Spine Surgical Subspecialty and Its Effect on Patient Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify if intraoperative or postoperative differences in outcomes exist between orthopedic and neurological spine surgeons. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Spine surgeons may become board certified through orthopedic surgery or neurosurgical residency training, and recent literature has compared surgical outcomes between surgeons based on residency training background with conflicting results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines, a search of PubMed and Scopus databases was conducted and included articles comparing outcomes between orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to determine the quality of studies. Forest plots were generated using mean differences (MD) for continuous variables and odds ratios (OR) for binomial variables, and 95% CI was reported. RESULTS: Of 615 search term results, 16 studies were identified for inclusion. Evaluation of the studies found no differences in readmission rates [OR, ref: orthopedics: 0.99 (95% CI: 0.901, 1.09); I2 = 80%], overall complication rates [OR, ref: orthopedics: 1.03 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.10); I2 = 70%], reoperation rates [OR, ref: orthopedics: 0.91 (95% CI: 0.82, 1.00); I2 = 86%], or overall length of hospital stay between orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons [MD: -0.19 days (95% CI: -0.38, 0.00); I2 = 98%]. However, neurosurgeons ordered a significantly lower rate of postoperative blood transfusions [OR, ref: orthopedics: 0.49 (95% CI: 0.41, 0.57); I2 = 75%] while orthopedic spine surgeons had shorter operative times [MD: 14.28 minutes, (95% CI: 8.07, 20.49), I2 = 97%]. CONCLUSIONS: Although there is significant data heterogeneity, our meta-analysis found that neurosurgeons and orthopedic spine surgeons have similar readmission, complication, and reoperation rates regardless of the type of spine surgery performed.

Clinical Outcomes with and without Adherence to Evidence-Based Medicine Guidelines for Lumbar Degenerative Spondylolisthesis Fusion Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DS) patients are treated with instrumented fusion, following EBM guidelines, and typically have excellent clinical outcomes. However, not all lumbar fusion procedures adhere to EBM guidelines, typically due to a lack of prospective data. OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study compared outcomes of DS lumbar fusion patients treated according to EBM guidelines (EBM concordant) to lumbar fused patients with procedures that did not have clear EBM literature that supported this treatment, the goal being to examine the value of present EBM to guide clinical care. METHODS: A total of 125 DS patients were considered EBM concordant, while 21 patients were EBM discordant. Pre- and postsurgical ODI scores were collected. Clinical outcomes were stratified into substantial clinical benefit (SCB ΔODI >10 points), minimal clinical importance benefit (MCID ΔODI ≥ 5 points), no MCID (ΔODI < 5 points), and a group that showed no change or worsening ODI. Fisher's exact and χ2 tests for categorical variables, Student's t-test for continuous variables, and descriptive statistics were used. Statistical tests were computed at the 95% level of confidence. RESULTS: Analysis of 125 degenerative spondylolisthesis patients was performed comparing preoperative and postoperative (6 months) ODI scores. ODI improved by 8 points in the EBM concordant group vs. 2.1 points in the EBM discordant group (p = 0.002). Compliance with EBM guidelines was associated with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.93 for achieving MCID ([CI]: 1.12-7.58, p = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS: Patients whose lumbar fusions met EBM criteria had better self-reported outcomes at six months than those who did not meet the requirements. A greater knowledge set is needed to help further support EBM-guided patient care.

Does Preoperative Opiate Choice Increase Risk of Postoperative Infection and Subsequent Surgery?

