Incidence of C5 nerve palsy after cervical spine decompression was 6.7%. This is consistent with previously published studies and represents the largest series of North American patients to date. There is no statistically significant difference in incidence of C5 palsy based on surgical procedure, although there was a trend toward higher rates with laminectomy and fusion.

Study Design:Retrospective review.Objectives:This study investigates the prevalence of adverse postsurgical events, or osteoporosis-related complications (ORCs), following spinal fusion.Methods:Patients undergoing primary posterior thoracolumbar or lumbar fusion by 1 of 2 surgeons practicing at a single institution were analyzed from 2007 to 2014. ORCs were defined in one of the following categories: revision surgery, compression fracture, proximal junctional kyphosis, pseudarthrosis, or failure of instrumentation. Patients with a bone mineral density of the hips and/or spine performed within 1 year of the index procedure were included. Patients were stratified into normal bone density, osteopenia, and osteoporosis using WHO guidelines. Patients were excluded if they were younger than 18 years at the time of surgery, with infection, malignancy, skeletal dysplasia, neuromuscular disorders, concomitant or staged anterior-posterior procedure, or fusion performed because of trauma.Results:Out of 140 patients included, the prevalence of normal bone density was 31.4% (44/140), osteopenia 58.6% (82/140), and osteoporosis 10.0% (14/140). There were no differences between groups for gender, age, body mass index, and interbody device rate. The overall prevalence of ORCs was 32.1% (45/140). By group, there was a prevalence of 22.7% (10/44), 32.9% (27/82), and 50.0% (7/14) for normal bone density, osteopenia, and osteoporosis, respectively. These differences were significantly higher for both the osteopenia and osteoporosis groups.Conclusions:Patients with T scores below −1.0 undergoing posterior lumbar fusion have an increased prevalence of ORCs. Consideration of bone density plays a crucial role in patient selection, medical management, and counseling patient expectations.

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Background The long-term outcome of patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis (PVO) has not been fully assessed.Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study to describe the long-term outcome of PVO and to assess risk factors for treatment failure in patients evaluated at our institution between 1994 and 2002. Patients were observed until July 1, 2013.Results Two hundred sixty patients with PVO were included in this study. Twenty-seven percent (70) of patients developed their infection after an invasive spinal procedure. Staphylococcus aureus accounted for 40% (103) of infections. Forty-nine percent (128) of patients underwent spinal surgery as part of their initial therapy. The median duration of parenteral antimicrobial therapy was 42 days (interquartile range, 38–53). The estimated 2-, 5-, and 10-year cumulative probability of treatment failure-free survival was 72%, 69%, and 69%, respectively. Seventy-five percent of patients who developed treatment failure did so within 4.7 months of diagnosis. Residual neurological defects and persistent back pain were seen in 16% and 32% of patients, respectively. In a multivariate analysis, longer duration of symptoms before diagnosis and having an infection with S. aureus were associated with increased risk of treatment failure.Conclusions Increasing duration of symptoms and infection with S. aureus were associated with treatment failure in patients with PVO. Most treatment failures occurred early after initiation of treatment. Pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis is associated with a high 2-year failure rate. Persistent neurological deficits and back pain are common after therapy.

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Study Design Retrospective matched–cohort analysis. Objective To evaluate the change in radiographic parameters in patients undergoing interbody fusion and posterior instrumentation compared to posterior spine fusion alone (PSF) for degenerative scoliosis. Summary of Background Data Little is known about the effect of lateral interbody fusion (LIF) on sagittal plane correction in the setting of degenerative scoliosis. We performed a retrospective study to investigate these changes compared to PSF. Methods Between 1997 and 2011, 33 patients had LIF at 181 levels between T8 and L5 vertebrae for the treatment of degenerative scoliosis (mean; 5±2 levels). Of those, 23 patients had additional anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) at 37 levels between L4 and S1 vertebrae (mean; 1.6±0.5 levels). A 1:1 matched control of patients who underwent PSF was performed. Patients were matched by age, gender, and diagnosis. Clinical and radiographic data were collected and compared between the matched cohorts. Results Lumbar lordosis was significantly restored in LIF±ALIF compared to PSF cohort (44°±14° versus 36°±15°, p=0.02). The segmental lumbar lordosis over the 102 LIF levels significantly improved from 12°±10° to 21°±13° postoperatively (p<0.0001). However, the change over the 37 ALIF levels was not significant (from 30°±15° to 29°±9°, p=0.8). Sagittal plane alignment was improved in LIF±ALIF compared to PSF cohort and trended toward but did not reach significance (3.8±3.2 cm versus 6.2±5.7 cm, p=0.09). Sacral slope was significantly higher in LIF±ALIF compared to PSF cohort (33°±11° versus 28°±10°, p=0.03). Pelvic tilt was lower in LIF±ALIF compared to PSF cohort and trended toward but did not reach significance (22°±10° versus 26°±10°, p=0.08). Conclusion Lumbar lordosis and sacral slope were mildly but statistically improved in the interbody fusion cohort compared to PSF cohort. Sagittal alignment and pelvic tilt trended toward but did not reach statistical significance. Segmental lumbar lordosis was improved at LIF levels more than at ALIF levels.

Study Design: Broad narrative review. Objective: To review and summarize the current literature on guidelines, outcomes, techniques and indications surrounding multiple modalities of minimizing blood loss in spine surgery. Methods: A thorough review of peer-reviewed literature was performed on the guidelines, outcomes, techniques, and indications for multiple modalities of minimizing blood loss in spine surgery. Results: There is a large body of literature that provides a consensus on guidelines regarding the appropriate timing of discontinuation of anticoagulation, aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and herbal supplements prior to surgery. Additionally, there is a more heterogenous discussion the utility of preoperative autologous blood donation facilitated by erythropoietin and iron supplementation for healthy patients slated for procedures with high anticipated blood loss and for whom allogeneic transfusion is likely. Intraoperative maneuvers available to minimize blood loss include positioning and maintaining normothermia. Tranexamic acid (TXA), bipolar sealer electrocautery, and topical hemostatic agents, and hypotensive anesthesia (mean arterial pressure (MAP) <65 mm Hg) should be strongly considered in cases with larger exposures and higher anticipated blood loss. There is strong level 1 evidence for the use of TXA in spine surgery as it reduces the overall blood loss and transfusion requirements. Conclusion: As the volume and complexity of spinal procedures rise, intraoperative blood loss management has become a pivotal topic of research within the field. There are many tools for minimizing blood loss in patients undergoing spine surgery. The current literature supports combining techniques to use a cost- effective multimodal approach to minimize blood loss in the perioperative period.