Predictors of Complication Severity Following Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery: Smoking Rate, Diabetes, and Osteotomy Increase Risk of Severe Adverse Events.

BACKGROUND: Given the physical and economic burden of complications in spine surgery, reducing the prevalence of perioperative adverse events is a primary concern of both patients and health care professionals. This study aims to identify specific perioperative factors predictive of developing varying grades of postoperative complications in adult spinal deformity (ASD) patients, as assessed by the Clavien-Dindo complication classification (Cc) system. METHODS: Surgical ASD patients ≥18 years were identified in the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program from 2005 to 2015. Postoperative complications were stratified by Cc grade severity: minor (I, II, and III) and severe (IV and V). Stepwise regression models generated dataset-specific predictive models for Cc groups. Model internal validation was achieved by bootstrapping and calculating the area under the curve (AUC) of the model. Significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Included were 3936 patients (59 ± 16 years, 63% women, 29 ± 7 kg/m2) undergoing surgery for ASD (4.4 ± 4.7 levels, 71% posterior approach, 11% anterior, and 18% combined). Overall, 1% of cases were revisions, 39% of procedures involved decompression, 27% osteotomy, and 15% iliac fixation. Additionally, 66% of patients experienced at least 1 complication, 0% of which were Cc grade I, 51% II, 5% III, 43% IV, and 1% V. The final model predicting severe Cc (IV-V) complications yielded an AUC of 75.6% and included male sex, diabetes, increased operative time, central nervous system tumor, osteotomy, cigarette pack-years, anterior decompression, and anterior lumbar interbody fusion. Final models predicting specific Cc grades were created. CONCLUSIONS: Specific predictors of adverse events following ASD-corrective surgery varied for complications of different severities. Multivariate modeling showed smoking rate, osteotomy, diabetes, anterior lumbar interbody fusion, and higher operative time, among other factors, as predictive of severe complications, as classified by the Clavien-Dindo Cc system. These factors can help in the identification of high-risk patients and, consequently, improve preoperative patient counseling. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The findings of this study provide a foundation for identifying ASD patients at high risk of postoperative complications .

Alcoholism as a predictor for pseudarthrosis in primary spine fusion: An analysis of risk factors and 30-day outcomes for 52,402 patients from 2005 to 2013.

INTRODUCTION: This study assessed the incidence and risk factors for pseudarthrosis among primary spine fusion patients. METHODS: Retrospective review of ACS-NSQIP (2005-2013). Differences in comorbidities between spine fusion patients with and without pseudarthrosis (Pseud, N-Pseud) were assessed using chi-squared tests and Independent Samples t-tests. Binary logistic regression assessed patient-related and procedure-related predictors for pseudarthrosis. RESULTS: 52,402 patients (57yrs, 53%F, 0.4% w/pseudarthrosis). Alcohol consumption (OR:2.6[1.2-5.7]) and prior history of surgical revision (OR:1.6[1.4-1.8]) were risk factors for pseudarthrosis operation. Pseud patients at higher risk for deep incisional SSI (at 30-days:OR:6.6[2.0-21.8]). Pseud patients had more perioperative complications (avg:0.24 ±â€¯0.43v0.18 ±â€¯0.39,p=0.026). CONCLUSIONS: Alcoholism and surgical revision are major risk factors for pseudarthrosis in patients undergoing spine fusion.

Decreased rates of 30-day perioperative complications following ASD-corrective surgery: A modified Clavien analysis of 3300 patients from 2010 to 2014.

The Clavien-Dindo grading allows for broad comparison of perioperative surgical complications, and a temporal analysis of complications following ASD-corrective surgery. NSQIP database was utilized from 2010 to 2014 to isolate patients. Complications were stratified by Clavien complication (Cc) grade, and patients grouped by highest Cc grade: I, II, III, IV, V. Secondary analysis grouped by minor (I, II, III) and severe (IV, V). Comorbidity burden was assessed with a NSQIP-modified Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and frailty was measured with a 5-factor modified frailty index (mFI). From 2010 to 2014, 2971 patients (57 yrs, 58% F) underwent surgery for ASD (3.4 ±â€¯4.1 levels; surgical approach: 46% anterior, 44% posterior, 10% combined), the rate of which increased 0.01% to 0.13. 32% suffered >1 complication. Patient breakdown by Cc grade: 0% I, 25% II, 3% III, 4% IV, 1% V. Severe Cc patients were more comorbid than minor Cc (CCI 2.8 vs 1.8), had longer operative times (394 min vs 251), and higher rates of osteotomy (29% vs 13%) and iliac fixation (16% vs 5%). Overall CCI (2.1-1.7) and perioperative complication rates (55-29%) decreased, despite increasing surgical invasiveness (2.8-4.5) and increasing frailty score (0.14 ±â€¯0.15 vs 0.16 ±â€¯0.16). Rates of Clavien grade II (39.80-22.20%) and IV (9.40-3.50%) complications also decreased, indicative of surgical improvements and effective preoperative patient selection. The decrease in CCI and increase in the modified frailty score may show that we are becoming more cognizant of discerning of comorbidities, but likely to not to have taken into account frailty, which may have an impact on future health socioeconomics.

Developments in the treatment of Chiari type 1 malformations over the past decade.

BACKGROUND: Chiari malformations type 1 (CM-1), a developmental anomaly of the posterior fossa, usually presents in adolescence or early adulthood. There are few studies on the national incidence of CM-1, taking into account outcomes based on concurrent diagnoses. To quantify trends in treatment and associated diagnoses, as retrospective review of the Kid's Inpatient Database (KID) from 2003-2012 was conducted. METHODS: Patients aged 0-20 with primary diagnosis of CM-1 in the KID database were identified. Demographics and concurrent diagnoses were analyzed using chi-squared and t-tests for categorical and numerical variables, respectively. Trends in diagnosis, treatments, and outcomes were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: Five thousand four hundred and thirty-eight patients were identified in the KID database with a primary diagnosis of CM-1 (10.5 years, 55% female). CM-1 primary diagnoses have increased over time (45 to 96 per 100,000). CM-1 patients had the following concurrent diagnoses: 23.8% syringomyelia/syringobulbia, 11.5% scoliosis, 5.9% hydrocephalus, 2.2% tethered cord syndrome. Eighty-three point four percent of CM-1 patients underwent surgical treatment, and rate of surgical treatment for CM-1 increased from 2003-2012 (66% to 72%, P<0.001) though complication rate decreased (7% to 3%, P<0.001) and mortality rates remained constant. Seventy percent of surgeries involved decompression-only, which increased neurologic complications compared to fusions (P=0.039). Cranial decompressions decreased from 2003-2012 (42.2-30.5%) while spinal decompressions increased (73.1-77.4%). Fusion rates have increased over time (0.45% to 1.8%) and are associated with higher complications than decompression-only (11.9% vs. 4.7%). Seven point four percent of patients experienced at least one peri-operative complication (nervous system, dysphagia, respiratory most common). Patients with concurrent hydrocephalus had increased; nervous system, respiratory and urinary complications (P<0.006) and syringomyelia increased the rate of respiratory complications (P=0.037). CONCLUSIONS: CM-1 diagnoses have increased in the last decade. Despite the decrease in overall complication rates, fusions are becoming more common and are associated with higher peri-operative complication rates. Commonly associated diagnoses including syringomyelia and hydrocephalus, can dramatically increase complication rates.