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Background: Up to 10% of cervical spine surgeries are complicated by postoperative weakness. Although many patients recover with nonoperative management, some require surgery for restoration of function., Objective: To present the indications and outcomes of patients undergoing nerve transfers after developing weakness secondary to cervical spine decompression., Methods: A retrospective review of patients from 2 academic medical centers who underwent nerve transfer for C5-6 root injury after cervical spine surgery was performed., Results: Of the 10 treated patients, 9 experienced recovery at last follow-up, demonstrating improvements in strength and motion in the affected muscles. Successful nerve transfers occurred between 3 and 8 months after the index spinal surgery and included spinal accessory nerve to suprascapular nerve, triceps branch to anterior division of the axillary nerve, and/or ulnar or median fascicles to motor branches of the musculocutaneous nerve. The unsuccessful patient underwent nerve transfer surgery approximately 11 months after the index operation and failed to obtain functional recovery., Conclusions: Patients who experience C5-6 weakness after cervical spine surgery should be evaluated and considered for nerve transfer surgery if they have continued severe functional deficits at 6 months postoperatively. Earlier referral for nerve transfer is associated with improved functional outcomes in this cohort., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The objective of this study was to examine the association between electrophysiology data post-C5-palsy and referral to peripheral nerve surgeons (PNS) using a 15-year cohort of patients who underwent posterior cervical decompression. Endpoints included the associations of postoperative treatments employed with functional recovery and abnormal electrophysiology data. Of 77 included patients (median 64 yr; 68% male), 48% completely recovered. The most common treatments were physical therapy (90%), occupational therapy (34%), oral corticosteroids (18%), and PNS referral (17%). Baseline weakness did not associate with PNS referral or postoperative treatment strategy. None of the treatments predicted recovery, though patients with no [versus complete] recovery were more likely to be recommended for nerve transfers (22.2 vs 0%; p = 0.03). Abnormal electromyography data associated with PNS referral (p < 0.01), nerve transfer recommendation (p < 0.01), occupational therapy referral, and oral corticosteroid therapy. Abnormal findings on EMG obtained between 6-weeks and 6-months post-injury were the most strongly associated with peripheral nerve surgeon referral (p = 0.02) and nerve transfer recommendation (p < 0.01). These data suggest strategies for postoperative C5 palsy management are highly heterogeneous. None of the treatments employed significantly predicted the extent of functional recovery. However, patients with abnormal electrophysiology results were most likely to receive multimodal treatment, suggesting these results may significantly alter medical management of patients with postoperative C5 palsy. Early (6-week to 6-month) electrophysiology data may help to ensure that patients likely to benefit from nerve transfer procedures are referred to a PNS within the 9-12-month time frame associated with the best recovery of function., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Zach Pennington, Daniel Lubelski, Nikita Lakomkin, Benjamin D Elder, Sheng-Fu Lo: None. Timothy F. Witham: Consultant for DePuy Synthes. Advisory board member and shareholder of Augmedics. Non-study-related grant support from Gordon and Marilyn Macklin Foundation. Daniel M. Sciubba: Consultant for Baxter, DePuy-Synthes, Medtronic, Stryker., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Myelopathy is thought to be associated with higher morbidity and mortality after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF); however, the literature investigating this association has limitations., Objective: To investigate the influence of myelopathy on early perioperative complications of elective single-level ACDF., Methods: Patients who underwent ACDF between 2016 and 2018 were reviewed from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database. Propensity score matching analysis was used., Results: Twenty percent of the cohort was myelopathic. These patients were significantly older, had more comorbidities, more likely to be functionally dependent, and to undergo emergency surgery when compared to the nonmyelopathic cohort. When 1969 myelopathic patients were 1:1 propensity matched with nonmyelopathic patients, there was no difference between the myelopathic and nonmyelopathic patients in incidence of postoperative intensive care unit admission or death. Patients in the myelopathic group were significantly more likely to have a nonhome discharge and less likely to be discharged on the first postoperative day. Myelopathic patients had a higher rate of return to operating room within the same admission (2.2%) as well as a higher unplanned readmission rate (4.2%). The total operation time (143 min) and average length of hospital stay (52 h) were significantly higher in the myelopathic group when compared to the nonmyelopathic group (117 min) and (33 h), respectively., Conclusion: Patients with myelopathy who undergo elective single-level ACDF have higher risks of several perioperative events including longer operative time, longer hospital stay, higher return to operating room, and unplanned readmission rates, when compared to nonmyelopathic patients. On the other hand, myelopathic patients did not exhibit higher mortality rate., (© Congress of Neurological Surgeons 2021.)

