Error traps and preventative strategies for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis spinal surgery.

Anesthesia for posterior spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis remains one of the most common surgeries performed in adolescents. These procedures have the potential for significant intraprocedural and postoperative complications. The potential for pressure injuries related to prone positioning must be understood and addressed. Additionally, neuromonitoring remains a mainstay for patient care in order to adequately assess patient neurologic integrity and alert the providers to a reversible action. As such, causes of neuromonitoring signal loss must be well understood, and the provider should have a systematic approach to signal loss. Further, anesthetic design must facilitate intraoperative wake-up to allow for a definitive assessment of neurologic function. Perioperative bleeding risk is high in posterior spinal fusion due to the extensive surgical exposure and potentially lengthy operative time, so the provider should undertake strategies to reduce blood loss and avoid coagulopathy. Pain management for adolescents undergoing spinal fusion is also challenging, and inadequate analgesia can delay recovery, impede patient/family satisfaction, increase the risk of chronic postsurgical pain/disability, and lead to prolonged opioid use. Many of the significant complications associated with this procedure, however, can be avoided with intentional and evidence-based approaches covered in this review.

Association between implementation of a coordinated care pathway in idiopathic scoliosis patients and a reduction in perioperative outcome disparities.

BACKGROUND: There are well-documented racial and ethnic disparities in treatment and perioperative outcomes for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. AIMS: We hypothesize that the implementation of a coordinated care pathway for pediatric patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis may be associated with a reduction in racial and ethnic disparities in perioperative outcomes. METHODS: This is a retrospective pre- and post-test cohort study of patients who underwent posterior spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis at our institution between July 1, 2013 and August 5, 2019. We implemented a coordinated care pathway in March 2015. Patient demographics included age, race, ethnicity, weight, gender, insurance status, ASA class, time between the date surgery was ordered and the date surgery occurred, degree of scoliosis, and the number of spinal levels fused. The primary outcome was length of stay. The secondary outcomes included transfusion rates, pain scores, and postoperative complications. Multivariable regression models compared outcome medians across race/ethnicity. Disparities were defined as the difference in adjusted outcomes by race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Four hundred twenty-four patients underwent posterior spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis at our institution (116 prepathway and 308 postpathway). The median length of stay of Black patients was 1.0 day (95% CI: 0.4, 1.5; p = .006) longer than White patients prepathway. Prepathway patients who self-identified as Other had a 1.2 (95% CI: 0.5, 1.9; p = .004) higher median average pain score on postoperative day 1 compared with White patients. On postoperative day 2, patients who identified as Other had 2.0 (95% CI: 0.8, 3.2; p = .005) higher pain score compared with White patients prepathway. Postpathway, there were no significant differences in outcomes by race/ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: Our study supports the hypothesis that use of a coordinated care pathway is associated with a reduction in racial and ethnic disparities in length of stay and pain scores in pediatric patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion.

Association between perioperative surgical home implementation and transfusion patterns in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis undergoing spinal fusion.

BACKGROUND: Blood transfusions in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis after fusion have been associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and cost. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between implementation of blood-conservation strategies within the perioperative surgical home on transfusion rates for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis undergoing spinal fusion. METHODS: Two hundred and thirteen patients (44 preperioperative surgical home, 169 postperioperative surgical home) who underwent posterior spine fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis between 23 June 2014, and 30 July 2017, were enrolled in this case control study. The perioperative surgical home implemented in March 2015 involved evidence-based perioperative interventions to create a standardized clinical pathway including judicious use of crystalloid management, restrictive transfusion strategy, routine use of cell saver, and standardized administration of anti-fibrinolytics. The primary outcome was odds of perioperative transfusion. Secondary outcomes included volumes of crystalloid, albumin, cell saver, packed red blood cells as well as calculated blood loss. Other variables that were documented included antibrinolytic total dose, mean arterial pressure, temperature, laboratory values, intrathecal morphine dosing, and surgical time. Statistical methods included t test and logistic regression. RESULTS: For the postperioperative surgical home, the odds of perioperative transfusion were 0.30 (95% CI 0.13-0.70), as compared to preperioperative surgical home. In terms of secondary outcomes, calculated blood loss was significantly lower in the postperioperative surgical home patients (27.0 mL/kg preperioperative surgical home vs 22.8 mL/kg postperioperative surgical home; mean difference = -0.24 [-0.44, -0.04]). Although no difference was noted in the amount of intraoperative cell saver or albumin administered, a reduction was noted in mean intraoperative crystalloid given postperioperative surgical home (41.4 mL/kg ± 20.4 mL/kg preperioperative surgical home vs 28.0 mL/kg ± 13.7 mL/kg postperioperative surgical home; log mean difference = 0.37 [95% CI 0.21-0.53], P < 0.001). Postperioperative surgical home patients also had a significantly higher temperature nadir (mean difference = -0.47 [95% CI -0.70 to -0.23]; P < 0.001), received a significantly higher total anti-fibrinolytic dose (mean difference = -3939 [95% CI -5364 to -2495]; P < 0.001), and were exposed to shorter surgical times (mean difference = 0.72 [95% CI 0.36-1.09]; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of blood-conservation strategies as part of a perioperative surgical home for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis undergoing posterior spine fusion resulted in significant decrease in perioperative blood transfusions.

