Browsing by Subject "Elective Surgical Procedures"

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    ItemOpen Access
    An analysis from the Quality Outcomes Database, Part 2. Predictive model for return to work after elective surgery for lumbar degenerative disease.
    (Journal of neurosurgery. Spine, 2017-10) Asher, Anthony L; Devin, Clinton J; Archer, Kristin R; Chotai, Silky; Parker, Scott L; Bydon, Mohamad; Nian, Hui; Harrell, Frank E; Speroff, Theodore; Dittus, Robert S; Philips, Sharon E; Shaffrey, Christopher I; Foley, Kevin T; McGirt, Matthew J
    OBJECTIVE Current costs associated with spine care are unsustainable. Productivity loss and time away from work for patients who were once gainfully employed contributes greatly to the financial burden experienced by individuals and, more broadly, society. Therefore, it is vital to identify the factors associated with return to work (RTW) after lumbar spine surgery. In this analysis, the authors used data from a national prospective outcomes registry to create a predictive model of patients' ability to RTW after undergoing lumbar spine surgery for degenerative spine disease. METHODS Data from 4694 patients who underwent elective spine surgery for degenerative lumbar disease, who had been employed preoperatively, and who had completed a 3-month follow-up evaluation, were entered into a prospective, multicenter registry. Patient-reported outcomes-Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), numeric rating scale (NRS) for back pain (BP) and leg pain (LP), and EQ-5D scores-were recorded at baseline and at 3 months postoperatively. The time to RTW was defined as the period between operation and date of returning to work. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model, including an array of preoperative factors, was fitted for RTW. The model performance was measured using the concordance index (c-index). RESULTS Eighty-two percent of patients (n = 3855) returned to work within 3 months postoperatively. The risk-adjusted predictors of a lower likelihood of RTW were being preoperatively employed but not working at the time of presentation, manual labor as an occupation, worker's compensation, liability insurance for disability, higher preoperative ODI score, higher preoperative NRS-BP score, and demographic factors such as female sex, African American race, history of diabetes, and higher American Society of Anesthesiologists score. The likelihood of a RTW within 3 months was higher in patients with higher education level than in those with less than high school-level education. The c-index of the model's performance was 0.71. CONCLUSIONS This study presents a novel predictive model for the probability of returning to work after lumbar spine surgery. Spine care providers can use this model to educate patients and encourage them in shared decision-making regarding the RTW outcome. This evidence-based decision support will result in better communication between patients and clinicians and improve postoperative recovery expectations, which will ultimately increase the likelihood of a positive RTW trajectory.
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    ItemOpen Access
    An Analysis of Public Interest in Elective Neurosurgical Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic Through Online Search Engine Trends.
    (World neurosurgery, 2021-04) Feng, Austin Y; Garcia, Cesar A; Jin, Michael C; Ho, Allen L; Li, Gordon; Grant, Gerald; Ratliff, John; Skirboll, Stephen L

    Objective

    In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has recommended the temporary cessation of all elective surgeries. The effects on patients' interest of elective neurosurgical procedures are currently unexplored.

    Methods

    Using Google Trends, search terms of 7 different neurosurgical procedure categories (trauma, spine, tumor, movement disorder, epilepsy, endovascular, and miscellaneous) were assessed in terms of relative search volume (RSV) between January 2015 and September 2020. Analyses of search terms were performed for over the short term (February 18, 2020, to April 18, 2020), intermediate term (January 1, 2020, to May 31, 2020), and long term (January 2015 to September 2020). State-level interest during phase I reopening (April 28, 2020, to May 31, 2020) was also evaluated.

    Results

    In the short term, RSVs of 4 categories (epilepsy, movement disorder, spine, and tumor) were significantly lower in the post-CMS announcement period. In the intermediate term, RSVs of 5 categories (miscellaneous, epilepsy, movement disorder, spine, and tumor) were significantly lower in the post-CMS announcement period. In the long term, RSVs of nearly all categories (endovascular, epilepsy, miscellaneous, movement disorder, spine, and tumor) were significantly lower in the post-CMS announcement period. Only the movement disorder procedure category had significantly higher RSV in states that reopened early.

