The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society
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With the changing landscape of health care, outpatient spine surgery is being more commonly performed to reduce cost and to improve efficiency. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is one of the most common spine surgeries performed and demand is expected to increase with an aging population. ⋯ Outpatient ACDF is increasing in frequency nationwide over the past several years. Nationwide data demonstrate a greater risk of perioperative surgical complications, including revision anterior and posterior fusion, as well as a higher risk of postoperative acute renal failure. Candidates for outpatient ACDF should be counseled and carefully selected to reduce these risks.
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Fusion typically consists of joint preparation, grafting, and rigid fixation. Fusion has been successfully used to treat symptomatic disruptions of the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) and degenerative sacroiliitis using purpose-specific, threaded implants. The biomechanical performance of these systems is important but has not been studied. ⋯ Fixation with two threaded rods significantly reduces SIJ motion even in the presence of joint preparation and after initial loading. The location of the secondary 8.5-mm implant does not affect construct performance. Low bone density significantly affects fixation and should be considered when planning fusion constructs. Findings should be interpreted in the context of ongoing clinical studies.
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Comparative Study
Freehand technique for C2 pedicle and pars screw placement: is it safe?
During placement of C2 pedicle and pars screws, intraoperative fluoroscopy is used so that neurovascular complications can be avoided, and screws can be placed in the proper position. However, this method is time consuming and increases radiation exposure. Furthermore, it does not guarantee a completely safe and accurate screw placement. ⋯ Although even in experienced hands up to 23% of C2 pedicle screws and 11% of C2 pars screws placed using a freehand technique without guidance may be malpositioned, a clear majority of malpositioned screws demonstrated a low-grade breach, and only 2 of 198 patients (1%) experienced complications related to screw placement.
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The Rothman Index (RI) is a comprehensive rating of overall patient condition in the hospital setting. It is used at many medical centers and calculated based on vital signs, laboratory values, and nursing assessments in the electronic medical record. Previous research has demonstrated an association with adverse events, readmission, and mortality in other fields, but it has not been investigated in spine surgery. ⋯ The RI is a tool that can be used to predict postdischarge adverse events after elective spine surgery that adds value to commonly used indices such as patient demographics and ASA. It is found that this can help physicians identify high-risk patients before discharge and should be able to better inform clinical decisions.
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Cement augmentation techniques are standard treatments for osteoporotic vertebral fractures. Compared with vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty is associated with lower rates of cement leak and better deformity correction; however, posterior wall fractures are relative, but not absolute; contraindications for both techniques and hence treatment practices vary among spine centers. ⋯ Balloon kyphoplasty is a viable option for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures even with posterior wall involvement.