Search

INTRODUCTION: Interventional treatment options for the lumbar degenerative spine have undergone a significant amount of innovation over the last decade. As new technologies emerge, along with the surgical specialty expansion, there is no manuscript that utilizes a review of surgical treatments with evidence rankings from multiple specialties, namely, the interventional pain and spine communities. Through the Pacific Spine and Pain Society (PSPS), the purpose of this manuscript is to provide a balanced evidence review of available surgical treatments. METHODS: The PSPS Research Committee created a working group that performed a comprehensive literature search on available surgical technologies for the treatment of the degenerative spine, utilizing the ranking assessment based on USPSTF (United States Preventative Services Taskforce) and NASS (North American Spine Society) criteria. RESULTS: The surgical treatments were separated based on disease process, including treatments for degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, and spinal stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: There is emerging and significant evidence to support multiple approaches to treat the symptomatic lumbar degenerative spine. As new technologies become available, training, education, credentialing, and peer review are essential for optimizing patient safety and successful outcomes.

BackgroundAdults undergoing spine surgery often have underlying osteoporosis, which may be a risk factor for postoperative complications. Although these associations have been described, osteoporosis remains profoundly underdiagnosed and undertreated in the spine surgery population. A thorough, comprehensive systematic review summarizing the relationships between bone mineral density (BMD) and specific complications of lumbar fusion surgery could be a valuable resource for raising awareness and supporting clinical practice changes.MethodsPubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched for original clinical research articles reporting on BMD, or surrogate measure, as a predictor of complications in adults undergoing elective lumbar fusion for degenerative disease or deformity. Endpoints included cage subsidence, screw loosening, pseudarthrosis, vertebral fracture, junctional complications, and reoperation.ResultsA total of 71 studies comprising 12,278 patients were included. Overall, considerable heterogeneity in study populations, methods of bone health assessment, and definition and evaluation of clinical endpoints precluded meta-analysis. Nevertheless, low BMD was associated with higher rates of implant failures like cage subsidence and screw loosening, which were often diagnosed with concomitant pseudarthrosis. Osteoporosis was also a significant risk factor for proximal junctional kyphosis, particularly due to fracture. Many studies found surgical site-specific BMD to best predict focal complications. Functional outcomes were inconsistently addressed.ConclusionsOur findings suggest osteoporosis is a significant risk factor for mechanical complications of lumbar fusion. These results emphasize the importance of preoperative osteoporosis screening, which allows for medical and surgical optimization of high-risk patients. This review also highlights current practical challenges facing bone health evaluation in patients undergoing elective surgery. Future prospective studies using standardized methods are necessary to strengthen existing evidence, identify optimal predictive thresholds, and establish specialty-specific practice guidelines. In the meantime, an awareness of the surgical implications of osteoporosis and utility of preoperative screening can provide for more informed, effective patient care.

Fusions for lumbar spine diseases are widely performed and have a growing incidence, especially in elderly population. The goal of this study was to assess national trends of lumbar spinal fusions and examine the risk for reoperations after a lumbar fusion with a focus on 'epidemiologic transition' relating to age. The prospectively collected Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) nationwide cohort database was retrospectively reviewed. The total 278,815 patients who underwent lumbar spinal fusions for degenerative spine diseases between 2010 and 2018 were reviewed and used to assess trends in operative incidence. The 37,050 patients who underwent lumbar fusions between 1/2010 and 12/2011 were enrolled to determine 8-year reoperation rates. The overall number of lumbar spinal fusions were analyzed for the national annual trend. Demographic data, reoperation rates, and confounding clinical factors were evaluated. The overall number of lumbar spinal fusions was analyzed to determine the national annual trend of operative incidence. For the reoperation rate analysis, the primary outcome measured was the cumulative incidence of revision operations within a minimum 8-year follow-up period. Additional outcomes included comparative analyses of the reoperation rate with respect to age, sex, or other underlying comorbidities. Over time, elderly patients comprised a larger portion of the cohort (2010:24.2%; 2018:37.6%), while operations in younger patients decreased over time (2010:40.3%; 2018:27.0%). In the cohort of patients with a minimum 8-year follow-up (n=37,050), rates of reoperation peaked in patients aged 60–69 years (17.6 per 1000 person-years [HR 2.20 compared to <40years]) and decreased for more elderly patients (14.3 per 1000 person-years [HR 1.80 compared to <40years]). Age was the most significant risk factor for reoperation. Osteoporosis was also a risk factor for reoperation in postmenopausal females. Increasing incidence of lumbar fusions in elderly patients was seen however the risk of reoperation decreased in patients aged 70 or more. Lumbar fusion for elderly patients should not be hesitated in the decision-making process because of concerns about reoperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction Interventional treatment options for the lumbar degenerative spine have undergone a significant amount of innovation over the last decade. As new technologies emerge, along with the surgical specialty expansion, there is no manuscript that utilizes a review of surgical treatments with evidence rankings from multiple specialties, namely, the interventional pain and spine communities. Through the Pacific Spine and Pain Society (PSPS), the purpose of this manuscript is to provide a balanced evidence review of available surgical treatments. Methods The PSPS Research Committee created a working group that performed a comprehensive literature search on available surgical technologies for the treatment of the degenerative spine, utilizing the ranking assessment based on USPSTF (United States Preventative Services Taskforce) and NASS (North American Spine Society) criteria. Results The surgical treatments were separated based on disease process, including treatments for degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, and spinal stenosis. Conclusions There is emerging and significant evidence to support multiple approaches to treat the symptomatic lumbar degenerative spine. As new technologies become available, training, education, credentialing, and peer review are essential for optimizing patient safety and successful outcomes.