    Conclusions

    With the recommendation for cessation of elective surgeries, patient interests in overall elective neurosurgical procedures have dropped significantly. With gradual reopening, there has been a resurgence in some procedure types. Google Trends has proven to be a useful tracker of patient interest and may be used by neurosurgical departments to facilitate outreach strategies.
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    An evaluation of remifentanil-sevoflurane response surface models in patients emerging from anesthesia: model improvement using effect-site sevoflurane concentrations.
    (Anesth Analg, 2010-08) Johnson, Ken B; Syroid, Noah D; Gupta, Dhanesh K; Manyam, Sandeep C; Pace, Nathan L; LaPierre, Cris D; Egan, Talmage D; White, Julia L; Tyler, Diane; Westenskow, Dwayne R
    INTRODUCTION: We previously reported models that characterized the synergistic interaction between remifentanil and sevoflurane in blunting responses to verbal and painful stimuli. This preliminary study evaluated the ability of these models to predict a return of responsiveness during emergence from anesthesia and a response to tibial pressure when patients required analgesics in the recovery room. We hypothesized that model predictions would be consistent with observed responses. We also hypothesized that under non-steady-state conditions, accounting for the lag time between sevoflurane effect-site concentration (Ce) and end-tidal (ET) concentration would improve predictions. METHODS: Twenty patients received a sevoflurane, remifentanil, and fentanyl anesthetic. Two model predictions of responsiveness were recorded at emergence: an ET-based and a Ce-based prediction. Similarly, 2 predictions of a response to noxious stimuli were recorded when patients first required analgesics in the recovery room. Model predictions were compared with observations with graphical and temporal analyses. RESULTS: While patients were anesthetized, model predictions indicated a high likelihood that patients would be unresponsive (> or = 99%). However, after termination of the anesthetic, models exhibited a wide range of predictions at emergence (1%-97%). Although wide, the Ce-based predictions of responsiveness were better distributed over a percentage ranking of observations than the ET-based predictions. For the ET-based model, 45% of the patients awoke within 2 min of the 50% model predicted probability of unresponsiveness and 65% awoke within 4 min. For the Ce-based model, 45% of the patients awoke within 1 min of the 50% model predicted probability of unresponsiveness and 85% awoke within 3.2 min. Predictions of a response to a painful stimulus in the recovery room were similar for the Ce- and ET-based models. DISCUSSION: Results confirmed, in part, our study hypothesis; accounting for the lag time between Ce and ET sevoflurane concentrations improved model predictions of responsiveness but had no effect on predicting a response to a noxious stimulus in the recovery room. These models may be useful in predicting events of clinical interest but large-scale evaluations with numerous patients are needed to better characterize model performance.
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    ItemOpen Access
    Development and Validation of Cervical Prediction Models for Patient-Reported Outcomes at 1 Year After Cervical Spine Surgery for Radiculopathy and Myelopathy.
    (Spine, 2020-11) Archer, Kristin R; Bydon, Mohamad; Khan, Inamullah; Nian, Hui; Pennings, Jacquelyn S; Harrell, Frank E; Sivaganesan, Ahilan; Chotai, Silky; McGirt, Matthew J; Foley, Kevin T; Glassman, Steven D; Mummaneni, Praveen V; Bisson, Erica F; Knightly, John J; Shaffrey, Christopher I; Asher, Anthony L; Devin, Clinton J; QOD Vanguard sites

    Study design

    Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected registry data.

    Objective

    To develop and validate prediction models for 12-month patient-reported outcomes of disability, pain, and myelopathy in patients undergoing elective cervical spine surgery.

    Summary of background data

    Predictive models have the potential to be utilized preoperatively to set expectations, adjust modifiable characteristics, and provide a patient-centered model of care.

    Methods

    This study was conducted using data from the cervical module of the Quality Outcomes Database. The outcomes of interest were disability (Neck Disability Index:), pain (Numeric Rating Scale), and modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association score for myelopathy. Multivariable proportional odds ordinal regression models were developed for patients with cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy. Patient demographic, clinical, and surgical covariates as well as baseline patient-reported outcomes scores were included in all models. The models were internally validated using bootstrap resampling to estimate the likely performance on a new sample of patients.

    Results

    Four thousand nine hundred eighty-eight patients underwent surgery for radiculopathy and 2641 patients for myelopathy. The most important predictor of poor postoperative outcomes at 12-months was the baseline Neck Disability Index score for patients with radiculopathy and modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association score for patients with myelopathy. In addition, symptom duration, workers' compensation, age, employment, and ambulatory and smoking status had a statistically significant impact on all outcomes (P < 0.001). Clinical and surgical variables contributed very little to predictive models, with posterior approach being associated with higher odds of having worse 12-month outcome scores in both the radiculopathy and myelopathy cohorts (P < 0.001). The full models overall discriminative performance ranged from 0.654 to 0.725.

    Conclusions

    These predictive models provide individualized risk-adjusted estimates of 12-month disability, pain, and myelopathy outcomes for patients undergoing spine surgery for degenerative cervical disease. Predictive models have the potential to be used as a shared decision-making tool for evidence-based preoperative counselling.

    Level of evidence

    2.
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    Early Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Neurosurgical Training in the United States: A Case Volume Analysis of 8 Programs.
    (World neurosurgery, 2021-01) Aljuboori, Zaid S; Young, Christopher C; Srinivasan, Visish M; Kellogg, Ryan T; Quon, Jennifer L; Alshareef, Mohammed A; Chen, Stephanie H; Ivan, Michael; Grant, Gerald A; McEvoy, Sean D; Davanzo, Justin R; Majid, Sonia; Durfy, Sharon; Levitt, Michael R; Sieg, Emily P; Ellenbogen, Richard G; Nauta, Haring J

    Objective

    To determine the impact of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on operative case volume in 8 U.S. neurosurgical residency training programs in early 2020 and to survey these programs regarding training activities during this period.

    Methods

    A retrospective review was conducted of monthly operative case volumes and types for 8 residency programs for 2019 and January through April 2020. Cases were grouped as elective cranial, elective spine, and nonelective emergent cases. Programs were surveyed regarding residents' perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 on surgical training, didactics, and research participation. Data were analyzed for individual programs and pooled across programs.

