Cardiac Risk Factors Predicting 30/90 Day Readmission Rates in Lumbar Decompression Surgeries

Preoperative cardiopulmonary disease is known to be a risk factor for perioperative complications in deformity surgery and lumbar fusion procedures, however there is a lack of literature evaluating cardiac risk factors and their influence on readmission rates following lumbar decompression surgery. We want to determine whether preoperative cardiac risk factors influenced the 30 and 90-day readmission rates in patients undergoing lumbar decompression surgery. Patient charts from Rothman Institute between were reviewed for history of preoperative cardiac risk factors such as coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiac catheterization, stent placement, coronary artery bypass graft, aspirin and/or clopidogrel use. Binary logistic regression was used to determine whether or not these risk factors predicted 30-day and 90-day readmissions for patients undergoing lumbar decompression surgery. Overall, the total number of 30-day readmissions was 33 (3.55%) and the number of 90-day readmissions was 46 (4.95%). No cardiac risk factor was found to be a significant predictor of 30-day readmission rates. Use of aspirin, 81 mg, was found to negatively predict readmission rate at 90 days (OR = 0.192 [0.042, 0.881], p = 0.034). Cardiac risk factors are known to increase surgical morbidity. The results of this study show that patients taking aspirin 81 mg preoperatively exhibited significantly lower odds of undergoing an unplanned readmission at 90 days after a lumbar decompression procedure. No significant risk factors for 30-day readmissions were found. Taking aspirin may confer a protective benefit perioperatively in a high-risk population

Opioid Tolerance Influences Outcomes after Lumbar Fusion in Patients with Degenerative Pathology

Introduction: Extended opioid use prior to surgery has been implicated in poorer postoperative outcomes. However, it remains unclear if there is a significant difference in postoperative outcomes among preoperative opioid-naïve and opioid-tolerant patients who undergo lumbar spinal fusion. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of preoperative opioid use on patient-reported outcome measures in patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion. Methods: This retrospective cohort analysis identified 260 patients who underwent lumbar spinal fusion at a high-volume, single institution. There were two cohorts: patients who were opioid-naïve (defined as total opioid consumption of ≤ 7 days in the two months prior to surgery) and opioid-tolerant users (\u3e 7 days). Outcome measures were analyzed via the number of and duration of opioid tablets consumed, and patient-reported outcome measures (ODI, SF-12 PCS and MCS, and VAS Back and Leg pain scores). Results: Overall, opioid-naïve patients were prescribed significantly fewer tablets on average compared to opioid-tolerant users. The number of tablets prescribed prior to surgery was a predictor for prolonged opioid use—defined as greater than one script after surgery. Opioid-tolerant users had decreased improvement in outcomes postoperatively compared to opioid-naïve users. Discussion: This study suggests that preoperative opioid-tolerant usage was associated with worse outcome scores postoperatively. Opioid-tolerant users were found to have significantly more pain medication tablets preoperatively and for a longer duration postoperatively. Therefore, opioid-tolerant usage can adversely affect patient outcomes and is a modifiable risk factor prior to undergoing lumbar spinal fusion

Functional Outcomes after Lumbar Fusion in Opioid-Tolerant Patients

Introduction: Prolonged opioid use after lumbar fusion surgery is implicated with increased hospital readmissions, higher postoperative pain scores, and longer return to work time. There are several non-modifiable risk factors for postoperative opioid use including socioeconomic status and gender. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of opioid-tolerance on PROMs and to determine risk factors for prolonged opioid use after lumbar spine surgery. Method: Using retrospective cohort analysis, patients who underwent lumbar spinal fusion at TJUH were identified and determined to be either opioid-naïve or opioid-tolerant using the Pennsylvania PDMP. Outcomes included number of opioid tablets consumed, duration of time using opioids, and patient-reported outcome measures (ODI, PCS-12, MCS-12, VAS Back, VAS Leg). Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to compare outcomes between the two groups. Logistic regression was used to determine independent predictors for prolonged opioid use which was defined as greater than one postoperative opioid prescription script filled. Results: A total of 260 patients were included in the final cohort, of which, 138 were opioid-tolerant and 122 were opioid naïve. Opioid-tolerant patients showed decreased improvement in PROMs compared to the opioid-naïve patients (p=0.043). The number of preoperative pills prescribed was a significant predictor for prolonged opioid use after lumbar fusion. Conclusion: The number of pills prescribed preoperatively was found to be a predictor for prolonged opioid use after lumbar fusion surgery. Overall, our results demonstrated that naïve patients have improved health-related quality of life outcome scores compared to opioid-tolerant patients after lumbar fusion

Is facet joint distraction a cause of postoperative axial neck pain after ACDF surgery?

Introduction: Intervertebral distraction in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) has been postulated to injure the degenerative facet joints posteriorly and increase postoperative pain and disability. This study aims to determine if there is a correlation between the amount of facet distraction and postoperative patient reported outcomes. Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis of patients undergoing ACDF for degenerative pathologies was performed. Each patient received lateral cervical spine x-rays at the immediate postoperative time point and were split into groups based on the amount of facet distraction measured on these films: Group A: \u3c 1.5 mm; Group B: 1.5-2.0 mm; and Group C: \u3e 2.0 mm. Patients reported outcome measures were obtained preoperatively and at 1-year postoperatively. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to compare outcomes between groups. Results: A total of 229 patients were included with an average follow-up of 19.8 [19.0, 20.7] months with a mean facet joint distraction of 1.7mm. There were 87 patients in Group A, 76 patients in Group B, and 66 patients in Group C. Patients significantly improved across all outcome measures from baseline to postoperatively (p \u3c 0.05). There was no difference between groups at any time point with respect to outcome scores (p \u3e 0.05). Multiple regression analysis did not identify increasing distraction as a predictor of patient outcomes. Conclusions: There were no significant differences between patient outcomes and the amount of facet distraction after ACDF surgery. Multivariate analysis did not find a correlation between facet distraction and overall HRQOL outcome

Proton Pump Inhibitor Use Affects Pseudarthrosis Rates and Influences Patient-Reported Outcomes.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort review. Objectives: Cervical pseudarthrosis is a frequent cause of need for revision anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and may lead to worse patient-reported outcomes. The effect of proton pump inhibitors on cervical fusion rates are unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine if patients taking PPIs have higher rates of nonunion after ACDF. Methods: A retrospective cohort review was performed to compare patients who were taking PPIs preoperatively with those not taking PPIs prior to ACDF. Patients younger than 18 years of age, those with less than 1-year follow-up, and those undergoing surgery for trauma, tumor, infection, or revision were excluded. The rates of clinically diagnosed pseudarthrosis and radiographic pseudarthrosis were compared between PPI groups. Patient outcomes, pseudarthrosis rates, and revision rates were compared between PPI groups using either multiple linear or logistic regression analysis, controlling for demographic and operative variables. Results: Out of 264 patients, 58 patients were in the PPI group and 206 were in the non-PPI group. A total of 23 (8.71%) patients were clinically diagnosed with pseudarthrosis with a significant difference between PPI and non-PPI groups (P = .009). Using multiple linear regression, PPI use was not found to significantly affect any patient-reported outcome measure. However, based on logistic regression, PPI use was found to increase the odds of clinically diagnosed pseudarthrosis (odds ratio 3.552, P = .014). Additionally, clinically diagnosed pseudarthrosis negatively influenced improvement in PCS-12 scores (P = .022). Conclusions: PPI use was found to be a significant predictor of clinically diagnosed pseudarthrosis following ACDF surgery. Furthermore, clinically diagnosed pseudarthrosis negatively influenced improvement in PCS-12 scores