Here are 10 articles on spine surgery study findings within the last two weeks.
1. An article published in the February 2014 edition of the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine examined the outcomes and cost of spinal cord tumor surgery in the United States. The researchers found the average hospitalization cost increased from $45,452.24 in 2003 to $76,698.96 in 2010.
2. A recent article published in Spine discussed the risk factors for postoperative retropharyngeal hematoma after anterior cervical spine surgery. Researchers gathered data on 2,375 anterior cervical spine procedures from a single institution and found that there were 17 occurrences of postoperative hematoma. It also found that the risk factors include the presence of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.
3. A recent study of 45 consecutive patients undergoing posterior cervical fusion examined the safety and accuracy of freehand pedicle screw placement in the subaxial cervical spine and published the data in Spine. The researchers found 7.8 percent incidences of conversion to lateral mass crews. There were also 14 lateral wall violations from pedicle screws.
4. A new article published in Spine examined trends in blood transfusions after spinal fusion in the United States over the past decade. Researchers found that there was an increasing trend of allogeneic blood transfusion rate and decreasing predonated autologous blood transfusion rate.
5. The Journal of Neurotrauma recently published an article finding the number of spinal cord injuries in the United States is growing, according to a Newswise report. The study also found that emergency room charges for spinal cord injuries totaled $1.6 billion from 2007 to 2009.
6. A study published in Spine Deformity: The Official Journal of the Scoliosis Research Society examined the factors influencing adult spinal deformity surgical decision making. Function and balance were found to be the most important decision making factors among spinal deformity cases.
7. The February issue of Spine included a study examining the impact of surgical planning and neurological outcomes for the anterior approach to remove disc herniation at C7-T1. According to the study authors, an anterior cervical supramanubrial approach was easily accomplished in all patients, and motor deficit was the most common surgical indication.
8. A study recently published in The Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques examined the clinical outcomes and fusion rates for patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with and without plates. Researchers found an average subsidence rate of 19.3 percent to 42.5 percent as well as an overall fusion rate of 92.8 percent.
9. Researchers published an article based on their study about surgical treatment of lumbar disc herniation in The Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques. The study examined 54 patients who received microsurgical fragmentectomy for single-level lumbar disc herniation and found that 88.9 percent reported excellent outcomes.
10. A study recently published in Spine outlined the predictors of postoperative pain in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients. The researchers found that pain declined with time and greater confidence in pain control ability predicted quicker declines in pain.
More Articles on Spine:
Anterior Spine Surgery for Disc Herniation at C7-T1: Outcomes Analysis
Orthopedic, Neurosurgeon Roles: Medical Teaching, Administrative & Research
Growing Patient Volume in 2014 & Beyond: 4 Spine Surgeon Initiatives