    Results

    Across programs, the 2019 monthly mean ± SD case volume was 211 ± 82; 2020 mean ± SD case volumes for January, February, March, and April were 228 ± 93, 214 ± 84, 180 ± 73, and 107 ± 45. Compared with 2019, March and April 2020 mean cases declined 15% (P = 0.003) and 49% (P = 0.002), respectively. COVID-19 affected surgical case volume for all programs; 75% reported didactics negatively affected, and 90% reported COVID-19 resulted in increased research time. Several neurosurgery residents required COVID-19 testing; however, to our knowledge, only 1 resident from the participating programs tested positive.

    Conclusions

    This study documents a significant reduction in operative volume in 8 neurosurgery residency training programs in early 2020. During this time, neurosurgery residents engaged in online didactics and research-related activities, reporting increased research productivity. Residency programs should collect data to determine the educational impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on residents' operative case volumes, identify deficiencies, and develop plans to mitigate any effects.
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    ItemOpen Access
    Effect of Modified Japanese Orthopedic Association Severity Classifications on Satisfaction With Outcomes 12 Months After Elective Surgery for Cervical Spine Myelopathy.
    (Spine, 2019-06) Asher, Anthony L; Devin, Clinton J; Weisenthal, Benjamin M; Pennings, Jacquelyn; Khan, Inamullah; Archer, Kristin R; Sivaganesan, Ahilan; Chotai, Silky; Bydon, Mohamad; Nian, Hui; Harrell, Frank E; McGirt, Matthew J; Mummaneni, Praveen; Bisson, Erica F; Shaffrey, Christopher; Foley, Kevin T; for QOD Vanguard Sites

    Study design

    This study retrospectively analyzes prospectively collected data.

    Objective

    Here, we aim to determine the influence of preoperative and 12-month modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) on satisfaction and understand the change in mJOA severity classification after surgical management of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM).

    Summary of background data

    DCM is a progressive degenerative spine disease resulting from cervical cord compression. The natural progression of DCM is variable; some patients experience periods of stability, while others rapidly deteriorate following disease onset. The mJOA is commonly used to grade and categorize myelopathy symptoms, but its association with postoperative satisfaction has not been previously explored.

    Methods

    The quality and outcomes database (QOD) was queried for patients undergoing elective surgery for DCM. Patients were divided into mild (≥14), moderate (9 to 13), or severe (<9) categories on the mJOA scores. A McNemar-Bowker test was used to assess whether a significant proportion of patients changed mJOA category between preoperative and 12 months postoperative. A multivariable proportional odds ordinal logistic regression model was fitted with 12-month satisfaction as the outcome of interest.

    Results

    We identified 1963 patients who underwent elective surgery for DCM and completed 12-months follow-ups. Comparing mJOA severity level preoperatively and at 12 months revealed that 55% remained in the same category, 37% improved, and 7% moved to a worse category. After adjusting for baseline and surgery-specific variables, the 12-month mJOA category had the highest impact on patient satisfaction (P < 0.001).

    Conclusion

    Patient satisfaction is an indispensable tool for measuring quality of care after spine surgery. In this sample, 12-month mJOA category, regardless of preop mJOA, was significantly correlated with satisfaction. Given these findings, it is important to advise patients of the probability that surgery will change their mJOA severity classification and the changes required to achieve postoperative satisfaction.

    Level of evidence

    3.
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    ItemOpen Access
    Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries.
    (British journal of anaesthesia, 2016-10) International Surgical Outcomes Study group

    Background

    As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care.

    Methods

    We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication (failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries.

    Results

    A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2-7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries.

    Conclusions

    Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care.

    Study registration

    ISRCTN51817007
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    ItemOpen Access
    Impact of occupational characteristics on return to work for employed patients after elective lumbar spine surgery.
    (The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society, 2019-12) Khan, Inamullah; Bydon, Mohamad; Archer, Kristin R; Sivaganesan, Ahilan; Asher, Anthony M; Alvi, Muhammad Ali; Kerezoudis, Panagiotis; Knightly, John J; Foley, Kevin T; Bisson, Erica F; Shaffrey, Christopher; Asher, Anthony L; Spengler, Dan M; Devin, Clinton J

    Background context

    Low back pain has an immense impact on the US economy. A significant number of patients undergo surgical management in order to regain meaningful functionality in daily life and in the workplace. Return to work (RTW) is a key metric in surgical outcomes, as it has profound implications for both individual patients and the economy at large.

    Purpose

    In this study, we investigated the factors associated with RTW in patients who achieved otherwise favorable outcomes after lumbar spine surgery.

    Study design/setting

    This study retrospectively analyzes prospectively collected data from the lumbar module of national spine registry, the Quality Outcomes Database (QOD).

    Patient sample

    The lumbar module of QOD includes patients undergoing lumbar surgery for primary stenosis, disc herniation, spondylolisthesis (Grade I) and symptomatic mechanical disc collapse or revision surgery for recurrent same-level disc herniation, pseudarthrosis, and adjacent segment disease. Exclusion criteria included age under 18 years and diagnoses of infection, tumor, or trauma as the cause of lumbar-related pain.