Intraoperative Management by a Craniofacial Team Anesthesiologist is Associated With Improved Outcomes for Children Undergoing Major Craniofacial Reconstructive Surgery.

The benefits of using a dedicated team for complex surgeries are well established for certain specialties, but largely unknown for others. The aim of this study was to determine whether management by a dedicated craniofacial team anesthesiologist would impact perioperative outcomes for children undergoing major surgery for craniosynostosis. Sixty-two children undergoing complex cranial vault reconstruction were identified. Fifty-four patients were managed by the craniofacial anesthesia team, while 8 patients were not. Primary outcome measures were calculated blood loss, red blood cell transfusion volume, blood donor exposures, extubation rate, and postoperative complication rate. Secondary outcome measures included intraoperative opioid administration, crystalloid and colloid administration, intraoperative complication rate, and intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay. Children cared for by the craniofacial team had significantly lower calculated blood loss, reduced red blood cell transfusion volume, fewer blood donor exposures, less crystalloid administration, higher rate of postoperative extubation, fewer postoperative complications, and decreased ICU and hospital length of stay than patients who were managed by noncraniofacial team anesthesiologists. There were no significant differences in demographics, opioid administration, colloid volume administration, or intraoperative complication rates between the 2 groups. Management by a craniofacial team anesthesiologist was associated with improved outcomes in children undergoing major craniofacial reconstructive surgery. While some variability can be attributed to provider-volume relationship, these findings suggest that children may benefit from a subspecialty anesthesia team-based approach for the management of craniofacial surgery, and potentially other similar high-risk cases.

Perioperative Surgical Home in Pediatric Settings: Preliminary Results.

BACKGROUND: The Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) is a patient-centered, team-based approach that aims to improve the value of perioperative care. We implemented a PSH for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who were undergoing posterior spinal fusion at Children's National Health System. We hypothesized that this PSH would improve patient surgical outcomes and reduce hospital length of stay (LOS). METHODS: A multidisciplinary group created evidence-based protocols for the preoperative, operative, postoperative, and postdischarge care of this patient population. After a 5-month design and training period, PSH for spinal fusion was implemented in March 2015, with reduction in LOS as the primary outcome measure. Anesthesia comanagement of patients additionally allowed a new pathway for patients to recover in the postanesthesia care unit and reduce intensive care unit utilization. Patients before and after the implementation of the PSH were compared on clinical and efficiency metrics. RESULTS: The spinal fusion PSH achieved the primary outcome measure by a significant reduction in LOS. Care improvement was illustrated by achievement of the secondary outcome measure of reduced perioperative transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: The PSH model presented a ready structure that proved successful at our institution for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who underwent posterior spinal fusion.

Prolonged perioperative infusion of low-dose ketamine does not alter opioid use after pediatric scoliosis surgery.