Background: C5 palsy affects approximately 5% to 10% of patients undergoing cervical spine surgery. It has a significant negative impact on patient quality-of-life outcomes and healthcare costs. Although >80% of patients improve, some are left with persistent, debilitating deficits. Our objective was to examine if electrodiagnostic testing could be used to successfully identify patients likely to experience complete, partial, and no recovery., Methods: Patients undergoing posterior cervical decompression and fusion at a single institution over a 10-year period were identified. Those experiencing postoperative C5 palsy were included. Outcomes examined included motor recovery of the affected deltoid as a function of time, and changes in electrodiagnostic testing as a function of time since injury. Electrodiagnostic testing included electromyography and was sub-analyzed by time of acquisition postinjury. Deltoid strength was graded on manual motor testing using the 5-point medical research council grading system., Results: Of 77 patients experiencing C5 palsy, 29 had postoperative electrodiagnostic testing. Patients experiencing complete recovery on average achieved functional (4/5) strength by 6-weeks post injury and 4+ per 5 strength by 6-months. Those experiencing partial recovery only achieved antigravity strength (3/5) by 6-weeks and low-function (4-/5) strength by 6-months. Electrodiagnostic testing performed 6-weeks to 6-months postinjury demonstrated that those experiencing complete recovery were more likely to have normal motor unit (MU) recruitment than those experiencing partial (p<.001) or no recovery (p=.008). The presence of ≥2+ fibrillation on tests acquired ≤6-weeks of injury identified patients unlikely to experience any recovery with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 88.9%. The presence of normal MU recruitment on tests acquired 6-weeks to 6-months postinjury identified patients likely to experience complete recovery with a PPV of 87.5%., Conclusions: Electrodiagnostic testing may be a valuable means of differentiating between patients with C5 palsy likely to experience complete, partial, or no recovery. Testing between 6-weeks and 6-months post onset may aid in identifying those least likely to have a complete recovery. No MUs at 4 to 6-months, or reduced units with strength that is not improving, portends a poor long-term outcome. In this population, peripheral nerve transfers may be considered sooner., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Postoperative C5 palsy is a debilitating complication following posterior cervical decompression., Objective: To create a simple clinical risk score predicting the occurrence of C5 palsy., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent posterior cervical decompressions between 2007 and 2017. Data was randomly split into training and validation datasets. Multivariable analysis was performed to construct the model from the training dataset. A scoring system was developed based on the model coefficients and a web-based calculator was deployed., Results: The cohort consisted of 415 patients, of which 65 (16%) developed C5 palsy. The optimal model consisted of: mean C4/5 foraminal diameter (odds ratio [OR] = 9.1 for lowest quartile compared to highest quartile), preoperative C5 radiculopathy (OR = 3.5), and dexterity loss (OR = 2.9). The receiver operating characteristic yielded an area under the curve of 0.757 and 0.706 in the training and validation datasets, respectively. Every characteristic was worth 1 point except the lowest quartile of mean C4/5 foraminal diameter, which was worth 2 points, and the factors were summarized by the acronym F2RaD. The median predicted probability of C5 palsy increased from 2% in patients with a score of 0 to 70% in patients with a score of 4. The calculator can be accessed on https://jhuspine2.shinyapps.io/FRADscore/., Conclusion: This study yielded a simplified scoring system and clinical calculator that predicts the occurrence of C5 palsy. Individualized risk prediction for patients may facilitate better understanding of the risks and benefits for an operation, and better prepare them for this possible adverse outcome. Furthermore, modifying the surgical plan in high-risk patients may possibly improve outcomes., (Copyright © 2020 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.)

Objective: Preoperative patient optimization is increasingly recognized as key to good surgical outcomes. Preoperative hyponatremia is a modifiable risk factor linked to poorer postoperative outcomes in other surgical fields. We provide the first investigation of the association of preoperative hyponatremia with morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing cervical spine surgery., Methods: We queried the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program registry for patients who underwent cervical spine fusion. Preoperative serum sodium levels were classified as normal (135-145 mEq/L) or hyponatremic (<135 mEq/L); hypernatremic patients were excluded from the analysis. Multivariable logistic analyses using a multiple imputations methodology were performed to determine significant predictors of major morbidity and mortality (MMM)., Results: We included 20,817 patients, of whom 5.2% were hyponatremic at presentation. Preoperative hyponatremia was a significant predictor of MMM (odds ratio [OR], 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.39), mortality (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.03-1.77), major morbidity (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.10-1.40), and odds of prolonged hospitalization (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.04-1.23). Other significant predictors of MMM included age, undergoing an emergent versus nonemergent operation, having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, having disseminated malignancy, being functionally dependent, presenting with sepsis or septic shock, and having an American Society of Anesthesiologists status of 3, 4, or 5. Similar results were seen in analyses using only complete cases and in sensitivity analyses., Conclusions: Using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, hyponatremia is observed in approximately 1 in every 20 patients undergoing cervical spine fusion. More importantly, it is a predictor of mortality, major morbidity, and prolonged hospitalization. From a systems-level perspective, preoperative hyponatremia may therefore represent a point of intervention for preoperative patient optimization., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF) is the main surgical treatment of cervical radiculopathy. Controversy exists about the need to resect the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) to directly decompress the nerve roots, or if it is sufficient to indirectly decompress with diskectomy and graft placement. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of PLL resection after ACDF., Methods: A retrospective review was performed of all patients that underwent first-time ACDF for cervical radiculopathy at a single tertiary care institution between 1999 and 2013. Comparative analyses and multivariable logistic regression were performed., Results: Two hundred patients were included with a mean follow-up of 39 months. Average age was 54 years, 62% were women, and diabetes and current smoking status were noted in 11% and 15%, respectively. PLL resection was performed in 127 patients (64%), and no significant differences in baseline characteristics were observed between the 2 cohorts. One durotomy occurred in the resected PLL cohort, and none were seen in the unresected PLL group. No differences were seen in perioperative complications. At the time of last follow-up, improvement in radiculopathy was observed in 94% of the resected PLL group compared with 81% of the unresected PLL group (P = 0.008). After controlling for confounders, PLL resection had 3.8 times greater odds of leading to postoperative improvement in radiculopathy., Conclusions: ACDF leads to a high rate of success in improvement of preoperative radiculopathy. Excision of PLL during surgery leads to 3.8 times greater odds of improvement in this symptom, with no significant difference in the complication rate., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Of the more than 30,000 posterior cervical spine fusions performed annually, 7%-12% will be complicated by postoperative C5 palsy, a condition characterized by new-onset deltoid weakness with or without C5 dermatomal findings and biceps weakness. Posterior translation of the cervical spinal cord has been proposed as a risk factor for this complication., Purpose: To evaluate if C5 palsy can be predicted by spinal cord float back., Study Design/setting: Retrospective cohort., Patient Sample: Patients ≥18 years of age undergoing posterior cervical decompression between 2002 and 2017 for degenerative cervical spine pathologies., Outcome Measures: Occurrence of C5 palsy as evaluated by manual motor testing (MMT)., Methods: We recorded baseline neurological status, operative notes, details of postoperative course, and both pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging images. Float back was defined by the change in the distance between the spinal cord and posterior face of the C4/5 annulus from preoperative to postoperative imaging. C5 palsy was defined by new-onset deltoid weakness on MMT., Results: We identified 242 patients with a mean age of 62.4 years and mean follow-up of 27.9 months. Forty-two (17.4%) experienced postoperative C5 palsy. On univariable analysis, significant predictors of postoperative C5 palsy were mean C4/5 foraminal diameter (2.8 vs. 3.2 mm; p<.001), anterior projection of the C5 superior articular process (4.12 vs. 3.70 mm; p=.04), cord float back (0.35 vs. 0.28 cm; p=.02), undergoing laminectomy of the C5 (p=.02) or C4 and C5 levels (p=.02), and undergoing instrumented fusion extending one level above and below the C4/5 level. Foraminotomy of the C4/5 level was not predictive of postoperative palsy. On multivariable analysis mean C4/5 foraminal diameter (odds ratio=0.38 per mm; p<.01) predicted C5 palsy; cord float back at the C4/5 level was not predictive of C5 palsy., Conclusions: Spinal cord float back was not an independent predictor of C5 palsy on multivariable analysis. Only smaller foraminal diameter was independently predictive of postoperative C5 palsy. This suggests that chronic preoperative compression of the C5 roots, not postdecompression float back may be the biggest contributor to the etiology of postoperative C5 palsy., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Horner syndrome is an infrequently seen complication of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Multicenter studies have reported a very low incidence, less than 0.1%., Objective: To identify the incidence in, characteristics of, and postoperative course in patients in whom postoperative Horner syndrome developed after ACDF., Methods: We performed a retrospective review of all patients who experienced Horner syndrome after ACDF for cervical degenerative disease at a single tertiary care institution between 2017 and 2018. A systematic review was then performed to identify studies investigating prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of postoperative Horner syndrome after ACDF., Results: Of 1116 patients at our institution who underwent ACDF, the incidence of Horner syndrome was 0.45%. C4/5 and C5/6 were the 2 most common surgical levels. The complication was noted to occur immediately after surgery, and at least partial improvement was identified in all patients an average 3.5 months after surgery (range, 10 days to 6 months). These findings were consistent with our systematic review of 21 studies that showed an incidence of 0.6% (range, 0.02% to 4.0%), the most common surgical level C5/6 (64%), and 82% of patients experiencing at least partial resolution of symptoms within 1 year (60.7% complete, 21.4% partial resolution)., Conclusion: Horner syndrome occurs in 0.6% of patients undergoing ACDF. Careful postoperative examination should reveal this complication, which may be underdiagnosed or underreported in larger multicenter case series. The majority of patients experience complete resolution of symptoms within 6 months to 1 year and can be treated conservatively and expectantly., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Postoperative C5 palsy affects 7%-12% of patients who undergo posterior cervical decompression for degenerative cervical spine pathologies. Minimal evidence exists regarding the natural history of expected recovery and variables that affect palsy recovery. The authors investigated pre- and postoperative variables that predict recovery and recovery time among patients with postoperative C5 palsy., Methods: The authors included patients who underwent posterior cervical decompression at a tertiary referral center between 2004 and 2018 and who experienced postoperative C5 palsy. All patients had preoperative MR images and full records, including operative note, postoperative course, and clinical presentation. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate both times to complete recovery and to new neurological baseline-defined by deltoid strength on manual motor testing of the affected side-as a function of clinical symptoms, surgical maneuvers, and the severity of postoperative deficits., Results: Seventy-seven patients were included, with an average age of 64 years. The mean follow-up period was 17.7 months. The mean postoperative C5 strength was grade 2.7/5, and the mean time to first motor examination with documented C5 palsy was 3.5 days. Sixteen patients (21%) had bilateral deficits, and 9 (12%) had new-onset biceps weakness; 36% of patients had undergone C4-5 foraminotomy of the affected root, and 17% had presented with radicular pain in the dermatome of the affected root. On univariable analysis, patients' reporting of numbness or tingling (p = 0.02) and a baseline deficit (p < 0.001) were the only predictors of time to recovery. Patients with grade 4+/5 weakness had significantly shorter times to recovery than patients with grade 4/5 weakness (p = 0.001) or ≤ grade 3/5 weakness (p < 0.001). There was no difference between those with grade 4/5 weakness and those with ≤ grade 3/5 weakness. Patients with postoperative strength < grade 3/5 had a < 50% chance of achieving complete recovery., Conclusions: The timing and odds of recovery following C5 palsy were best predicted by the magnitude of the postoperative deficit. The use of C4-5 foraminotomy did not predict the time to or likelihood of recovery.