    Outcome measures

    The outcome of interest for this study was the return to work 12-month after surgery.

    Methods

    The lumbar module of QOD was queried for patients who were employed at the time of surgery. Good outcomes were defined as patients who had no adverse events (readmissions/complications), had achieved 30% improvement in Oswestry disability index (ODI) and were satisfied (NASS satisfaction) at 3-month post-surgery. Distinct multivariable logistic regression models were fitted with 12-month RTW as outcome for a. overall population and b. the patients with good outcomes. The variables included in the models were age, gender, race, insurance type, education level, occupation type, currently working/on-leave status, workers' compensation, ambulatory status, smoking status, anxiety, depression, symptom duration, number of spinal levels, diabetes, motor deficit, and preoperative back-pain, leg-pain and ODI score.

    Results

    Of the total 12,435 patients, 10,604 (85.3%) had successful RTW at 1-year postsurgery. Among patients who achieved good surgical outcomes, 605 (7%) failed to RTW. For both the overall and subgroup analysis, older patients had lower odds of RTW. Females had lower odds of RTW compared with males and patients with higher back pain and baseline ODI had lower odds of RTW. Patients with longer duration of symptoms, more physically demanding occupations, worker's compensation claim and those who had short-term disability leave at the time of surgery had lower odds of RTW independent of their good surgical outcomes.

    Conclusions

    This study identifies certain risk factors for failure to RTW independent of surgical outcomes. Most of these risk factors are occupational; hence, involving the patient's employer in treatment process and setting realistic expectations may help improve the patients' work-related functionality.
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    ItemOpen Access
    Improving Outcomes in Colorectal Surgery by Sequential Implementation of Multiple Standardized Care Programs.
    (J Am Coll Surg, 2015-08) Keenan, Jeffrey E; Speicher, Paul J; Nussbaum, Daniel P; Adam, Mohamed Abdelgadir; Miller, Timothy E; Mantyh, Christopher R; Thacker, Julie KM
    BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the sequential implementation of the enhanced recovery program (ERP) and surgical site infection bundle (SSIB) on short-term outcomes in colorectal surgery (CRS) to determine if the presence of multiple standardized care programs provides additive benefit. STUDY DESIGN: Institutional ACS-NSQIP data were used to identify patients who underwent elective CRS from September 2006 to March 2013. The cohort was stratified into 3 groups relative to implementation of the ERP (February 1, 2010) and SSIB (July 1, 2011). Unadjusted characteristics and 30-day outcomes were assessed, and inverse proportional weighting was then used to determine the adjusted effect of these programs. RESULTS: There were 787 patients included: 337, 165, and 285 in the pre-ERP/SSIB, post-ERP/pre-SSIB, and post-ERP/SSIB periods, respectively. After inverse probability weighting (IPW) adjustment, groups were balanced with respect to patient and procedural characteristics considered. Compared with the pre-ERP/SSIB group, the post-ERP/pre-SSIB group had significantly reduced length of hospitalization (8.3 vs 6.6 days, p = 0.01) but did not differ with respect to postoperative wound complications and sepsis. Subsequent introduction of the SSIB then resulted in a significant decrease in superficial SSI (16.1% vs 6.3%, p < 0.01) and postoperative sepsis (11.2% vs 1.8%, p < 0.01). Finally, inflation-adjusted mean hospital cost for a CRS admission fell from $31,926 in 2008 to $22,044 in 2013 (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Sequential implementation of the ERP and SSIB provided incremental improvements in CRS outcomes while controlling hospital costs, supporting their combined use as an effective strategy toward improving the quality of patient care.
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    In-Hospital Complications and Resource Utilization Following Lumbar Spine Surgery in Patients with Parkinson Disease: Evaluation of the National Inpatient Sample Database.
    (World neurosurgery, 2017-10) Baker, Joseph F; McClelland, Shearwood; Line, Breton G; Smith, Justin S; Hart, Robert A; Ames, Christopher P; Shaffrey, Chris; Bess, Shay

    Background

    Previous reports suggest that patients with Parkinson disease (PD) have elevated rates of complications following spine surgery; however, these reports are limited by small patient series. In this study, we used the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database to compare in-hospital complications following elective lumbar spine surgery in patients with a diagnosis of PD and patients without PD.

    Methods

    The NIS database was accessed to identify patients with PD and those without PD who underwent lumbar spine surgery. All patients identified had a diagnosis code consistent with degenerative lumbar spine pathology. The patients were evaluated for the presence or absence of PD and divided into 4 lumbar spine procedure groups: decompression alone, lateral fusion, posterior fusion, and anterior fusion technique. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed for the PD versus non-PD patients in each procedure group to control for confounding demographic variables, and in-hospital complications were compared between the 2 groups.

    Results

    Between 2001 and 2012, a total of 613,522 lumbar spine surgery patient episodes were identified, of which 4492 (0.7%) involved a diagnosis of PD. Following PSM for patient age, sex, and race, the patients with PD were at increased risk for acute postoperative hemorrhagic anemia, increased blood transfusion requirements, and increased genitourinary, neurologic, and cardiac complications compared with the patients without PD.

