Examination of Adult Spinal Deformity Patients Undergoing Surgery with Implanted Spinal Cord Stimulators and Intrathecal Pumps.

Abstract

Study design

Retrospective cohort study of a prospectively collected multi-center database of adult spinal deformity (ASD) patients.

Objective

We hypothesized that patients undergoing ASD surgery with and without previous spinal cord stimulators (SCS)/ intrathecal medication pumps (ITP) would exhibit increased complication rates but comparable improvement in health-related quality of life.

Summary of background data

ASD patients sometimes seek pain management with SCS or ITP before spinal deformity correction. Few studies have examined outcomes in this patient population.

Methods

Patients undergoing ASD surgery and eligible for 2-year follow-up were included. Preoperative radiographs were reviewed for the presence of SCS/ITP. Outcomes included complications, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Short Form-36 Mental Component Score, and SRS-22r. Propensity score matching was utilized.

Results

In total, of 1034 eligible ASD patients, a propensity score-matched cohort of 60 patients (30 with SCS/ITP, 30 controls) was developed. SCS/ITP were removed intraoperatively in most patients (56.7%, n = 17). The overall complication rate was 80.0% versus 76.7% for SCS/ITP versus control (P > 0.2), with similarly nonsignificant differences for intraoperative and infection complications (all P > 0.2). ODI was significantly higher among patients with SCS/ITP at baseline (59.2 vs. 47.6, P = 0.0057) and at 2-year follow-up (44.4 vs. 27.7, P = 0.0295). The magnitude of improvement, however, did not significantly differ (P = 0.45). Similar results were observed for SRS-22r pain domain. Satisfaction did not differ between groups at either baseline or follow-up (P > 0.2). No significant difference was observed in the proportion of patients with SCS/ITP versus control reaching minimal clinically important difference in ODI (47.6% vs. 60.9%, P = 0.38). Narcotic usage was more common among patients with SCS/ITP at both baseline and follow-up (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

ASD patients undergoing surgery with SCS/ITP exhibited worse preoperative and postoperative ODI and SRS-22r pain domain; however, the mean improvement in outcome scores was not significantly different from patients without stimulators or pumps. No significant differences in complications were observed between patients with versus without SCS/ITP.Level of Evidence: 3.

Department

Description

Provenance

Citation

Published Version (Please cite this version)

10.1097/brs.0000000000004176

Publication Info

Daniels, Alan H, Wesley M Durand, Alyssa J Steinbaum, Renaud Lafage, D Kojo Hamilton, Peter G Passias, Han Jo Kim, Themistocles Protopsaltis, et al. (2022). Examination of Adult Spinal Deformity Patients Undergoing Surgery with Implanted Spinal Cord Stimulators and Intrathecal Pumps. Spine, 47(3). pp. 227–233. 10.1097/brs.0000000000004176 Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/28046.

This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.


Unless otherwise indicated, scholarly articles published by Duke faculty members are made available here with a CC-BY-NC (Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial) license, as enabled by the Duke Open Access Policy. If you wish to use the materials in ways not already permitted under CC-BY-NC, please consult the copyright owner. Other materials are made available here through the author’s grant of a non-exclusive license to make their work openly accessible.