BACKGROUND: Opioids are commonly prescribed for chronic pain before spinal surgery and research has shown an increased rate of postoperative adverse events in these patients. OBJECTIVE: This study compared the incidence of 2-year subsequent surgical procedures and postoperative adverse events in patients undergoing lumbar fusion with or without 90-day preoperative opioid use. We hypothesized that patients using preoperative opioids would have a higher incidence of subsequent surgery and adverse outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed using the Optum Pan-Therapeutic Electronic Health Records database including adult patients who had their first lumbar fusion between 2015 and 2018. The daily average preoperative opioid dosage 90 days before fusion was determined as morphine equivalent dose and further categorized into high dose (morphine equivalent dose >100 mg/day) and low dose (1-100 mg/day). Clinical outcomes were compared after adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: A total of 23,275 patients were included, with 2112 patients (10%) using opioids preoperatively. There was a significantly higher incidence of infection compared with nonusers (12.3% vs. 10.1%; P = 0.01). There was no association between subsequent fusion surgery (7.9% vs. 7.5%; P = 0.52) and subsequent decompression surgery (4.1% vs. 3.6%; P = 0.3) between opioid users and nonusers. Regarding postoperative infection risk, low-dose users showed significantly higher incidence (12.7% vs. 10.1%; P < 0.01), but high-dose users did not show higher incidence than nonusers (7.5% vs. 10.1%; P = 0.23). CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with previous studies, opioid use was significantly associated with a higher incidence of 2-year postoperative infection compared with nonuse. Low-dose opioid users had higher postoperative infection rates than did nonusers.

Increased Surgeon-specific Experience and Volume is Correlated With Improved Clinical Outcomes in Lumbar Fusion Patients.

STUDY DESIGN: The present study design was that of a single center, retrospective cohort study to evaluate the influence of surgeon-specific factors on patient functional outcomes at 6 months following lumbar fusion. Retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of patients who underwent neurosurgical lumbar instrumented arthrodesis identified the present study population. OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to evaluate surgeon-specific variable effects on patient-reported outcomes such as Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and the effect of North American Spine Society (NASS) concordance on outcomes in the setting of variable surgeon characteristics. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Lumbar fusion is one of the fastest growing procedures performed in the United States. Although the impact of surgeon-specific factors on patient-reported outcomes has been contested, studies examining these effects are limited. METHODS: This is a single center, retrospective cohort study analyzing a prospectively maintained database of patients who underwent neurosurgical lumbar instrumented arthrodesis by 1 of 5 neurosurgery fellowship trained spine surgeons. The primary outcome was improvement of ODI at 6 months postoperative follow-up compared with preoperative ODI. RESULTS: A total of 307 patients were identified for analysis. Overall, 62% of the study population achieved minimum clinically important difference (MCID) in ODI score at 6 months. Years in practice and volume of lumbar fusions were statistically significant independent predictors of MCID ODI on multivariable logistic regression ( P =0.0340 and P =0.0343, respectively). Concordance with evidence-based criteria conferred a 3.16 (95% CI: 1.03, 9.65) times greater odds of achieving MCID. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that traditional surgeon-specific variables predicting surgical morbidity such as experience and procedural volume are also predictors of achieving MCID 6 months postoperatively from lumbar fusion. Independent of surgeon factors, however, adhering to evidence-based guidelines can lead to improved outcomes.

Use of High-Resolution Ultrasound to Guide Alcohol Neurolysis for Chronic Pain.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis and treatment of neuropathic pain is often clinically challenging, with many patients requiring treatments beyond oral medications. To improve our percutaneous treatments, we established a clinical pathway that utilized ultrasound (US) guidance for steroid injection and alcohol ablation for patients with painful neuropathy. OBJECTIVES: To describe a collaborative neuropathy treatment pathway developed by a neurosurgeon, pain physicians, and a sonologist, describing early clinical experiences and patient-reported outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective case series was performed. METHODS: Patients that received percutaneous alcohol ablation with US guidance for neuropathy were identified through a retrospective review of a single provider's case log. Demographics and treatment information were collected from the electronic medical record. Patients were surveyed about their symptoms and treatment efficacy. Descriptive statistics were expressed as medians and the interquartile range ([IQR]; 25th and 75th data percentiles). Differences in the median follow-up pain scores were assessed using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients underwent US-guided alcohol ablation, with the average patient receiving one treatment (range: 1 to 2), having a median duration of 4.8 months until reinjection (IQR: 2.9 to 13.1). The median number of steroid injections that individuals received before US-guided alcohol ablation was 2 (IQR: 1 to 3), and the median interval between steroid injections was 3.7 months (IQR: 2.0 to 9.6). Most (20/35 [57%]) patients responded to the survey, and the median pain scores decreased by 3 units (median: -3, IQR: -6 to 0; P < 0.001) one week following the alcohol ablation. This pain reduction remained significant at one month (P < 0.001) and one year (P = 0.002) following ablation. Most (12/20 [60%]) patients reported that alcohol ablation was more effective in improving their pain than oral pain medications. LIMITATIONS: Given the small sample size, treatment efficacy for alcohol neurolysis cannot be generalized to the broader population. CONCLUSIONS: US-guided percutaneous treatments for neuropathic pain present a growing opportunity for interprofessional collaboration between neurosurgery, clinicians who treat chronic pain, and sonologists. US can provide valuable diagnostic information and guide accurate percutaneous treatments in skilled hands. Further studies are warranted to determine whether a US-guided treatment pathway can prevent unnecessary open surgical management.