Study design: retrospective review. Objective: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is a multidisciplinary set of evidence-based interventions to reduce morbidity and accelerate postoperative recovery. Complex spine surgery carries high risks of perioperative blood loss, blood transfusion, and suboptimal fluid states. This study evaluates the efficacy of a perioperative fluid and blood management component comprised of a restrictive transfusion policy, goal directed fluid management, number of tranexamic acid (TXA) utilization, and autologous blood transfusion within our ERAS protocol for complex spine surgery. Methods: A retrospective review compared patients undergoing elective complex spine surgery prior to and following implementation of an ERAS protocol with intraoperative blood and fluid management. Outcomes included incidence of blood transfusion, estimated blood loss, intraoperative crystalloids administered, frequency of intraoperative TXA utilized, incidence of patients extubated within the operating room (OR), intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and hospital length of stay. Results: Following implementation, the rate of blood transfusion decreased by 11.7%(P =.017) and average crystalloid infusion was reduced 680 mL per case(P <.001). Intraoperative blood loss decreased on average 342 mL per case(P =.001) and TXA use increased significantly by 25%(P <.001). Postoperative ICU admissions declined by 8.5%(P =.071); extubation within the OR increased by 13.3%(P =.005). Conclusions: This protocol presents a unique perspective with the inclusion of an interdisciplinary and comprehensive blood and fluid management protocol as an integral part of our ERAS pathway for complex spine surgery. These results indicate that a standardized approach is associated with reduced rates of blood transfusion and optimized fluid states which was correlated with decreased postoperative ICU admissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adults undergoing spine surgery often have underlying osteoporosis, which may be a risk factor for postoperative complications. Although these associations have been described, osteoporosis remains profoundly underdiagnosed and undertreated in the spine surgery population. A thorough, comprehensive systematic review summarizing the relationships between bone mineral density (BMD) and specific complications of lumbar fusion surgery could be a valuable resource for raising awareness and supporting clinical practice changes. Methods: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched for original clinical research articles reporting on BMD, or surrogate measure, as a predictor of complications in adults undergoing elective lumbar fusion for degenerative disease or deformity. Endpoints included cage subsidence, screw loosening, pseudarthrosis, vertebral fracture, junctional complications, and reoperation. Results: A total of 71 studies comprising 12,278 patients were included. Overall, considerable heterogeneity in study populations, methods of bone health assessment, and definition and evaluation of clinical endpoints precluded meta-analysis. Nevertheless, low BMD was associated with higher rates of implant failures like cage subsidence and screw loosening, which were often diagnosed with concomitant pseudarthrosis. Osteoporosis was also a significant risk factor for proximal junctional kyphosis, particularly due to fracture. Many studies found surgical site-specific BMD to best predict focal complications. Functional outcomes were inconsistently addressed. Conclusions: Our findings suggest osteoporosis is a significant risk factor for mechanical complications of lumbar fusion. These results emphasize the importance of preoperative osteoporosis screening, which allows for medical and surgical optimization of high-risk patients. This review also highlights current practical challenges facing bone health evaluation in patients undergoing elective surgery. Future prospective studies using standardized methods are necessary to strengthen existing evidence, identify optimal predictive thresholds, and establish specialty-specific practice guidelines. In the meantime, an awareness of the surgical implications of osteoporosis and utility of preoperative screening can provide for more informed, effective patient care.

