. We report a series of cases in which robotic-assistance was used for a 2-surgeon workflow in which OLIF and single lateral position posterior spinal fixation were performed at the same time, termed simultaneous robotic single position surgery (SR-SPS). METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively from medical records of 13 consecutive patients who underwent SR-SPS by a single surgeon at an academic center between June and December 2020. Instrumentation accuracy, total operating room time, estimated blood loss, length of stay, and complications were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 13 patients whose mean age was 64.1 years (range 46-84 years) underwent SR-SPS over a 6-month period. Average follow-up was 10.3 months. All patients were treated for degenerative spine disease. The average operative duration was 111.2 ± 25.2 minutes. A total of 60 pedicle screws were placed bilaterally in the lateral position with an accuracy rate of 95.0%. Complications included 1 postoperative seroma, and 1 patient required reoperation 3 months postoperatively due to a fall. CONCLUSIONS: We report the first case series describing SR-SPS. Our study shows that this method can reduce operative time while ensuring accurate and timely screw placement with minimal complications.

Impact of COVID-19 on a Neurosurgical Service: Lessons from the University of California San Diego.

BACKGROUND: The institution-wide response of the University of California San Diego Health system to the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic was founded on rapid development of in-house testing capacity, optimization of personal protective equipment usage, expansion of intensive care unit capacity, development of analytic dashboards for monitoring of institutional status, and implementation of an operating room (OR) triage plan that postponed nonessential/elective procedures. We analyzed the impact of this triage plan on the only academic neurosurgery center in San Diego County, California, USA. METHODS: We conducted a de-identified retrospective review of all operative cases and procedures performed by the Department of Neurosurgery from November 24, 2019, through July 6, 2020, a 226-day period. Statistical analysis involved 2-sample z tests assessing daily case totals over the 113-day periods before and after implementation of the OR triage plan on March 16, 2020. RESULTS: The neurosurgical service performed 1429 surgical and interventional radiologic procedures over the study period. There was no statistically significant difference in mean number of daily total cases in the pre-versus post-OR triage plan periods (6.9 vs. 5.8 mean daily cases; 1-tail P = 0.050, 2-tail P = 0.101), a trend reflected by nearly every category of neurosurgical cases. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of California San Diego Department of Neurosurgery maintained an operative volume that was only modestly diminished and continued to meet the essential neurosurgical needs of a large population. Lessons from our experience can guide other departments as they triage neurosurgical cases to meet community needs.

Demographic Predictors of Treatment and Complications for Spinal Disorders: Part 2, Lumbar Spine Trauma.

OBJECTIVE: To study the impact of demographic factors on management of traumatic injury to the lumbar spine and postoperative complication rates. METHODS: Data was obtained from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) between 2010-2014. International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification codes identified patients diagnosed with lumbar fractures or dislocations due to trauma. A series of multivariate regression models determined whether demographic variables predicted rates of complication and revision surgery. RESULTS: A total of 38,249 patients were identified. Female patients were less likely to receive surgery and to receive a fusion when undergoing surgery, had higher complication rates, and more likely to undergo revision surgery. Medicare and Medicaid patients were less likely to receive surgical management for lumbar spine trauma and less likely to receive a fusion when operated on. Additionally, we found significant differences in surgical management and postoperative complication rates based on race, insurance type, hospital teaching status, and geography. CONCLUSION: Substantial differences in the surgical management of traumatic injury to the lumbar spine, including postoperative complications, among individuals of demographic factors such as age, sex, race, primary insurance, hospital teaching status, and geographic region suggest the need for further studies to understand how patient demographics influence management and complications for traumatic injury to the lumbar spine.