Intraoperative chyle leak repair during right-sided anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.

Iatrogenic chyle leak (CL) following lymphatic vessel damage is an uncommon but serious complication of neck dissections. In the setting of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), left-sided CL are an exceedingly rare complication, with an incidence of only 0.02 %. Only three cases of right-sided CL during an ACDF have been reported. The case presented is the first right-sided CL to be successfully identified intraoperatively and treated. Intraoperative and postoperative management are discussed. This case will hopefully bring clinical and surgical awareness to providers caring for patients undergoing an ACDF.

Clinical Outcomes at One-year Follow-up for Patients With Surgical Site Infection After Spinal Fusion.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. OBJECTIVE: To compare health-related quality of life outcomes at one-year follow-up between patients who did and did not develop surgical site infection (SSI) after thoracolumbar spinal fusion. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: SSI is among the most common healthcare-associated complications. As healthcare systems increasingly emphasize the value of delivered care, there is an increased need to understand the clinical impact of SSIs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective 3:1 (control:SSI) propensity-matched case-control study was conducted for adult patients who underwent thoracolumbar fusion from March 2014 to January 2020 at a single academic institution. Exclusion criteria included less than 18 years of age, incomplete preoperative and one-year postoperative patient-reported outcome measures, and revision surgery. Continuous and categorical data were compared via independent t tests and χ 2 tests, respectively. Intragroup analysis was performed using paired t tests. Regression analysis for ∆ patient-reported outcome measures (postoperative minus preoperative scores) controlled for demographics. The α was set at 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 140 patients (105 control, 35 SSI) were included in final analysis. The infections group had a higher rate of readmission (100% vs. 0.95%, P <0.001) and revision surgery (28.6% vs. 12.4%, P =0.048). Both groups improved significantly in Physical Component Score (control: P =0.013, SSI: P =0.039), Oswestry Disability Index (control: P <0.001, SSI: P =0.001), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Back (both, P <0.001), and VAS Leg (control: P <0.001, SSI: P =0.030). Only the control group improved in Mental Component Score ( P <0.001 vs. SSI: P =0.228), but history of a SSI did not affect one-year improvement in ∆MCS-12 ( P =0.455) on regression analysis. VAS Leg improved significantly less in the infection group (-1.87 vs. -3.59, P =0.039), which was not significant after regression analysis (ß=1.75, P =0.050). CONCLUSION: Development of SSI after thoracolumbar fusion resulted in increased revision rates but did not influence patient improvement in one-year pain, functional disability, or physical and mental health status.

Utility of intraoperative neuromonitoring for decompression of Chiari type I malformation in 93 adult patients.

OBJECTIVE: There is currently a lack of consensus on the utility of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) for decompression of Chiari type I malformation (CM-I). Commonly used monitoring modalities include somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs), motor evoked potentials (MEPs), and brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of IONM in preventing neurological injury for CM-I decompression. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective study of a population of adult patients (ages 17-76 years) diagnosed with CM-I between 2013 and 2021. IONM modalities included SSEPs, MEPs, and/or BAEPs. Prepositioning baseline signals and operative alerts of significant signal attenuation were recorded. RESULTS: Ninety-three patients (average age 38.4 ± 14.6 years) underwent a suboccipital craniectomy for CM-I decompression. Eighty-two (88.2%) of 93 patients underwent C1 laminectomy, 8 (8.6%) underwent C1 and C2 laminectomy, and 4 (4.3%) underwent suboccipital craniectomy with concomitant cervical decompression and fusion in the setting of degenerative cervical spondylosis. Radiographically, the average cerebellar tonsillar ectopia/descent was 1.1 ± 0.5 cm and 53 (57.0%) of 93 patients presented with a syrinx. The average number of vertebral levels traversed by the syrinx was 5.3 ± 3.5, and the average maximum width of the syrinx was 5.8 ± 3.3 mm. There was one instance (1/93, 1.1%) of an MEP alert, which resolved spontaneously after 10 minutes in a patient who had concomitant stenosis due to pannus formation at C1-2. No patient developed a permanent neurological complication. CONCLUSIONS: There were no permanent complications related to intraoperative neurological injury. Transient fluctuations in IONM signals can be detected without clinical significance. The authors suggest that CM-I suboccipital decompression surgery may be performed safely without IONM. The use of IONM in patients with additional occipitocervical pathology should be left as an option to the performing surgeon on a case-by-case basis.