BACKGROUND: Opioid consumption after posterior spinal fusion is known to be high and often exceeds those reported in other major surgical procedures. A number of clinical trials provide evidence that the perioperative use of subanesthetic doses of ketamine reduces pain and opioid requirements in some surgical procedures, but the effect of prolonged perioperative low-dose ketamine infusion in patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion for pediatric scoliosis surgery is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that a 72-h perioperative low-dose ketamine infusion would decrease opioid use in pediatric patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion. METHODS: In a double-blind prospective controlled trial, patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion for scoliosis were randomized to receive perioperative low-dose ketamine or placebo control. Patients received general anesthesia, intraoperative remifentanil, and morphine patient-controlled analgesia postoperatively. Daily opioid consumption, self-reported pain scores, and sedation scores were measured. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients were enrolled and 50 completed the study. Contrary to our hypothesis, ketamine- and control-treated patients had similar postoperative opioid use, pain scores, and sedation scores measurements. In contrast, ketamine-treated patients required less intraoperative remifentanil compared with control (mean 2.9 mg vs. 4 mg, P = 0.0415). Number of vertebrae instrumented, time between end-of-surgery and 24 h assessment, or remifentanil doses did not impact on postoperative opioid use. Over 96-h postoperatively, morphine-equivalent consumption was lower (-0.40, P = 0.006) and sedation score was higher (0.47, P = 0.0211) in male patients, compared with female patients. CONCLUSIONS: These findings do not support the use of perioperative low-dose ketamine to decrease opioid use in children with scoliosis undergoing posterior spinal fusion.

Low-dose ketamine as a potential adjuvant therapy for painful vaso-occlusive crises in sickle cell disease.

The hallmark of sickle cell disease (SCD) is the acute painful vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC). Among SCD patients, vaso-occlusive pain episodes vary in frequency and severity. Some patients rarely have painful crises, while others are admitted to the hospital multiple times in a year for parenteral analgesics. Opioids are the mainstay of therapy for SCD-related pain. However, a subset of patients report continued pain despite escalating doses of opioids. Tolerance and opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH) have been considered as possible explanations for this phenomenon. The activation of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor has been implicated in both tolerance and OIH. As a NMDA receptor agonist, ketamine has been shown to modulate opioid tolerance and OIH in animal models and clinical settings. Low-dose ketamine, by virtue of its NMDA receptor agonist activity, could be a useful adjuvant to opioid therapy in patients with refractory SCD-related pain. Based on limited studies of adjuvant ketamine use for pain management, low-dose ketamine continuous infusion appears safe. Further clinical investigations are warranted to fully support the use of low-dose ketamine infusion in patients with SCD-related pain.

Sustainability Standards in Pediatric Anesthesia: Quality Initiative to Reduce Costly Environmentally Harmful Volatile Anesthetics.

Background: The emission and entrapment of greenhouse gases (GHG) inside the atmosphere is one of the leading causes of global warming. Commonly administered anesthetics have global warming potential up to 2,000 times greater than carbon dioxide. This Quality Improvement (QI) initiative aimed to develop a set of sustainability standards to reduce volatile anesthetic GHG emissions and costs at a children's hospital. Methods: In January 2020, the QI project team implemented education sessions for clinical staff on the environmental impact of volatile anesthetics, bedside clinical reminders, resource guides on sustainable anesthesia practices, preset low-flow gas levels on anesthesia machines, relocated and reduced the number of available vaporizers, and implemented policies to standardize clinical practice. Using hospital pharmacy purchase order data between 2018 and 2022, GHG emissions and costs from three commonly used volatile anesthetics (Isoflurane, Sevoflurane, and Desflurane) were compared using metric ton carbon dioxide equivalents. Results: During 3 years, GHG emissions from volatile anesthetics were significantly reduced by 77%, with most of the reduction attributed to the reduced use and eventual elimination of Desflurane. Purchase costs were also significantly reduced during this period by 41%. Conclusions: This QI project successfully decreased GHG emissions over 3 years by simultaneously reducing the use of costly and environmentally harmful volatile anesthetic, Desflurane, and increasing the use of low-flow anesthesia. This study addresses our anesthesia practices and healthcare system's impact on the pediatric population and proposes simple interventions to mitigate the negative consequences of current practices.

A dedicated surgical team for posterior spinal fusion in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis improves OR efficiency.