    Conclusions

    PSM analysis of the NIS database demonstrated that patients with PD are at increased risk for acute in-hospital complications and greater blood transfusion requirements than those without PD. Surgeons should be aware of the increased risks and differing requirements when treating spinal pathology in patients with PD.
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    Initial Experience With Real-Time Continuous Physical Activity Monitoring in Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery.
    (Clinical spine surgery, 2017-12) Scheer, Justin K; Bakhsheshian, Joshua; Keefe, Malla K; Lafage, Virginie; Bess, Shay; Protopsaltis, Themistocles S; Burton, Douglas C; Hart, Robert A; Shaffrey, Christopher I; Schwab, Frank; Smith, Justin S; Smith, Zachary A; Koski, Tyler R; Ames, Christopher P

    Study design

    Multicenter prospective pilot study.

    Objective

    To evaluate if continuous physical activity monitoring by a personal electronic 3-dimensional accelerometer device is feasible and can provide objective data that correlates with patient-reported outcomes following spine surgery.

    Summary of background data

    Self-reported health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) metrics are inherently limited by being very subjective, having a low frequency of data collection, and inconsistent follow-up.

    Methods

    Inclusion criteria: adults (18+), thoracolumbar deformity or degenerative disease, and regular access to a computer with internet connection. Physical activity parameters included: number of daily steps, maximum hourly steps, and activity intensity. Patients completed the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), the Short-Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36), and the Scoliosis Research Society-22r (SRS22) preoperatively and postoperatively at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months.

    Results

    Thirty-two patients were enrolled, 8 (25%) withdrew, 1 (3.1%) died, and 1 (3.1%) did not end up undergoing surgery resulting in 22 (68.8%) available patients. Mean preoperative and postoperative step ranges were 1278±767 to 17,800±6464 and 891±587 to 12,655±7038, respectively. Eleven patients improved in mean total daily steps at the final postoperative month with 2 having significant improvements (P<0.05). Five patients did not significantly change (P>0.05) and 6 patients had significantly lower mean total daily steps at 6 months (P<0.05). The entire cohort significantly improved in ODI, SF-36 Physical Component Summary, SRS Activity, SRS Appearance, SRS Mental, SRS Satisfaction, and SRS Total score at 6 months postoperative (P<0.05 for all). Both ODI and Physical Component Summary were significantly correlated with preoperative average total daily steps (r=-0.61, P=0.0058 and r=0.60, P=0.0114, respectively). No other HRQOL metrics were significantly correlated at baseline or at 6 months postoperative (P>0.05).

    Conclusions

    A prospective pilot study for continuous real-time physical activity monitoring was successfully completed. This is the first study of its kind and demonstrates a foundation to continuous physical activity monitoring following spine surgery. A larger and longer prospective study is needed to confirm long-term results and its relationship with HRQOL scores.
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    Intrawound Vancomycin Decreases the Risk of Surgical Site Infection After Posterior Spine Surgery: A Multicenter Analysis.
    (Spine, 2018-01) Devin, Clinton J; Chotai, Silky; McGirt, Matthew J; Vaccaro, Alexander R; Youssef, Jim A; Orndorff, Douglas G; Arnold, Paul M; Frempong-Boadu, Anthony K; Lieberman, Isador H; Branch, Charles; Hedayat, Hirad S; Liu, Ann; Wang, Jeffrey C; Isaacs, Robert E; Radcliff, Kris E; Patt, Joshua C; Archer, Kristin R

    Study design

    Secondary analysis of data from a prospective multicenter observational study.

    Objective

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of surgical site infection (SSI) in patients with and without intrawound vancomycin application controlling for confounding factors associated with higher SSI after elective spine surgery.

    Summary of background data

    SSI is a morbid and expensive complication associated with spine surgery. The application of intrawound vancomycin is rapidly emerging as a solution to reduce SSI following spine surgery. The impact of intrawound vancomycin has not been systematically studied in a well-designed multicenter study.

    Methods

    Patients undergoing elective spine surgery over a period of 4 years at seven spine surgery centers across the United States were included in the study. Patients were dichotomized on the basis of whether intrawound vancomycin was applied. Outcomes were occurrence of SSI within postoperative 30 days and SSI that required return to the operating room (OR). Multivariable random-effect log-binomial regression analyses were conducted to determine the relative risk of having an SSI and an SSI with return to OR.

    Results

    .: A total of 2056 patients were included in the analysis. Intrawound vancomycin was utilized in 47% (n = 966) of patients. The prevalence of SSI was higher in patients with no vancomycin use (5.1%) than those with use of intrawound vancomycin (2.2%). The risk of SSI was higher in patients in whom intrawound vancomycin was not used (relative risk (RR) -2.5, P < 0.001), increased number of levels exposed (RR -1.1, P = 0.01), and those admitted postoperatively to intensive care unit (ICU) (RR -2.1, P = 0.005). Patients in whom intrawound vancomycin was not used (RR -5.9, P < 0.001), increased number of levels were exposed (RR-1.1, P = 0.001), and postoperative ICU admission (RR -3.3, P < 0.001) were significant risk factors for SSI requiring a return to the OR.