Background: Bone marrow aspirate (BMA), when combined with graft substitutes, has long been introduced as a promising alternative to iliac crest bone graft in spinal fusion. However, the use of BMA is limited by the absence of a standardized procedure, a structural texture, and the potential for diffusion away from the implant site. Recently, the potential use of a new formulation of BMA, named BMA clot, has been preclinically described. In this report, we present the results of a prospective pilot clinical study aimed at evaluating the safety and efficacy of autologous vertebral BMA (vBMA) clot as a three-dimensional and multifunctional bioscaffold in instrumented posterior lumbar fusion. Methods: Ten consecutive patients with an indication of multilevel (=5) posterior spinal fusion due to lumbar spine degenerative diseases were included in the study and treated with vBMA. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and EuroQoL-5L (EQ-5L) preoperatively and at 3 months and 12 months after spinal fusion. Bone fusion quality was evaluated at the 12-month follow-up using the Brantigan classification on radiography (XR) imaging. Bone density was measured on computed tomography (CT) scans at 6 and 12 months of follow-up visits at the intervertebral arches and intervertebral joint areas and expressed in Hounsfield unit (HU). Results: The results indicate a successful posterolateral fusion rate of approximately 100% (considering levels with C, D, and E grades according to the Brantigan classification) at the 12-month follow-up, along with an increase in bone density from 6 to 12 months of follow-up. An improvement in the quality of life and health status following surgery, as assessed by clinical scores (ODI, VAS, and EQ-5L), was also observed as early as 3 months postsurgery. No adverse events related to the vBMA clot were reported. Conclusion: This prospective pilot study demonstrates the effectiveness and safety profile of vBMA clot as an advanced bioscaffold capable of achieving posterior lumbar fusion in the treatment of degenerative spine diseases. This lays the groundwork for a larger randomized clinical study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundBone marrow aspirate (BMA), when combined with graft substitutes, has long been introduced as a promising alternative to iliac crest bone graft in spinal fusion. However, the use of BMA is limited by the absence of a standardized procedure, a structural texture, and the potential for diffusion away from the implant site. Recently, the potential use of a new formulation of BMA, named BMA clot, has been preclinically described. In this report, we present the results of a prospective pilot clinical study aimed at evaluating the safety and efficacy of autologous vertebral BMA (vBMA) clot as a three-dimensional and multifunctional bioscaffold in instrumented posterior lumbar fusion.MethodsTen consecutive patients with an indication of multilevel (≤5) posterior spinal fusion due to lumbar spine degenerative diseases were included in the study and treated with vBMA. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and EuroQoL-5L (EQ-5L) preoperatively and at 3 months and 12 months after spinal fusion. Bone fusion quality was evaluated at the 12-month follow-up using the Brantigan classification on radiography (XR) imaging. Bone density was measured on computed tomography (CT) scans at 6 and 12 months of follow-up visits at the intervertebral arches and intervertebral joint areas and expressed in Hounsfield unit (HU).ResultsThe results indicate a successful posterolateral fusion rate of approximately 100% (considering levels with C, D, and E grades according to the Brantigan classification) at the 12-month follow-up, along with an increase in bone density from 6 to 12 months of follow-up. An improvement in the quality of life and health status following surgery, as assessed by clinical scores (ODI, VAS, and EQ-5L), was also observed as early as 3 months postsurgery. No adverse events related to the vBMA clot were reported.ConclusionThis prospective pilot study demonstrates the effectiveness and safety profile of vBMA clot as an advanced bioscaffold capable of achieving posterior lumbar fusion in the treatment of degenerative spine diseases. This lays the groundwork for a larger randomized clinical study.