PURPOSE: Standardized care pathways for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients undergoing PSF improve clinical outcomes. We hypothesized that having dedicated spine personnel would decrease surgical time and improve clinical outcomes. METHODS: 367 patients with AIS had a PSF within a standardized perioperative care pathway. Cases with 1-3 dedicated spine team members (any combination of circulating nurse, surgical technologist, and anesthesiologist) were compared to teams with none. The impact of individual members was also analyzed. Parametric or non-parametric tests were used for each outcome based on the distribution of the data points. These included one-way ANOVA models, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS: Surgical time and total OR time were significantly decreased with the participation of each additional dedicated team member resulting in 43.86 min less surgical time and 50.8 min less total OR time when three team members were present compared to no team members. If the nurse was a spine member, the surgical time was lower (p = 0.037). If the technologist was a team member, the surgical time and total OR time were lower (p = 0.002 and p = 0.001, respectively). Lastly, if the anesthesiologist was a member of the team, the anesthesia time was lower (p = 0.003). No significant clinical differences were observed. CONCLUSION: Having dedicated surgical team members decreases surgical and total OR time for AIS patients undergoing PSF, and this OR efficiency improves as the dedicated team is more robust. OR surgical teams did not influence clinical outcomes. Hospitals should strongly consider developing surgical teams to improve OR efficiency of PSF cases.

High-dose dexmedetomidine increases the opioid-free interval and decreases opioid requirement after tonsillectomy in children.

PURPOSE: Dexmedetomidine, a selective α(2) adrenoreceptor agonist, has analgesic and sedative properties, minimal impact on respiratory parameters, and reportedly decreases analgesic requirements after surgery. Given its pharmacodynamic profile, dexmedetomidine might have a role for postoperative pain control in children undergoing tonsillectomy. In this study, we hypothesized that dexmedetomidine would delay and decrease opioid requirements after tonsillectomy. METHODS: In a double-blind controlled trial, participants undergoing tonsillectomy were randomized to receive one intravenous dose of fentanyl (1 µg·kg(-1) or 2 µg·kg(-1)) or dexmedetomidine (2 µg·kg(-1) or 4 µg·kg(-1)) immediately after endotracheal intubation. Primary outcomes included requirement for rescue morphine in the initial postoperative period. RESULTS: One hundred and one children were enrolled. During the postoperative period, dexmedetomidine (2 and 4 µg·kg(-1) groups combined) significantly prolonged the opioid-free interval of children who underwent tonsillectomy compared with fentanyl (1 and 2 µg·kg(-1) groups combined) (P < 0.001). Children treated with dexmedetomidine 2 µg·kg(-1) vs dexmedetomidine 4 µg·kg(-1) had similar cumulative incidence curves for time to morphine rescue, whereas there was a small difference in time to first morphine rescue administration when comparing fentanyl 1 µg·kg(-1) vs fentanyl 2 µg·kg(-1). Furthermore, length of stay in the postanesthesia care unit was significantly longer for children treated with dexmedetomidine vs children treated with fentanyl (P = 0.0016). CONCLUSIONS: High-dose dexmedetomidine decreases opioid requirements, prolongs the opioid-free interval after tonsillectomy, and prolongs length of stay in the postanesthesia care unit. It is conceivable that these early opioid-sparing effects could benefit patients at risk for respiratory complications early in the postoperative course after tonsillectomy (e.g., patients with obstructive sleep apnea). (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00654511).

The effect of dexmedetomidine during myringotomy and pressure-equalizing tube placement in children.

BACKGROUND: Bilateral myringotomy (BMT) is a commonly performed otolaryngologic procedure in children. OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of intranasal dexmedetomidine, an α(2)-adrenoceptor agonist, on time-averaged pain scores, pain control, need for rescue analgesia, and agitation scores in children undergoing BMT. METHODS: We designed a trial to enroll 160 children randomized to one of four groups: two study groups, dexmedetomidine (1 or 2 µg·kg(-1)), or two control groups representing our institutional standards of practice (intranasal fentanyl-2 µg·kg(-1) or acetaminophen as needed postoperatively). RESULTS: After 101 children were enrolled, patient caregivers observed that some enrollees were excessively sedated and required prolonged postanesthesia care unit (PACU) stay. This observation led to an unplanned interim analysis and early trial termination. After data were collected, severe nonnormality of pain and agitation scores necessitated a switch of the outcome to assess repeated measurements of the proportion of patients with pain, severe pain, and agitation. Demographics, time to emergence, and agitation were similar among all groups. The risk of requiring acetaminophen rescue (P < 0.0001) and proportion of patients having pain (P = 0.016) was significantly higher in one control group (rescue analgesia only) compared with fentanyl or dexmedetomidine groups. Importantly, length of stay in the PACU was significantly longer in dexmedetomidine-2 µg·kg(-1)-treated compared with dexmedetomidine-1 µg·kg(-1)-treated, fentanyl-treated, or the control group, P = 0.0037. CONCLUSIONS: In this trial, we were unable to answer the original question as to the role of dexmedetomidine on time-averaged pain and agitation scores after BMT. However, our findings clearly demonstrate that in children undergoing BMT, at higher doses, dexmedetomidine significantly prolongs length of stay in the PACU.