    Conclusion

    The intrawound application of vancomycin after posterior approach spine surgery was associated with a reduced risk of SSI and return to OR associated with SSI.

    Level of evidence

    2.
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    Laminectomy alone versus fusion for grade 1 lumbar spondylolisthesis in 426 patients from the prospective Quality Outcomes Database.
    (Journal of neurosurgery. Spine, 2018-11) Chan, Andrew K; Bisson, Erica F; Bydon, Mohamad; Glassman, Steven D; Foley, Kevin T; Potts, Eric A; Shaffrey, Christopher I; Shaffrey, Mark E; Coric, Domagoj; Knightly, John J; Park, Paul; Wang, Michael Y; Fu, Kai-Ming; Slotkin, Jonathan R; Asher, Anthony L; Virk, Michael S; Kerezoudis, Panagiotis; Chotai, Silky; DiGiorgio, Anthony M; Haid, Regis W; Mummaneni, Praveen V
    OBJECTIVEThe AANS launched the Quality Outcomes Database (QOD), a prospective longitudinal registry that includes demographic, clinical, and patient-reported outcome (PRO) data to measure the safety and quality of spine surgery. Registry data offer "real-world" insights into the utility of spinal fusion and decompression surgery for lumbar spondylolisthesis. Using the QOD, the authors compared the initial 12-month outcome data for patients undergoing fusion and those undergoing laminectomy alone for grade 1 degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis.METHODSData from 12 top enrolling sites were analyzed and 426 patients undergoing elective single-level spine surgery for degenerative grade 1 lumbar spondylolisthesis were found. Baseline, 3-month, and 12-month follow-up data were collected and compared, including baseline clinical characteristics, readmission rates, reoperation rates, and PROs. The PROs included Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), back and leg pain numeric rating scale (NRS) scores, and EuroQol-5 Dimensions health survey (EQ-5D) results.RESULTSA total of 342 (80.3%) patients underwent fusion, with the remaining 84 (19.7%) undergoing decompression alone. The fusion cohort was younger (60.7 vs 69.9 years, p < 0.001), had a higher mean body mass index (31.0 vs 28.4, p < 0.001), and had a greater proportion of patients with back pain as a major component of their initial presentation (88.0% vs 60.7%, p < 0.001). There were no differences in 12-month reoperation rate (4.4% vs 6.0%, p = 0.93) and 3-month readmission rates (3.5% vs 1.2%, p = 0.45). At 12 months, both cohorts improved significantly with regard to ODI, NRS back and leg pain, and EQ-5D (p < 0.001, all comparisons). In adjusted analysis, fusion procedures were associated with superior 12-month ODI (β -4.79, 95% CI -9.28 to -0.31; p = 0.04).CONCLUSIONSSurgery for grade 1 lumbar spondylolisthesis-regardless of treatment strategy-was associated with significant improvements in disability, back and leg pain, and quality of life at 12 months. When adjusting for covariates, fusion surgery was associated with superior ODI at 12 months. Although fusion procedures were associated with a lower rate of reoperation, there was no statistically significant difference at 12 months. Further study must be undertaken to assess the durability of either surgical strategy in longer-term follow-up.
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    ItemOpen Access
    Managing Prostate Cancer Surgical Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Brief Report of the Duke Cancer Institute's Initial Experience.
    (Oncology (Williston Park, N.Y.), 2020-05) Moul, Judd W; Chang, Andrew; Inman, Brant A
    The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has rapidly placed tremendous stress on health systems around the world. In response, multiple health systems have postponed elective surgeries in order to conserve hospital beds and personal protective equipment, minimize patient traffic, and prevent unnecessary utilization and exposure of healthcare workers. The American College of Surgeons released the following statement on March 13, 2020: "Each hospital, health system and surgeon should thoughtfully review all scheduled elective procedures with a plan to minimize, postpone, or cancel electively scheduled operations, endoscopes, or other invasive procedures until we have passed the predicted inflection point in the exposure graph and can be confident that our health care infrastructure can support a potentially rapid and overwhelming uptick in critical patient care needs." In our state, North Carolina, Governor Roy Cooper requested that all hospitals postpone elective and non-urgent procedures and surgeries effective March 23, 2020.
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    ItemOpen Access
    Preoperative nasopharyngeal swab testing and postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing elective surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
    (The British journal of surgery, 2021-01) COVIDSurg Collaborative

    Background

    Surgical services are preparing to scale up in areas affected by COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate the association between preoperative SARS-CoV-2 testing and postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing elective cancer surgery.

    Methods

    This international cohort study included adult patients undergoing elective surgery for cancer in areas affected by SARS-CoV-2 up to 19 April 2020. Patients suspected of SARS-CoV-2 infection before operation were excluded. The primary outcome measure was postoperative pulmonary complications at 30 days after surgery. Preoperative testing strategies were adjusted for confounding using mixed-effects models.