Background: Postoperative C5 palsy affects 8% of patients undergoing posterior cervical decompression. It is associated with a period functional disability that may exceed 12 months and increase direct care costs > $2000., Methods: All patients undergoing posterior cervical decompression at a single tertiary-care facility for degenerative conditions were evaluated for preoperative imaging, clinical presentation, surgical operation, and postoperative course. We sought to identify those variables predictive of postoperative C5 palsy., Results: Of 221 included patients (mean age, 63 years; 54% male), 12.2% experienced C5 palsy. On univariate analysis, C5 palsy was associated with foraminal diameter (P = 0.0005), spinal cord cross-sectional area (P = 0.11), number of levels undergoing laminectomy (P = 0.14), and clinical presentation of dropping objects (P = 0.07), hand clumsiness (P = 0.13), or paresthesias in the upper extremities (P = 0.08). Foraminal diameter (odds ratio, 0.31 per mm increase; 95% confidence interval, 0.16-0.60; P < 0.001) and patient report of gait disturbance (odds ratio, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.33-0.85; P = 0.008) were the only significant predictors on multivariate analysis. A foraminal diameter <2 mm had 2-fold greater odds of postoperative C5 palsy. A receiver operating curve for the multivariate logistic model had an associated C-statistic of 0.7818. The absolute error of this model was 9.3% on internal validation., Conclusions: Foraminal stenosis most strongly predicted postoperative C5 palsy. A proof-of-concept model incorporating foramen size, as well as clinical complaints of paresthesias, hand clumsiness, and gait abnormality, successfully predicts the occurrence of postoperative palsy with an overall accuracy of 78%., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

OBJECTIVEComplete radiographic and clinical evaluations are essential in the surgical treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). Prior studies have correlated cervical sagittal imbalance and kyphosis with disability and worse health-related quality of life. However, little is known about C2-3 disc angle and its correlation with postoperative outcomes. The present study is the first to consider C2-3 disc angle as an additional radiographic predictor of postoperative adverse events.METHODSA retrospective chart review was performed to identify patients with CSM who underwent surgeries from 2010 to 2014. Data collected included demographics, baseline presenting factors, and postoperative outcomes. Cervical sagittal alignment variables were measured using the preoperative and postoperative radiographs. Univariable logistic regression analyses were used to explore the association between dependent and independent variables, and a multivariable logistic regression model was created using stepwise variable selection.RESULTSThe authors identified 171 patients who had complete preoperative and postoperative radiographic and outcomes data. The overall rate of postoperative adverse events was 33% (57/171), and postoperative C2-3 disc angle, C2-7 sagittal vertical axis, and C2-7 Cobb angle were found to be significantly associated with adverse events. Inclusion of postoperative C2-3 disc angle in the analysis led to the best prediction of adverse events. The mean postoperative C2-3 disc angle for patients with any postoperative adverse event was 32.3° ± 17.2°, and the mean for those without any adverse event was 22.4° ± 11.1° (p < 0.0001).CONCLUSIONSIn the present retrospective analysis of postoperative adverse events in patients with CSM, the authors found a significant association between C2-3 disc angle and postoperative adverse events. They propose that C2-3 disc angle be used as an additional parameter of cervical spinal sagittal alignment and predictor for operative outcomes.

Background: Clinical and quality of life (QOL) outcomes vary depending on the patient's demographics, comorbidities, presenting symptoms, pathology, and surgical treatment used. While there have been individual predictors identified, no comprehensive method incorporates a patient's complex clinical presentation to predict a specific individual postoperative outcome., Objective: To create tool that predicts patient-specific outcomes among those undergoing cervical spine surgery., Methods: A total of 952 patients at a single tertiary care institution who underwent anterior or posterior cervical decompression/fusion between 2007 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Outcomes included postoperative emergency department visit or readmission within 30 d, reoperation within 90 d for infection, and changes in QOL outcomes. Nomograms were modeled based on patient demographics and surgical variables. Bootstrap was used for internal validation., Results: Bias-corrected c-index for emergency department visits, readmission, and reoperation were 0.63, 0.78, and 0.91, respectively. For the QOL metrics, the bias-corrected adjusted R-squared was EQ-5D (EuroQOL): 0.43, for PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9): 0.35, and for PDQ (Pain/Disability Questionnaire): 0.47. Variables predicting the clinical outcomes varied, but included race and median income, body mass index, comorbidities, presenting symptoms, indication for surgery, surgery type, and levels. For the QOL nomograms, the predictors included similar variables, but were significantly more affected by the preoperative QOL of the patient., Conclusion: These prediction models enable referring physicians and spine surgeons to provide patients with personalized expectations regarding postoperative clinical and QOL outcomes following a cervical spine surgery. After appropriate validation, use of patient-specific prediction tools, such as nomograms, has the potential to lead to superior spine surgery outcomes and more cost effective care.

