Optimization of Surgical Care and Anesthesia in the Treatment of Multilevel Degenerative Diseases of the Lumbar Spine in Patients with Overweight and Obesity

Abstract

Background: The provision of surgical care in the treatment of degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine in patients with obesity and obesity is associated with significant risks of anesthesia and the development of perioperative complications. Aims: to analyze the results of the introduction of a combination of surgical procedures and anesthesia in the treatment of multilevel degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine in patients with excessive body weight and obesity.Materials and methods: The results of surgical treatment of 86 patients were studied, 2 groups were identified. In the study group (SG, n=37), minimally invasive surgical techniques and original surgical approach, paravertebral musculature infiltration with bupivacaine with epinephrine, and multimodal anesthesia with dexmedetomidine were used. The comparison group (CG, n=49) consisted of patients who used the technique of traditional open transpedicular fixation in combination with the posterior interbody fusion without the above combination of surgical procedures and anesthesia. Observation and clinical evaluation was performed in the early (during hospitalization) and in the distant (on average 36 months) postoperative periods.Results: In SG there were no changes in hemodynamics and better results were obtained on the speed of recovery of psychomotor functions. The use of local anesthetics significantly reduced the local pain syndrome (p0.05) and the need for analgesics (p=0.002). Comparative analysis in the main group revealed significantly better results in indices of the duration of the operation [SG 145 (105; 155) min, CG 185 (100; 205) min; p=0.02], the volume of blood loss [SG 110 (90; 140) ml, CG 510 (390; 640) ml; p0.001], the activation time [SG 1 (1; 2) days, CG 3 (3; 4) days; p=0.01], the length of hospitalization [SG 10 (9; 11) days, CG 13 (12; 15) days; p=0,03], remote clinical parameters of the pain syndrome level from the visual analogue scale in the lower extremities [SG 3 (1; 4) mm, CG 9 (6; 14) mm; p=0.006] and the lumbar spine [SG 6 (4; 9) mm, CG 16 (11; 21) mm; p=0.001], functional state according to ODI [SG 8 (6; 10) points, CG 16 (12; 24) points; p=0.008], subjective satisfaction with the operation performed on the Macnab scale (p=0.01). The number of postoperative complications in SG was 8%, in CG ― 18% (p=0.006).Conclusions: Analysis of the results of the introduction of a combination of surgical and anesthetic support methods in the treatment of multilevel degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine in patients with overweight and obesity, including minimally invasive surgical techniques, infiltration of paravertebral muscles with bupivacaine and epinephrine, multimodal anesthesia with dexmedetomidine showed its high perioperative safety, low number of complications, as well as better and clinical outcomes in the early and late postoperative periods.