Sedation withdrawal following single stage laryngotracheal reconstruction: Does dexmedetomidine help?

OBJECTIVES: Single-stage laryngotracheal reconstruction (SS-LTR) requires a period of post-operative intubation, during which time adequate sedation is needed to ensure graft healing. Commonly used agents include benzodiazepines, opioids, and more recently, dexmedetomidine, a centrally-acting α2 adrenoreceptor. This study aims to compare withdrawal outcomes between various sedation regimens following SS-LTR. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of 56 patients who underwent SS-LTR between 2008 and 2018 at a tertiary free-standing children's hospital was performed. Of 47 patients with complete records, 18 patients received dexmedetomidine for >75% of their intubation period with midazolam (DexWM), 9 received dexmedetomidine for >75% without midazolam (DexWOM), and 20 received dexmedetomidine for <75% with midazolam (noDex). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in length of PICU or hospital stay between the groups. The noDex group trended toward a higher re-intubation rate of 25%, as compared with 11% of DexWOM and 5.6% of DexWM (p = 0.21). There was no significant difference in days of oral sedation taper required or Withdrawal Assessment Tool (WAT-1) score for post-extubation days 1 and 3. By post-extubation day 5, 100% of the DexWM group had WAT-1 scores <3 as compared with 71.4% of the noDex group (p = 0.037). Notably, lower average daily doses of dexmedetomidine and midazolam were used in the DexWM group, as compared with the DexWOM and noDex groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: Dexmedetomidine as a primary sedation agent with midazolam allows for adequate sedation following SS-LTR. The combination of the two drugs in the DexWM group not only reduced the dosage of each drug needed, but also significantly improved WAT-1 scores by post-extubation day 5, as compared with the alternative sedation regimens.

Dexmedetomidine as an Opioid-Sparing Agent in Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery.

Pediatric craniofacial reconstruction surgery is associated with significant perioperative analgesic requirements. As dexmedetomidine mediates central nervous system sympathetic activity and pain modulation, its intraoperative use could be beneficial in craniofacial surgery. We hypothesized that intraoperative administration of dexmedetomidine in children undergoing craniofacial reconstructive surgery would result in reduced opioid requirements, pain, sedation scores, and opioid-induced side effects compared to patients who did not receive dexmedetomidine. All patients who underwent craniofacial reconstructive surgery at our institution from July 2013 to June 2017 were retrospectively evaluated. The primary outcome measure was mean postoperative morphine equivalent requirements. Secondary outcome measures included incidence of opioid-related side effects, pain scores, and hospital length of stay. Thirty-nine patients received dexmedetomidine intraoperatively while 41 patients did not. There was no difference in postoperative opioid requirements or pain scores between the two cohorts. However, patients who received higher doses of dexmedetomidine (4.7 mcg/kg) intraoperatively exhibited significantly lower rescue medication requirements for nausea and vomiting postoperatively. Contrary to the hypothesis, dexmedetomidine was not associated with reduced postoperative opioid requirements or pain scores in children undergoing craniofacial reconstructive surgery. However, our findings do suggest that dexmedetomidine may be beneficial in reducing side effects such as postoperative nausea and vomiting. A randomized controlled trial would be necessary to verify these findings.