Minimally Invasive Sacroiliac Fusion-a Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Sacroiliac dysfunction is an important cause of low back pain with significant impact on quality of life and daily activities. Minimally invasive sacroiliac joint fusion (MIS SI fusion) is an effective treatment for patients who failed non-surgical strategies. The purpose of this article is to review the clinical outcomes and complications of this surgical technique. RECENT FINDINGS: For patients with SI joint dysfunction, MIS SI fusion reduced pain and disability as measured by Visual Analog Scale and Oswestry Index and improved quality of life as measured by Short-Form 36 and EuroQol-5D questionnaires. Satisfaction rates were higher in the SI fusion group when compared to the conservative management. In recent clinical trials, adverse events occurred with a similar rate in the first 6 months for patients assigned in the conservative management versus patients assigned to MIS SI fusion. MIS SI fusion is an effective and safe procedure for patients with sacroiliac dysfunction who failed non-surgical strategies. This procedure provides rapid as well as sustained pain relief, improvement in back function, high patient satisfaction, with low rate of complications.

The Impact of Intraoperative Image-Guidance Modalities and Neurophysiologic Monitoring in the Safety of Sacroiliac Fusions.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective observational cohort. OBJECTIVE: A review of efficiency and safety of fluoroscopy and stereotactic navigation system for minimally invasive (MIS) Sacroiliac (SI) fusion through a lateral technique. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of an observational cohort of 96 patients greater than 18 years old, that underwent MIS SI fusion guided by fluoroscopy or navigation between January 2013 and April 2020 with a minimum of 3 months follow-up. Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) with a variable combination of electromyography (EMG), somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) and motor evoked potentials (MEPs) was also utilized. RESULTS: The overall complication rate in the study was 9.4%, and there was no difference between the fluoroscopy (10.1%), and navigation groups (8%). Neurological complication rate was 2.1%, without a significant difference between both intraoperative guidance modality groups (p = 0.227). There was a significant difference between the modalities of IONM used and the occurrence of neurological injury (p = 0.01).The 2 patients who had a neurological complication postoperatively were monitored only with EMG and SSEP, but none of the patients (n = 76) in which MEPs were utilized had neurologic complication. The mean pain improvement 3 months after surgery was greater in the navigation group (2.44 ± 2.72), but was not statistically different than the improvement in the fluoroscopy group (1.90 ± 2.07) (p = 0.301). CONCLUSIONS: No difference in the safety of the procedure was found between the fluoroscopy and the stereotactic navigation techniques. The contribution of the IONM to the safety of SI fusions could not be determined, but the data indicates that MEPs provide the highest level of sensitivity.

Independent Predictors of Revision Lumbar Fusion Outcomes and the Impact of Spine Surgeon Variability: Does It Matter Whether the Primary Surgeon Revises?