Study Design: Retrospective Cohort., Objective: Tandem spinal stenosis (TSS) can present similarly to cervical myelopathy, but often has a worse prognosis. Few studies have investigated outcomes and compared treatment approaches for patients with TSS. We sought to determine the impact of cervical spine surgery on cervical and lumbar spine symptoms in patients with symptomatic tandem spinal stenosis., Patients Methods: 84 patients with TSS were identified over 5 years. 48 underwent cervical spine surgery alone, 20 underwent both cervical and lumbar spine surgery, and 16 received conservative treatment alone (conservative cohort). Quality of life (QOL) measures included the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for arm, neck, and back pain, and EuroQOL-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D). QOL data were acquired at baseline (pre-operative) and 1 year postoperatively via an institutional prospectively collected database., Results: Both surgical cohorts showed significant (p < 0.01) pre- to postoperative improvement for VAS neck and arm scores at 1-year post-op and significantly (p < 0.01) greater improvements than the conservative cohort. In addition, the cohort undergoing cervical spine surgery alone experienced significant improvement in the EQ-5D score whereas those undergoing both cervical and lumbar spine surgery did not., Conclusions: Cervical spine surgery with or without follow-up lumbar spine surgery significantly improves neck pain in patients with TSS. In contrast, cervical spine surgery in these patients does not improve lumbar symptoms. Lumbar surgery also did not improve low back pain or quality of life. Future prospective studies are necessary to examine the impact of lumbar decompression alone on cervical spine symptoms in patients with TSS., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a nationally representative, all-payer database of inpatient diagnoses and procedures in the United States., Objective: The objective of this study is to compare anterior cervical fusion (ACF) to posterior cervical fusion (PCF) in the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM)., Summary of Background Data: Previous studies used retrospective single-institution level data to quantify outcomes for CSM patients fusion. It is unclear whether ACF or PCF is superior with regards to charges or outcomes for the treatment of CSM., Materials and Methods: We used Nationwide Inpatient Sample data to compare ACF to PCF in the management of CSM. All patients 18 years or older with a diagnosis of CSM between 1998 and 2011 were included. ACF patients were matched to PCF patients using propensity scores based on patient characteristics (number of levels fused, spine alignment, comorbidities), hospital characteristics, and patient demographics. Multivariable regression was used to measure the effect of treatment assignment on in-hospital charges, length of hospital stay, in-hospital mortality, discharge disposition, and dysphagia diagnosis., Results: From 1998 to 2011, we identified 109,728 hospitalizations with a CSM diagnosis. Of these patients, 45,629 (41.6%) underwent ACF and 14,439 (13.2%) underwent PCF. The PCF cohort incurred an average of $41,683 more in-hospital charges (P<0.001, inflation adjusted to 2011 dollars) and remained in hospital an average of 2.4 days longer (P<0.001) than the ACF cohort. The ACF cohort was just as likely to die in the hospital [odds ratio 0.91; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.68-1.2], 3.0 times more likely to be discharged to home or self-care (95% CI, 2.9-3.2), and 2.5 times more likely to experience dysphagia (95% CI, 2.0-3.1) than the PCF cohort., Conclusions: In treating CSM, ACF led to lower hospital charges, shorter hospital stays, and an increased likelihood of being discharged to home relative to PCF.