Bekir Yavuz Uçar, Çağri Özcan, Ömer Polat, Tayfun Aman University of Health Sciences, Umraniye Education and Research Hospital, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Istanbul, TurkeyCorrespondence: Çağri ÖzcanUniversity of Health Sciences, Umraniye Education and Research Hospital, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Elmalikent Mh 34764 Umraniye, Istanbul, TurkeyEmail cagriozcann@gmail.comAbstract: Most adults will experience low back pain during their lifetime, with most of these instances resolving or improving without sequelae in a few weeks. For the small number of patients with severe, recalcitrant pain, lumbar fusion may be required, particularly when concomitant leg pain or deformity is present. Lumbar interbody fusion surgery is the usual treatment for degenerative lumbar disease, but it requires a long recovery period. Many surgical techniques have been described in the literature for spondylolisthesis. The main objective is to create interbody fusion, decompression of normal structures and a stable vertebrae. TLIF surgical techniques has a long learning curve. Comorbidities of the patient may make surgery more difficult. Methods such as transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF), posterior lumbar interbody fusion, anterior lumbar interbody fusion and lateral lumbar interbody fusion are also available for interbody fusion in the literatüre. The aim of this review is to show which patients are more suitable for TLIF surgery and to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of TLIF surgery over other techniques.Keywords: low back pain, transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion, lumbar spinal stenosis, degenerative spine disease, lumbar fusion, lumbar spondylosis

Background: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) evidence-based protocols for perioperative care have led to improvements in outcomes in numerous surgical areas, through multimodal optimization of patient pathway, reduction of complications, improved patient experience and reduction in the length of stay. ERAS represent a relatively new paradigm in spine surgery.Purpose: This multidisciplinary consensus review summarizes the literature and proposes recommendations for the perioperative care of patients undergoing lumbar fusion surgery with an ERAS program.Study Design: This is a review article.Methods: Under the impetus of the ERAS® society, a multidisciplinary guideline development group was constituted by bringing together international experts involved in the practice of ERAS and spine surgery. This group identified 22 ERAS items for lumbar fusion. A systematic search in the English language was performed in MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, and cohort studies were included, and the evidence was graded according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Consensus recommendation was reached by the group after a critical appraisal of the literature.Results: Two hundred fifty-six articles were included to develop the consensus statements for 22 ERAS items; one ERAS item (prehabilitation) was excluded from the final summary due to very poor quality and conflicting evidence in lumbar spinal fusion. From these remaining 21 ERAS items, 28 recommendations were included. All recommendations on ERAS protocol items are based on the best available evidence. These included nine preoperative, eleven intraoperative, and six postoperative recommendations. They span topics from preoperative patient education and nutritional evaluation, intraoperative anesthetic and surgical techniques, and postoperative multimodal analgesic strategies. The level of evidence for the use of each recommendation is presented.Conclusion: Based on the best evidence available for each ERAS item within the multidisciplinary perioperative care pathways, the ERAS® Society presents this comprehensive consensus review for perioperative care in lumbar fusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Context: Lumbar pedicle screw placement can be technically challenging. Malpositioned screws occur in up to 15% of patients and could result in radiculopathy or instrumentation failure.Purpose: To compare intraoperative electromyography (EMG) and image guidance using an O-arm for identifying pedicle breach during elective lumbar fusion.Study Design: Prospective observational study.Patient Sample: All adult patients undergoing elective lumbar spinal fusion operations for degenerative spine disorders (including adjacent segment degeneration, degenerative scoliosis, and symptomatic spondylosis and spondylolisthesis) at a single institution from July 1, 2014, to December 1, 2015, were prospectively tracked.Outcome Measures: Pedicle breach.Methods: Pedicle screws from L2-S1 were placed using C-arm assisted freehand technique. All screws were stimulated with EMG and evaluated using the O-arm intraoperative imaging system. Electromyography data were compared with intraoperative images to assess the accuracy of identifying pedicle breaches. No funding was received for this work.Results: One thousand six lumbar pedicles screws were placed from L2 to S1 in 164 consecutive cases. The mean patient age was 59.2 years. Thirty-five breaches (15 lateral and 20 medial) were visualized with O-arm imaging and confirmed by palpation (3.5% of screws placed). Of the breaches, 14 screws stimulated below the 12-mA threshold, nine screws stimulated between 12 and 20 mA, and 12 screws did not generate an EMG response. Forty screws stimulated below a 12-mA threshold but showed no breach on imaging. Using the 12-mA threshold, the sensitivity of EMG was 40%, specificity was 96%, positive predictive value was 26%, and negative predictive value was 98%. All 35 breached screws were corrected during surgery. There were no postoperative symptoms caused by breached screws and no patients required reoperation.Conclusions: Our findings indicate that EMG may not be a highly reliable tool in determining an anatomical breach during placement of lumbar pedicle screws. O-arm may be better for detecting either medial or lateral breaches than EMG stimulation if there are concerns about screw placement or for confirmation of placement before leaving the operating room. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Vascularized bone grafts (VBGs) are described as having superior osteogenicity, osteoconductivity, and osteoinductivity compared with other graft types and have been used in high-risk patients to augment arthrodesis. Pedicled VBGs are rotated on an intact vascular pedicle and therefore maintain all the benefits of VBGs but avoid many of the challenges and additional morbidity of free-tissue transfer. This study describes a novel surgical technique for rotating vascularized spinous process into the posterolateral space for augmenting arthrodesis in patients undergoing posterolateral fusion (PLF). Methods A technique is described for rotating the spinous process into the posterolateral space on an intact vascular pedicle of paraspinal muscle. Early clinical and radiographic outcomes are reported for 4 patients who have undergone this procedure. Results Four patients were treated with a single or 2-level PLF combined with posterior, anterior, or lateral interbody fusion and vascularized spinous process graft. Three-month postoperative computed tomography scans demonstrated a dislodged graft in 1 patient and successful arthrodesis in 3 patients. Additional operative time taken for graft harvest and implantation ranged from 22 minutes for the first patient to 6 minutes for the fourth patient. Conclusions Rotation of vascularized spinous process graft for augmentation of posterolateral arthrodesis in the lumbar spine is a potentially safe, effective surgical technique that results in successful arthrodesis in as little as 3 months but requires further study. This technique is expected to add little additional time or morbidity to the traditional lumbar PLF because it requires no separate incision or additional bone removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Lumbar fusion is a widely used procedure for degenerative spine diseases but frequently is accompanied with substantial surgical blood loss. We aimed to investigate the risk factors for significant intraoperative blood loss and the influence of excessive bleeding on postoperative complications in patients undergoing fusion for degenerative lumbar spines. Methods For this retrospective study, we enrolled 199 patients who had undergone lumbar fusion surgery for degeneration. The definition of significant blood loss at operation was 500 mL or more in blood volume. The patients were subdivided into 2 groups on the basis of whether significant blood loss was present (n = 107) or not (n = 92). Results The incidence of significant blood loss during lumbar fusion was 53.8%. In the multivariate logistic regression model, the independent risk factors for significant blood loss included body mass index ( P = 0.027), extreme spinal canal narrowing ( P = 0.023), spine fusion segments >1 level ( P = 0.008), and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion ( P = 0.006). Significant blood loss in lumbar fusion was associated with a greater incidence of postoperative complications ( P = 0.002). The length of hospital stay for patents with excessive bleeding was prolonged significantly ( P = 0.045). Conclusions Because substantial bleeding in lumbar fusion is associated with a greater incidence of morbidities and prolonged length of hospital stay, attention to the risk factors for significant blood loss is important in the preoperative assessment and postoperative guidance for the level of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A major drawback to use of cortical bone trajectory pedicle screws (CBTPSs) with traditional posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion grafts is that traditional graft insertion trajectories require wider posterior exposure. This wider exposure, beyond the limits otherwise required for CBTPS placement, negates a primary benefit of CBTPS fixation. The aim of this study was to define an alternative surgical technique for interbody graft placement that, when used in conjunction with CBTPS fixation, permits both minimal soft tissue dissection and optimal graft placement. Methods A team of neurosurgeons specializing in treatment of spinal pathologies developed a surgical technique for insertion of bilateral PLIF grafts that complements the principles of CBTPS fixation. This technique is illustrated in a patient undergoing lumbosacral decompression, CBTPS fixation, and 3-column arthrodesis. Results The described technique uses a divergent trajectory of bilateral PLIF grafts rather than the traditional parallel or convergent trajectories. Conclusions By aiming medially to laterally with the interbody graft, one recapitulates many advantages of CBTPSs, including avoidance of wide tissue dissection, greater intergraft volume available for bone grafting, and greater graft coverage of the hypophyseal ring. The prospective collection of outcome data for patients who undergo lumbosacral fusion using the divergent PLIF technique is ongoing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lumbar-pelvic fusion reduces the variation in pelvic tilt in functional situations by reducing lumbar spine flexibility, which is thought to be important in maintaining stability of a total hip arthroplasty (THA). We compared dislocation and revision rates for patients with lumbar fusion and subsequent THA to a matched comparison cohort with hip and spine degenerative changes undergoing only THA.Methods: We identified patients in New York State who underwent primary elective lumbar fusion for degenerative disc disease pathology and subsequent THA between January 2005 and December 2012. A propensity score match was performed to compare 934 patients with prior lumbar fusion to 934 patients with only THA according to age, gender, race, Deyo comorbidity score, year of surgery, and surgeon volume. Revision and dislocation rates were assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months post-THA.Results: At 12 months, patients with prior lumbar fusion had significantly increased rates of THA dislocation (control: 0.4%; fusion: 3.0%; P < .001) and revision (control: 0.9%; fusion: 3.9%; P < .001). At 12 months, fusion patients were 7.19 times more likely to dislocate their THA (P < .001) and 4.64 times more likely to undergo revision (P < .001).Conclusion: Patients undergoing lumbar fusion and subsequent THA have significantly higher risks of dislocation and revision of their hip arthroplasty than a matched cohort of patients with similar hip and spine pathology but only undergoing THA. During preoperative consultation for patients with prior lumbar fusion, orthopedic surgeons must educate the patient and family about the increased risk of dislocation and revision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]