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of information regarding treatment strategies and variables affecting outcomes of revision lumbar fusions. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of primary vs different surgeon on functional outcomes of revisions. METHODS: All elective lumbar fusion revisions, March 2018 to August 2019, were retrospectively categorized as performed by the same or different surgeon who performed the primary surgery. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and clinical variables were collected. Multiple logistic regression identified multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of independent variables analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 130 cases, 117 (90%) had complete data. There was a slight difference in age in the same (median: 59; interquartile range [IQR], 54-66) and different surgeon (median: 67; IQR, 56-72) groups (P = .02); all other demographic variables were not significantly different (P > .05). Revision surgery with a different surgeon had an ODI improvement (median: 8; IQR, 2-14) greater than revisions performed by the same surgeon (median: 1.5; IQR, -3 to 10) (P < .01). Revisions who achieved minimum clinically important difference (MCID) performed by different surgeon (59.7%) were also significantly greater than the ones performed by the same surgeon (40%) (P = .042). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that a different surgeon revising (OR, 2.37; [CI]: 1.007-5.575, P = .04) was an independent predictor of MCID achievement, each additional 2 years beyond the last surgery conferred a 2.38 ([CI]: 1.36-4.14, P < .01) times greater odds of MCID achievement, and the anterior lumbar interbody fusion approach decreased the chance of achieving MCID (OR, 0.19; [CI]: 0.04-0.861, P = .03). CONCLUSION: All revision lumbar spinal fusion approaches may not achieve the same outcomes. This analysis suggests that revision surgeries may have better outcomes when performed by a different surgeon.

Biomechanics of Circumferential Cervical Fixation Using Posterior Facet Cages: A Cadaveric Study.

OBJECTIVE: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a common procedure for the treatment of cervical disease. Circumferential procedures are options for multilevel pathology. Potential complications of multilevel anterior procedures are dysphagia and pseudarthrosis, whereas potential complications of posterior surgery include development of cervical kyphosis and postoperative chronic neck pain. The addition of posterior cervical cages (PCCs) to multilevel ACDF is a minimally invasive option to perform circumferential fusion. This study evaluated the biomechanical performance of 3-level circumferential fusion with PCCs as supplemental fixation to anteriorly placed allografts, with and without anterior plate fixation. METHODS: Nondestructive flexibility tests (1.5 Nm) performed on 6 cervical C2-7 cadaveric specimens intact and after discectomy (C3-6) in 3 instrumented conditions: allograft with anterior plate (G+P), PCC with allograft and plate (PCC+G+P), and PCC with allograft alone (PCC+G). Range of motion (ROM) data were analyzed using 1-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: All instrumented conditions resulted in significantly reduced ROM at the 3 instrumented levels (C3-6) compared to intact spinal segments in flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation (p < 0.001). No significant difference in ROM was found between G+P and PCC+G+P conditions or between G+P and PCC+G conditions, indicating similar stability between these conditions in all directions of motion. CONCLUSION: All instrumented conditions resulted in considerable reduction in ROM. The added reduction in ROM through the addition of PCCs did not reach statistical significance. Circumferential fusion with anterior allograft, without plate and with PCCs, has comparable stability to ACDF with allograft and plate.

HSV-Encephalitis Reactivation after Cervical Spine Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex virus encephalitis (HSVE) is a viral neurological disorder that occurs when the herpes simplex virus (HSV) enters the brain. The disorder is characterized by the inflammation of the brain and a significant decline in mental status. HSVE reactivation after neurosurgery, although rare, can cause severe neurological deterioration. The high morbidity rate among untreated patients necessitates prompt diagnosis and management. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report a case of a 78-year-old woman with no known prior history of HSVE and declining mental status eleven days after a posterior C3-T1 decompression and instrumented fusion following resection of an intradural extramedullary tumor, confirmed to be meningioma on final pathology. Reactivation of HSV-1 encephalitis was suspected to be the underlying cause of her symptoms, though MRI scans of the brain for HSVE were negative. The patient reacted positively to a 21-day treatment of acyclovir and was discharged with a neurological status comparable to her preoperative baseline. This case contributes to the literature in that it is the first reported instance of HSVE reactivation after intradural cervical spinal surgery with negative MRI findings. CONCLUSION: We recommend utilizing multiple tests, including PCR, EEG, and MRI, for postoperative neurosurgery patients that have decreased mental status in order to quickly and correctly diagnose/treat patients who are HSVE positive. Clinicians should consider the possibility of receiving false-negative results from PCR, CSF, EEG, or MRI tests before terminating treatment for HSVE reactivation.

Extradural Arachnoid Cyst Excision.

Arachnoid cysts are an uncommon postoperative complication and can result in back pain, radiculopathy, and/or cauda equina syndrome. For symptomatic postoperative arachnoid cysts, surgical management is the accepted treatment. While excision of arachnoid cysts is the preferred surgical method, cysts with adhesions to nerve roots and/or dura can be treated with cyst fenestration to reduce morbidity of excision. Surgeons should be prepared for dural defects after cyst excision, which can require dural grafting and lumbar drains for cerebrospinal fluid diversion.