Background: Distinguishing the causes of weakness and gait instability in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) and cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge due to symptomatic similarities. No study has reported outcomes following decompression in patients with PD and CSM., Objective: To report outcomes following cervical decompression for patients with coexisting PD and CSM., Methods: A retrospective matched cohort study of all patients with PD and CSM undergoing cervical decompression at a tertiary-care center between January 1996 and December 2014 was conducted. PD patients were matched to patients with CSM alone by age, gender, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, and operative parameters. Myelopathy was assessed by Nurick and modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scales. The effect of PD on mJOA was modeled using multivariable regression., Results: Twenty-one matched pairs were included. PD patients experienced poorer improvement in Nurick (0.0 vs -1.0, P < .01) and mJOA (0.9 vs 2.5, P < .01) composite scores. However, no significant changes in absolute improvement in the upper extremity motor, upper extremity sensory, or sphincter mJOA components were observed. Multivariable regression identified PD as a significant predictor of decreased improvement in mJOA (β = -0.89, P < .01) and failure to achieve a minimal clinically important difference in change in mJOA (OR 0.18, P = .03)., Conclusion: This study is the first to characterize outcomes following cervical decompression in patients with PD and CSM. PD patients experienced symptomatic improvement but less overall improvement in myelopathy compared to controls. However, PD patients demonstrated improvement in upper extremity motor, upper extremity sensory, and sphincter symptoms no worse than control patients., (Copyright © 2017 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons)

Background Context: Coexisting Parkinson's disease (PD) and cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge due to symptomatic similarities between the diseases. Whereas CSM patients are routinely treated with surgery, PD patients face poorer outcomes following spine surgery. No studies have investigated the quality of life (QOL) outcomes following decompression in coexisting PD and CSM., Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to characterize QOL outcomes for patients with coexisting PD and CSM following cervical decompression., Study Design/setting: This is a matched cohort study at a single tertiary-care center., Patient Sample: Patients with coexisting PD and CSM undergoing cervical decompression between June 2009 and December 2014 were included. These patients were matched to controls with CSM alone by age, gender, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, Modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores, and operative parameters., Outcome Measures: The primary outcome measure was QOL outcomes assessed by change in the EuroQol 5-Dimensions (EQ-5D), Pain Disability Questionnaire (PDQ), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) at last follow-up (LFU). Change in QOL exceeding the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was secondary., Methods: QOL data were collected using the institutional prospectively collected database of patient-reported health status measures. Simple and multivariable regressions were used to assess the impact of PD upon change in QOL., Results: Eleven PD patients were matched to 44 controls. Control patients experienced QOL improvement across all three measures, whereas PD patients only improved with respect to PDQ(89.9-80.7, p=.03). Despite no significant differences in preoperative QOL, PD patients experienced poorer QOL at LFU in EQ-5D (0.526 vs. 0.707, p=.01) and PDQ (80.7 vs. 51.4, p=.03), and less frequently achieved an EQ-5D MCID (18% vs. 57%, p=.04). However, no differences in the achievement of an MCID in PDQ or PHQ-9 were observed between cohorts. Multivariable regression identified PD as a significant independent predictor of poorer improvement in EQ-5D (β=-0.09, p<.01) and failure to achieve an EQ-5D MCID (odds ratio: 0.08, p<.01)., Conclusions: This is the first study to characterize QOL outcomes following cervical decompression for patients with coexisting PD and CSM. Although myelopathy may have been less severe among PD patients, a significant reduction in pain-related disability was observed following decompression. However, PD predicted diminished improvement in overall QOL measured by the EQ-5D., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

OBJECTIVE Cervical open-door laminoplasty (ODL) is designed to decompress the spinal cord, maintain motion, and prevent postlaminectomy kyphosis. Many traditional laminoplasty techniques involve disruption of the posterior ligamentous structures, most notably the C7-T1 supraspinous ligament and interspinales muscle complex (intraspinous and supraspinous ligaments [ISLs]). METHODS Eight human cervical cadaveric specimens (C2-T1) were used to investigate the subaxial kinematics following ODL with varying degrees of posterior element disruption. Ligamentous integrity was preserved and specimens were tested utilizing force control in flexion-extension (FE), lateral bending (LB), and axial rotation (AR) in the native state, and following 1) C3-7 ODL, 2) ODL with terminal ISL resection, 3) ODL with C3-7 spinous process resection, and 4) C3-7 laminectomy. Range of motion (ROM) was measured across C2-T1, "global," and at the segmental level. RESULTS Compared with ODL, sectioning the terminal ISLs resulted in global ROM increases by 7.9% in FE, 2.4% in LB, and 5.6% in AR (p > 0.05), whereas laminectomy increased global ROM by 36.0% in FE (p = 0.002) and a 26.3% increase in AR ROM (p = 0.01). When considering segmental ROM, resection of the terminal ISLs increased ROM in FE by 36.5% at C2-3 (p = 0.019) and 25.4% at C7-T1 (p > 0.05). Segmental increases following C3-7 spinous process resection averaged less than 3% per level, compared with up to 40% increases in ROM per level after laminectomy. CONCLUSIONS Laminectomy resulted in the greatest increase in global cervical ROM. Resection of the ISLs at C2-3 and C7-T1 increased segmental ROM at these specific levels to a similar extent that laminectomy increased ROM at each cervical level. This segmental ROM may contribute to pain or postprocedural deformity and highlights the importance of the ISLs at the terminal ends of the ODL.

Study Design: A retrospective 1-year cost-utility analysis., Objective: To determine the cost-effectiveness of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with plating (ACDFP) in comparison with posterior cervical foraminotomy (PCF) for patients with single-level cervical radiculopathy., Summary of Background Data: Cervical radiculopathy due to cervical spondylosis is commonly treated by either PCF or ACDFP for patients who are refractory to nonsurgical treatment. Although some have suggested superior outcomes with ACDFP as compared with PCF, the former is also associated with greater costs. The present study analyzes the cost-effectiveness of ACDFP versus PCF for patients with single-level cervical radiculopathy., Methods: Forty-five patients who underwent ACDFP and 25 patients who underwent PCF for single-level cervical radiculopathy were analyzed. One-year postoperative health outcomes were assessed based on Visual Analogue Scale, Pain Disability Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire, and EuroQOL-5 Dimensions questionnaires to analyze the comparative effectiveness of each procedure. Direct medical costs were estimated using Medicare national payment amounts and indirect costs were based on patient missed work days and patient income. Postoperative 1-year cost/utility ratios and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) were calculated to assess for cost-effectiveness using a threshold of $100,000/QALY gained., Results: The 1-year cost-utility ratio for the PCF cohort was significantly lower ($79,856/QALY gained) than that for the ACDFP cohort ($131,951/QALY gained) (P<0.01). In calculating the 1-year ICER, as the ACDFP cohort showed lower QALY gained than the PCF cohort, the ICER was negative and is not reported, meaning that ACDFP was dominated by PCF., Conclusions: Statistically significant and clinically relevant improvements (through minimum clinically important differences) were seen in both cohorts. Although both cohorts showed improved health outcomes, ACDFP was not cost-effective relative to the threshold of $100,000/QALY gained at 1-year postoperatively, whereas PCF was. The durability of these results must be analyzed with long-term cost-utility analysis studies.

