We have studied the occurrence of donor site morbidity, cosmesis and overall satisfaction with graft procedure in 76 patients who had undergone iliac crest bone harvesting for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Totally 24 patients underwent an open procedure and 52 a minimally invasive trephine harvesting method. Although our study demonstrated substantial donor site pain and its effect on ambulation in both groups, this was of limited duration. Two patients, one in each group, suffered long-term pain that was eventually resolved. Totally 8.3% of patients in the open group suffered minor complications and 11.5% in the trephine group. There were two cases of meralgia parasthetica. There were no major complications in either group. There was no statistically significant difference in morbidity between the open and trephine groups. There was a trend towards significance (P = 0.076) for pain at the donor site, with less pain reported by patients who underwent the trephine procedure for harvesting.

The aim of this study was to determine whether obesity affects pain, surgical and functional outcomes following lumbar spinal fusion for low back pain (LBP). A systematic literature review and meta-analysis was made of those studies that compared the outcome of lumbar spinal fusion for LBP in obese and non-obese patients. A total of 17 studies were included in the meta-analysis. There was no difference in the pain and functional outcomes. Lumbar spinal fusion in the obese patient resulted in a statistically significantly greater intra-operative blood loss (weighted mean difference: 54.04 ml; 95% confidence interval (CI) 15.08 to 93.00; n = 112; p = 0.007) more complications (odds ratio: 1.91; 95% CI 1.68 to 2.18; n = 43858; p < 0.001) and longer duration of surgery (25.75 mins; 95% CI 15.61 to 35.90; n = 258; p < 0.001). Obese patients have greater intra-operative blood loss, more complications and longer duration of surgery but pain and functional outcome are similar to non-obese patients. Based on these results, obesity is not a contraindication to lumbar spinal fusion.

✓Modic Type 2 (MT2) neuroimaging changes are considered stable or invariant over time and relatively quiescent, whereas Modic Type 1 (MT1) changes are considered unstable and more symptomatic. The authors report two cases in which MT2 changes were symptomatic and evidently unstable, and in which chronic low-back pain severity remained unaltered despite a MT2–MT1 reverse transformation. Two women (41 and 48 years old) both presented with chronic low-back pain. Magnetic resonance (MR) images demonstrated degenerating discs at L5–S1 associated with well-established MT2 changes in adjacent vertebrae. Repeated MR imaging in these two patients after 11 months and 7 years, respectively, revealed reverse transformation of the MT2 changes into more florid MT1 changes, despite unaltered chronic low-back pain severity. Following anterior discectomy and disc arthroplasty, immediate abolition of chronic low-back pain was achieved in both patients and sustained at 3-year follow up. Modic Type 2 changes are therefore neither as stable nor as quiescent as originally believed. Each type can change, with equal symptom-generating capacity. More representative imaging–pathological correlates are required to determine the precise nature of MT changes.

Clinical outcomes were significantly improved after both ST-PLIF and LI-PLIF. However, outcomes were significantly better after LI-PLIF than after ST-PLIF. Significantly shortened hospital stay with LI-PLIF probably reflected the "less invasive" technique per se. Significantly better clinical outcomes with fewer complications after LI-PLIF, however, potentially reflected maneuvers singular to LI-PLIF: (1) preservation of posterior elements, (2) avoidance of far lateral dissection over the transverse processes, (3) bilateral total facetectomy, (4) fewer neurologic complications, and (5) avoidance of iliac crest autograft. LI-PLIF is therefore recommended over ST-PLIF.

Study DesignProspective longitudinal study.PurposeTo determine if preoperative psychological status affects outcome in spinal surgery.Overview of LiteratureLow back pain is known to have a psychosomatic component. Increased bodily awareness (somatization) and depressive symptoms are two factors that may affect outcome. It is possible to measure these components using questionnaires.MethodsPatients who underwent posterior interbody fusion (PLIF) surgery were assessed preoperatively and at follow-up using a self-administered questionnaire. The visual analogue scale (VAS) for back and leg pain severity and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were used as outcome measures. The psychological status of patients was classified into one of four groups using the Distress and Risk Assessment Method (DRAM); normal, at-risk, depressed somatic and distressed depressive.ResultsPreoperative DRAM scores showed 14 had no psychological disturbance (normal), 39 were at-risk, 11 distressed somatic, and 10 distressed depressive. There was no significant difference between the 4 groups in the mean preoperative ODI (analysis of variance, p = 0.426). There was a statistically and clinically significant improvement in the ODI after surgery for all but distressed somatic patients (9.8; range, -5.2 to 24.8; p = 0.177). VAS scores for all groups apart from the distressed somatic showed a statistically and clinically significant improvement. Our results show that preoperative psychological state affects outcome in PLIF surgery.ConclusionsPatients who were classified as distressed somatic preoperatively had a less favorable outcome compared to other groups. This group of patients may benefit from formal psychological assessment before undergoing PLIF surgery.

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47% of patients with chronic back pain had insomnia. The ODI was more reliable than the NRS for back pain to detect insomnia. Back pain should be treated early to avoid serious health problems associated with insomnia.

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