Cervical Spondylodiscitis: Presentation, Timing, and Surgical Management in 59 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Cervical spondylodiscitis is thought to carry a significant risk for rapid neurologic deterioration with a poor response to nonsurgical management. METHODS: A retrospective surgical case series of the acute surgical management of cervical spondylodiscitis is reviewed to characterize the neurologic presentation and postoperative neurologic course in a relatively uncommon disease. RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients were identified (mean age, 59 years [range, 18-83 years; SD ± 13.2 years]) from a single-institution neurosurgical database. The most common levels of radiographic cervical involvement were C4-C5, C5-C6, and C6-C7, in descending order. Overall, statistically significant clinical improvement was noted after surgery (P < 0.05). Spinal cord hyperintensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was significantly associated with a worse preoperative neurologic grade (P = 0.036), but did not correlate with a relatively worse neurologic outcome by discharge. No significant difference was noted between potential preoperative predictors (organism cultured, presence of epidural abscess, tobacco use, early surgery within 24 hours of clinical presentation) and preoperative American Spinal Injury Association injury scale, with the exception of the duration between symptom onset and surgical intervention. A negative correlation between increased preoperative duration of symptoms and magnitude in motor improvement was observed. Relative to anteroposterior decompression and fusion, anterior treatment alone demonstrated a relatively greater effect in neurologic improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical spondylodiscitis is a rare disease that typically manifests with preoperative motor deficits. Surgery was associated with a significant improvement in motor score by hospital discharge. Significant predictors of neurologic improvement were not observed. Prolonged symptomatic duration was correlated with a significantly lower likelihood of motor score improvement.

Teratoma of the spinal cord in an adult: Report of a rare case and review of the literature.

Teratomas of the spinal cord are incredibly rare, comprising less than 0.5% of all spinal cord tumors. These tumors are exceptionally rare in adults, with only a handful of cases reported in the literature. We present the case of a 49-year-old gentleman with new onset urinary incontinence who presented with a large intradural tumor of the thoracolumbar spine. The patient underwent a laminectomy with midline durotomy for subtotal tumor resection. Surgical pathology diagnosed the tumor as a mature teratoma, exhibiting the presence of all three germ layers. These tumors tend to present with an indolent onset of symptoms characteristic of the tumor location within the spinal cord and the affected surrounding nerve roots. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is useful in determining the location and nature of these tumors, but final diagnosis ultimately rests on histopathological analysis. Surgical resection is the preferred treatment, with subtotal resection being favored if there is a high risk of intraoperative neurological damage due to adherent or infiltrative tumor. In general, the prognosis for these tumors is good, with most patients exhibiting stable or improved neurological status after resection.

Cervical Spine Spondylodiscitis After Esophageal Dilation in Patients With a History of Laryngectomy or Pharyngectomy and Pharyngeal Irradiation.

IMPORTANCE: Dysphagia is a frequently reported sequela of treatment for head and neck cancer and is often managed with esophageal dilation in patients with dysphagia secondary to hypopharyngeal or esophageal stenosis. Reported complications of esophagoscopy with dilation include bleeding, esophageal perforation, and mediastinitis. These, though rare, can lead to substantial morbidity or mortality. In patients who have undergone irradiation, tissue fibrosis and devascularization may contribute to a higher incidence of these complications. OBJECTIVES: To describe the occurrence of cervical spine spondylodiscitis (CSS) following esophageal dilation in patients with a history of laryngectomy or pharyngectomy and irradiation with or without chemotherapy. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Medical records from a 5-year period (January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2014) in an academic tertiary care center were searched for patients with a history of laryngopharyngeal irradiation and a diagnosis of CSS following esophageal dilation. Four eligible patients were identified. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Recognition and treatment of CSS in the study population. RESULTS: A total of 1221 patients underwent esophageal dilation for any reason. Of these, 247 patients carried a diagnosis of head and neck cancer at the following sites: piriform sinus, larynx, hypopharynx, epiglottis, oropharynx, base of the tongue, and tonsil. Of these, 4 patients with a diagnosis of CSS following esophageal dilation were included in this assessment. Prompt diagnosis and multidisciplinary management of CSS with intravenous antibiotics as well as spinal surgical debridement and stabilization led to recovery of full ability to take food by mouth in 3 of the 4 included patients. One patient remained dependent on the feeding tube. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: In patients with a history of laryngopharyngeal irradiation and esophageal dilation, complaints of neck pain or upper extremity weakness should trigger immediate evaluation for CSS; if present, prompt therapy is essential for prevention of substantial morbidity and mortality.