Object: Studies comparing surgical treatments for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) are heterogeneous, using a variety of different quality of life (QOL) outcomes and myelopathy-specific measures. This study sought to evaluate the relationship of these measures to each other, and to better understand their use in evaluating patients with CSM., Methods: A retrospective study was performed in all patients with CSM who underwent either ventral or dorsal cervical spine surgery at a single tertiary-care institution between January 2008 and July 2013. Severity of myelopathy was assessed pre- and postoperatively using both the Nurick scale and the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) classification of disability. Prospectively collected QOL outcomes data included Pain Disability Questionnaire (PDQ), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and EQ-5D. Spearman rank correlations were calculated to assess the construct convergent validity for each pair of health status measures (HSMs). To assess each HSM's ability to discriminate favorable EQ-5D index, we performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and assessed the area under the curve (AUC)., Results: A total of 119 patients were included. The PDQ total score had the highest correlation with EQ-5D index (Spearman's rho = -0.82). Neither of the myelopathy scales (mJOA or Nurick) had strong correlations between themselves (0.41) or with the other QOL measures (absolute value range 0.13-0.49). In contrast, the QOL measures correlated relatively well with each other (absolute value range 0.68-0.97). For predicting favorable EQ-5D outcomes, PDQ total score had an AUC of 0.909. The AUCs were significantly greater for the QOL measures in comparison with the myelopathy measures (AUCs were 0.677 and 0.607 for mJOA and Nurick scale scores, respectively)., Conclusions: The authors found that all included measures of QOL and CSM-specific (mJOA or Nurick scale) measures were valid and responsive. The PDQ was the most predictive of positive QOL after surgery (as measured by the EQ-5D index) for patients with CSM. The substantially lower correlation between myelopathy and QOL outcomes, compared with the various QOL measures themselves, suggests that these questionnaires are measuring different aspects of the patient experience. Solely assessing the myelopathy or disease-specific signs and symptoms is likely insufficient to fully understand and appreciate clinical outcome in its totality. These questionnaire types should be used together to best evaluate patients pre- and postoperatively.

Object: Screening for vertebral artery injury (VAI) following cervical spine fractures is routinely performed across trauma centers in North America. From 2002 to 2007, the total number of neck CT angiography (CTA) studies performed in the Medicare population after trauma increased from 9796 to 115,021. In the era of cost-effective medical care, the authors aimed to evaluate the utility of CTA screening in detecting VAI and reduce chances of posterior circulation strokes after traumatic cervical spine fractures., Methods: A retrospective review of all patients presenting with cervical spine fractures to Northeast Ohio's Level I trauma institution from 2002 to 2012 was performed., Results: There was a total of 1717 cervical spine fractures in patients presenting to Northeast Ohio's Level I trauma institution between 2002 and 2012. CTA screening was performed in 732 patients, and 51 patients (0.7%) were found to have a VAI. Fracture patterns with increased odds of VAI were C-1 and C-2 combined fractures, transverse foramen fractures, and subluxation of adjacent vertebral levels. Ten posterior circulation strokes were identified in this patient population (0.6%) and found in only 4 of 51 cases of VAI (7.8%). High-risk fractures defined by Denver Criteria, VAI, and antiplatelet treatment of VAI were not independent predictors of stroke., Conclusions: Cost-effective screening must be reevaluated in the setting of blunt cervical spine fractures on a case-by-case basis. Further prospective studies must be performed to elucidate the utility of screening for VAI and posterior circulation stroke prevention, if identified.