    Results

    Of 8784 patients (432 hospitals, 53 countries), 2303 patients (26.2 per cent) underwent preoperative testing: 1458 (16.6 per cent) had a swab test, 521 (5.9 per cent) CT only, and 324 (3.7 per cent) swab and CT. Pulmonary complications occurred in 3.9 per cent, whereas SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed in 2.6 per cent. After risk adjustment, having at least one negative preoperative nasopharyngeal swab test (adjusted odds ratio 0.68, 95 per cent confidence interval 0.68 to 0.98; P = 0.040) was associated with a lower rate of pulmonary complications. Swab testing was beneficial before major surgery and in areas with a high 14-day SARS-CoV-2 case notification rate, but not before minor surgery or in low-risk areas. To prevent one pulmonary complication, the number needed to swab test before major or minor surgery was 18 and 48 respectively in high-risk areas, and 73 and 387 in low-risk areas.

    Conclusion

    Preoperative nasopharyngeal swab testing was beneficial before major surgery and in high SARS-CoV-2 risk areas. There was no proven benefit of swab testing before minor surgery in low-risk areas.
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    Robotic Mitral Valve Repair in Older Individuals: An Analysis of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database.
    (The Annals of thoracic surgery, 2018-11) Wang, Alice; Brennan, J Matthew; Zhang, Shuaiqi; Jung, Sin-Ho; Yerokun, Babatunde; Cox, Morgan L; Jacobs, Jeffrey P; Badhwar, Vinay; Suri, Rakesh M; Thourani, Vinod; Halkos, Michael E; Gammie, James S; Gillinov, A Marc; Smith, Peter K; Glower, Donald

    Background

    National outcomes of robotic mitral valve repair (rMVr) compared with sternotomy (sMVr) in older patients are currently unknown.

    Methods

    From 2011 to 2014, all patients aged 65 years and older undergoing MVr in The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database linked to Medicare claims data were identified. Patients who underwent rMVr were propensity matched to patients who underwent sMVr. Standard differences and falsification outcome of baseline characteristics were tested to ensure a balanced match. Cox models were used to calculate 3-year mortality, heart failure readmission, and mitral valve reintervention, adjusting for competing risks where appropriate.

    Results

    After matching, 503 rMVr patients from 65 centers and 503 sMVr from 251 centers were included. There were no significant differences in comorbidities or falsification outcome. Cardiopulmonary bypass and cross-clamp times were longer with rMVr versus sMVr at 125 versus 102 minutes (p < 0.0001) and 85 versus 75 minutes (p < 0.0001), respectively. The rMVr patients had shorter intensive care unit (27 vs 47 hours, p < 0.0001) and hospital stay (5 vs 6 days, p < 0.0001), less frequent transfusion (21% vs 35%, p < 0.0001), and less atrial fibrillation (28% vs 40%, p < 0.0001). Three-year mortality (hazard ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.68 to 2.16; p = 0.52), heart failure readmission (hazard ratio, 1.42; 95% confidence interval, 0.80 to 2.52, p = 0.10), and mitral valve reintervention (hazard ratio, 0.42; 95% confidence interval, 0.15 to 1.18; p = 0.22) did not differ between the groups.

    Conclusions

    The rMVr procedure was associated with less atrial fibrillation, less frequent transfusion requirement, and shorter intensive care unit and hospital stay, without a significant difference in 3-year mortality, heart failure readmission, or mitral valve reintervention. In older patients, rMVr confers short-term advantages without a detriment to midterm outcomes.
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    The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vascular surgery practice in the United States.
    (Journal of vascular surgery, 2021-03) Mouawad, Nicolas J; Woo, Karen; Malgor, Rafael D; Wohlauer, Max V; Johnson, Adam P; Cuff, Robert F; Coleman, Dawn M; Coogan, Sheila M; Sheahan, Malachi G; Shalhub, Sherene

    Background

    The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to widespread postponement and cancelation of elective surgeries in the United States. We designed and administered a global survey to examine the impact of COVID-19 on vascular surgeons. We describe the impact of the pandemic on the practices of vascular surgeons in the United States.

    Methods

    The Pandemic Practice, Anxiety, Coping, and Support Survey for Vascular Surgeons is an anonymous cross-sectional survey sponsored by the Society for Vascular Surgery Wellness Task Force disseminated April 14 to 24, 2020. This analysis focuses on pattern changes in vascular surgery practices in the United States including the inpatient setting, ambulatory, and vascular laboratory setting. Specific questions regarding occupational exposure to COVID-19, adequacy of personal protective equipment, elective surgical practice, changes in call schedule, and redeployment to nonvascular surgery duties were also included in the survey. Regional variation was assessed. The survey data were collected using REDCap and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

    Results

    A total of 535 vascular surgeons responded to the survey from 45 states. Most of the respondents were male (73.1%), white (70.7%), practiced in urban settings (81.7%), and in teaching hospitals (66.8%). Almost one-half were in hospitals with more than 400 beds (46.4%). There was no regional variation in the presence of preoperative COVID-19 testing, COVID-19 OR protocols, adherence to national surgical standards, or the availability of personal protective equipment. The overwhelming majority of respondents (91.7%) noted elective surgery cancellation, with the Northeast and Southeast regions having the most case cancellations 94.2% and 95.8%, respectively. The Northeast region reported the highest percentage of operations or procedures on patients with COVID-19, which was either identified at the time of the surgery or later in the hospital course (82.7%). Ambulatory visits were performed via telehealth (81.3%), with 71.1% having restricted hours. More than one-half of office-based laboratories (OBLs) were closed, although there was regional variation with more than 80% in the Midwest being closed. Cases performed in OBLs focused on critical limb ischemia (42.9%) and dialysis access maintenance (39.9%). Call schedules modifications were common, although the number of call days remained the same (45.8%).