Long-Segment Fusion for Adult Spinal Deformity Correction Using Low-Dose Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2: A Retrospective Review of Fusion Rates.

BACKGROUND: Although use of very high-dose recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) has been reported to markedly improve fusion rates in adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery, most centers use much lower doses due to cost constraints. How effective these lower doses are for fusion enhancement remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To assess fusion rates using relatively low-dose rhBMP-2 for ASD surgery. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of consecutive ASD patients that underwent thoracic to sacral fusion. Patients that achieved 2-year follow-up were analyzed. Impact of patient and surgical factors on fusion rate was assessed, and fusion rates were compared with historical cohorts. RESULTS: Of 219 patients, 172 (78.5%) achieved 2-year follow-up and were analyzed. Using an average rhBMP-2 dose of 3.1 mg/level (average total dose = 35.9 mg/case), the 2-year fusion rate was 73.8%. Cancellous allograft, local autograft, and very limited iliac crest bone graft (<20 mL, obtained during iliac bolt placement) were also used. On multivariate analysis, female sex was associated with a higher fusion rate, whereas age, comorbidity score, deformity type, and 3-column osteotomy were not. There were no complications directly attributable to rhBMP-2. CONCLUSION: Fusion rates for ASD using low-dose rhBMP-2 were comparable to those reported for iliac crest bone graft but lower than for high-dose rhBMP-2. Importantly, there were substantial differences between patients in the present series and those in the historical comparison groups that could not be fully adjusted for based on available data. Prospective evaluation of rhBMP-2 dosing for ASD surgery is warranted to define the most appropriate dose that balances benefits, risks, and costs. ABBREVIATIONS: ASD, adult spinal deformityICBG, iliac crest bone graftOR, odds ratiorhBMP-2, recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2RR, risk ratioTCO, 3-column osteotomy.

Surgical management in 40 consecutive patients with cervical spinal epidural abscesses: shifting toward circumferential treatment.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective database review of a prospectively maintained neurosurgical database. OBJECTIVE: The surgical management of cervical spinal epidural abscesses (CSEA) is reviewed examining the shift from single to staged anteroposterior decompression and stabilization. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: CSEA management is guided by small case series. METHODS: A retrospective review from 1997 to 2011 was conducted for patients with the diagnostic headings: cervical epidural abscess, infection, osteomyelitis, osteodiscitis, spondylodiscitis, and abscess. Comorbidities, risk factors, surgical approach, neurologic grade, and outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Forty consecutive patients (mean age 53 years, age range 23-74, SD ±14, 10 female) were identified with CSEA in the operative database from 1997 to 2010. Twenty one patients had a body mass index more than 25 (53%), 6 (15%) had diabetes mellitus, 6 (15%) had a prior malignancy with 2 having prior neck irradiation, and 9 (23%) used tobacco products. The most common risk factor associated with CSEA was intravenous drug abuse, found in 10 patients (25%). The most common level of discitis involvement was C6-C7 in 12 (30%) followed by C5-C6 disc in 11 (28%) and least often at C1-C2 level in 2(5%) and C7-T1 in 2(5%). The most common neurologic grades at presentation were AIS D in 20 (50%) followed by AIS E in 9 (28%). All patients received magnetic resonance imaging identifying 17 (43%) with dorsal, 12 ventral (30%), and 11 circumferential epidural abscesses (28%). The majority of patients underwent anterior followed by posterior decompression and stabilization (n = 26, 65%); 8 (20%) underwent a ventral approach and six underwent a dorsal approach (15%). Fusion was achieved in 39 of 40 (97.5%) and not significantly influenced halo use in 10 patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this series, patients underwent acute evacuation and spinal cord decompression, and the shift toward staged treatment did not lead to an increased periprocedural complication rate. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.