Factors affecting length of stay after posterior spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data. OBJECTIVE: Determine factors that influence hospital length of stay after posterior spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Standardized care pathways decrease variability in care, improve patient outcomes, and decrease cost. Specifically, global care pathway development using Lean process mapping for patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) has been shown to lead to a significant decrease in postoperative length of stay. Assessment of variables that affect length of stay after pathway implementation may identify opportunities for additional process refinement to further decrease postoperative length of stay and improve pathway efficiency. METHODS: A standardized care pathway was implemented at our institution for all patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion for AIS. This pathway was developed using the Lean process mapping technique to create evidence-based protocols for the preoperative, operative, postoperative, and postdischarge care. Patient and care-related variables in these time periods were assessed to determine those factors that significantly affected postoperative length of stay. RESULTS: Preoperative factors associated with a prolonged postoperative length of stay included patient ethnicity (non-Hispanic > Hispanic, p = 0.035) and gender (female > male, p = 0.039). Significant intraoperative factors included longer surgical time (p < 0.001), increased number of fusion levels (p = 0.034), and higher volume of crystalloid administered (p = 0.011). Significant postoperative factors were higher average pain scores on the first postoperative day (p < 0.001) and higher cumulative morphine use (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Use of a standardized care pathway for the treatment of patients with AIS can decrease postoperative length of stay. Despite a carefully designed pathway, variability persists in aspects of care that can impact length of stay, including surgical efficiency, intraoperative fluid and blood management, and postoperative pain management. Continued process improvement focused on these variables will likely further improve the effectiveness of standardized pathways for patients with AIS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Effectiveness and Sustainability of a Standardized Care Pathway Developed with Use of Lean Process Mapping for the Treatment of Patients Undergoing Posterior Spinal Fusion for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

BACKGROUND: Recent changes in health care have begun to shift the industry from a volume-based to a value-based focus. This shift has led to standardized care pathways that decrease care variability, improve outcomes, and decrease cost. Although numerous studies have described standardized pathways for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), few have demonstrated sustainability. We report the effectiveness and sustainability of a standardized care pathway for patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion for AIS. METHODS: A standardized care pathway was developed and implemented (in March 2015) at our pediatric hospital for all patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion for AIS. This pathway was developed with use of the Lean process mapping technique to create an evidence-based protocol for preoperative, operative, postoperative, and post-discharge care. The 44 patients managed prior to implementation of the pathway (pre-pathway group) were compared with the 169 patients managed after implementation (post-pathway group). The post-pathway group was divided into 5 cohorts, each representing a 6-month time period. Clinical outcomes (pain scores, medication requirements, transfusions) and efficiency metrics (length of stay) were used to determine pathway sustainability. RESULTS: The pre-pathway group included patients managed in the 8 months prior to implementation (July 2014 to February 2015) and the post-pathway group included patients who underwent surgery from March 2015 to July 2017, divided into 5 cohorts representing 6 months each. Patients in the post-pathway group had lower postoperative pain scores, and used significantly less opioids at each time interval, compared with the pre-pathway group. Perioperative transfusion requirements and postoperative length of stay were significantly lower across all post-pathway cohorts compared with the pre-pathway group. There were no significant differences in clinical results among the 5 post-pathway cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a standardized care pathway developed with use of Lean process mapping demonstrated effective and sustained improvements to the care of patients with AIS, as well as decreased postoperative length of stay. These outcomes have been maintained over 2.5 years, indicating that high-quality care for patients with AIS undergoing spinal fusion can be achieved and sustained with use of a standardized care pathway. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Ketamine as an adjuvant for treatment of cancer pain in children and adolescents.

UNLABELLED: In children with advanced stages of cancer, pain control remains inadequate in many patients and a solution to this problem is sorely lacking. Factors related to progression of the primary disease and side-effects of high doses of opioids, the mainstay of pain therapy, contribute to the inadequacy of pain control. In addition, few studies suggest that opioids, by inducing tolerance, having pronociceptive effects and producing hyperalgesia in some patients, can also contribute to inadequacy of pain control. Researchers have shown that N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists may have a role in mitigating opioid-induced tolerance and hyperalgesia in adults. However, literature on NMDA antagonists to treat cancer pain in children and adolescents is scarce. We used subanesthetic doses of ketamine to treat 11 children and adolescents who were on high doses of opioids and yet had uncontrolled cancer pain. A low-dose ketamine infusion was administered to all patients to modulate the need for rapidly escalating opioid therapy. We found that in 8 of 11 patients, ketamine infusions used as an adjuvant to opioid analgesia was associated with opioid-sparing effects and apparent improvement in pain control and in the children's ability to interact with their family. This study suggests that infusions of ketamine may offer a promising therapeutic option in the treatment of appropriately selected children and adolescents with intractable cancer pain. PERSPECTIVE: In many children with advanced stages of cancer, pain control remains inadequate. We used subanesthetic doses of ketamine to treat 11 children and adolescents who were on high doses of opioids and had uncontrolled cancer pain. In the majority of patients, ketamine appeared to improve pain control and to have an opioid-sparing effect.