    Conclusions

    Vascular surgeons in the United States report substantial impact on their practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, and regional variations are demonstrated, particularly in OBL use, intensive care bed availability, and COVID-19 exposure at work.
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    Trajectory of Improvement in Myelopathic Symptoms From 3 to 12 Months Following Surgery for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy.
    (Neurosurgery, 2020-06) Khan, Inamullah; Archer, Kristin R; Wanner, John Paul; Bydon, Mohamad; Pennings, Jacquelyn S; Sivaganesan, Ahilan; Knightly, John J; Foley, Kevin T; Bisson, Erica F; Shaffrey, Christopher; McGirt, Matthew J; Asher, Anthony L; Devin, Clinton J; QOD Vanguard Sites

    Background

    Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a progressive disease resulting from cervical cord compression. The modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) is commonly used to grade myelopathic symptoms, but its persistent postoperative improvement has not been previously explored.

    Objective

    To utilize the Quality Outcomes Database (QOD) to evaluate the trajectory of outcomes in those operatively treated for DCM.

    Methods

    This study is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. The QOD was queried for patients undergoing elective surgery for DCM. Patients were divided into mild (≥14), moderate (9-13), or severe (<9) categories for their baseline severity of myelopathic symptoms (mJOA scores). A parsimonious multivariable logistic regression model was fitted with 2 points improvement on mJOA from 3- to 12-mo follow-up as the outcome of interest.

    Results

    A total of 2156 patients who underwent elective surgery for DCM and had complete 3- and 12-mo follow-up were included in our analysis. Patients improved significantly from baseline to 3-mo on their mJOA scores, regardless of their baseline mJOA severity. After adjusting for the relevant preoperative characteristics, the baseline mJOA categories had significant impact on outcome of whether a patient keeps improving in mJOA score from 3 to 12 mo postsurgery. Patient with severe mJOA score at baseline had a higher likelihood of improvement in their myelopathic symptoms, compared to patients with mild mJOA score in.

    Conclusion

    Most patients achieve improvement on a shorter follow-up; however, patients with severe symptoms keep on improving until after a longer follow-up. Preoperative identification of such patients helps the clinician settling realistic expectations for each follow-up timepoint.
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    Trends in usage of navigation and robotic assistance in elective spine surgeries: a study of 105,212 cases from 2007 to 2015.
    (Journal of robotic surgery, 2023-12) Naessig, Sara; Para, Ashok; Kummer, Nicholas; Krol, Oscar; Passfall, Lara; Ahmad, Waleed; Pierce, Katherine; Vira, Shaleen; Diebo, Bassel; Neuman, Brian; Jain, Amit; Sciubba, Daniel; Passias, Peter

    Objective

    Identify trends of navigation and robotic-assisted elective spine surgeries.

    Methods

    Elective spine surgery patients between 2007 and 2015 in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) were isolated by ICD-9 codes for Navigation [Nav] or Robotic [Rob]-Assisted surgery. Basic demographics and surgical variables were identified via chi-squared and t tests. Each system was analyzed from 2007 to 2015 for trends in usage.

    Results

    Included 3,759,751 patients: 100,488 Nav; 4724 Rob. Nav were younger (56.7 vs 62.7 years), had lower comorbidity index (1.8 vs 6.2, all p < 0.05), more decompressions (79.5 vs 42.6%) and more fusions (60.3 vs 52.6%) than Rob. From 2007 to 2015, incidence of complication increased for Nav (from 5.8 to 21.7%) and Rob (from 3.3 to 18.4%) as well as 2-3 level fusions (from 50.4 to 52.5%) and (from 1.3 to 3.2%); respectively. Invasiveness increased for both (Rob: from 1.7 to 2.2; Nav: from 3.7 to 4.6). Posterior approaches (from 27.4 to 41.3%), osteotomies (from 4 to 7%), and fusions (from 40.9 to 54.2%) increased in Rob. Anterior approach for Rob decreased from 14.9 to 14.4%. Nav increased posterior (from 51.5% to 63.9%) and anterior approaches (from 16.4 to 19.2%) with an increase in osteotomies (from 2.1 to 2.7%) and decreased decompressions (from 73.6 to 63.2%).

    Conclusions

    From 2007 to 2015, robotic and navigation systems have been performed on increasingly invasive spine procedures. Robotic systems have shifted from anterior to posterior approaches, whereas navigation computer-assisted procedures have decreased in rates of usage for decompression procedures.