Background Context: Cervical arthroplasty is an increasingly popular alternative for the treatment of cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy. This technique preserves motion at the index and adjacent disc levels, avoiding the restraints of fusion and potentially minimizing adjacent segment pathology onset during the postoperative period., Purpose: This study aimed to identify all prospective studies reporting adjacent segment pathology rates for cervical arthroplasty., Study Design/setting: Systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out., Patient Sample: Studies reporting adjacent segment degeneration (ASDegeneration) and adjacent segment disease (ASDisease) rates in patients who underwent cervical arthroplasty comprised the patient sample., Outcome Measures: Outcomes of interest included reported ASDegeneration and ASDisease events after cervical arthroplasty., Methods: We conducted a MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and Web of Science search for studies reporting ASDegeneration or ASDisease following cervical arthroplasty. A meta-analysis was performed to calculate effect summary values, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), Q values, and I(2) values. Forest plots were constructed for each analysis group., Results: Of the 1,891 retrieved articles, 32 met inclusion criteria. The patient incidence of ASDegeneration and ASDisease was 8.3% (95% CI 3.8%-12.7%) and 0.9% (95% CI 0.1%-1.7%), respectively. The rate of ASDegeneration and ASDisease at individual levels was 10.5% (95% CI 6.1%-14.9%) and 0.2% (95% CI -0.1% to 0.5%), respectively. Studies following patients for 12-24 months reported a 5.1% (95% CI 2.1%-8.1%) incidence of ASDegeneration and 0.2% (95% CI 0.1%-0.2%) incidence of ASDisease. Conversely, studies following patients for greater than 24 months reported a 16.6% (5.8%-27.4%) incidence of ASDegeneration and 2.6% (95% CI 1.0%-4.2%) of ASDisease. This identified a statistically significant increase in ASDisease diagnosis with lengthier follow-up. Additionally, 1- and 2-level procedures resulted in a 7.4% (95% CI 3.3%-11.4%) and15.6% (95 CI-9.2% to 40.4%) incidence of ASDegeneration, respectively. Although there was an 8.2% increase in ASDegeneration following 2-level operations (relative to 1-level), it did not reach statistical significance. We were unable to analyze ASDisease incidence following 2-level arthroplasty (too few cases), but 1-level operations resulted in an ASDisease incidence of 0.8% (95% CI 0.1%-1.5%)., Conclusions: This review represents a comprehensive estimation of the actual incidence of ASDegeneration and ASDisease across a heterogeneous group of surgeons, patients, and arthroplasty techniques. Our investigation should serve as a framework for individual surgeons to understand the impact of various cervical arthroplasty techniques, follow-up duration, and surgical levels on the incidence of ASDegeneration and ASDisease during the postoperative period., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a vital tool for detection of soft tissue injury (STI) after cervical spine injury (CSI). However, high cost, prolonged imaging time, and limited use in hemodynamically unstable patients necessitates that the utility of MRI in all patients with CSI be scrutinized., Methods: A retrospective review was performed of all patients treated for a CSI at a Level I trauma center between 2005 and 2010. Patient demographics, fracture characteristics, and associated STIs were collected. STIs were classified further into same level ligamentous injury, adjacent level ligamentous injury (ALLI), cord contusion, and traumatic herniated disc. ALLI was defined as anterior or posterior longitudinal ligament, ligamentum flavum, or supraspinous or interspinous ligamentous injury., Results: MRI was performed in 240 of 787 patients. Evidence of STI was identified in 54.6%. ALLI was the most common STI (80 of 240 patients); these injuries were subdivided into above, below, or both above and below the concurrent fracture level. Patients with ALLI were significantly more likely to have injured C3 (P < 0.01) and C5 (P < 0.03) levels, association with widened disc space (P = 0.03), and multiple CSIs (P = 0.008). The whole ALLI was included in the fixation strategy in 100% of patients with ALLI only above the concurrent fracture level and 87% of patients with ALLI only below the concurrent fracture level., Conclusions: MRI detected an associated STI in about 55% of patients who underwent imaging. Injuries involving multiple fractured cervical levels, fractures at C3 and C5, and widened disc space should raise the treating physician's level of suspicion for ALLI. Our data show that treatment directed by MRI findings in select cases has substantial value., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background Context: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and posterior cervical foraminotomy (PCF) are both used to surgically treat patients with cervical radiculopathy and have been shown to have similar outcomes. Nonetheless, ACDF has become increasingly more commonplace compared with PCF, in part because of a pervasive belief that PCF has a higher incidence of required reoperations., Purpose: To determine the reoperation rate at the index level of ACDF versus PCF 2 years postoperatively., Study Design: A retrospective case-control., Patient Sample: All patients that underwent ACDF and PCF for radiculopathy (excluding myelopathy indications) between January 2005 and December 2011., Outcome Measures: Revision surgery within 2 years, at the index level, was recorded., Methods: Propensity score analysis between the ACDF and PCF groups was done, matching for age, gender, race, body mass index, tobacco use, median income and insurance status, primary surgeon, level of surgery, surgery duration, and length of hospital stay., Results: Seven hundred ninety patients met the inclusion/exclusion criteria, including 627 ACDF and 163 PCF. Before propensity matching, the PCF group was found to be significantly older and more likely to be male. After matching, there were no significant differences between groups for any baseline characteristics. Reoperation rate at the index level was 4.8% for the ACDF group and 6.4% for the PCF group (p=.7) within 2 years of the initial surgery. Using equivalence testing, based on an a priori null hypothesis that a clinically meaningful difference between the two groups would be ≥5%, we found that the absolute difference of 1.6% was significantly (p=.01) less than our hypothesized difference., Conclusions: This study demonstrates that even after accounting for patient demographics, operative characteristics, and primary surgeon, there are no significant differences in 2-year reoperation rates at the index level between ACDF and PCF. The reoperation rates are statistically equivalent. Thus, spine surgeons can operate via the posterior approach without putting patients at increased risk for revision surgery at the index level., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background Context: In select patients, posterior cervical foraminotomy (PCF) and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) result in similar clinical outcomes when used to treat cervical radiculopathy. Nonetheless, ACDF is performed more frequently, in part because of surgeon perception that PCF requires operative revisions more frequently. The present study investigates the rate of ACDF reoperation at the index level after initial PCF., Purpose: To determine the rate of ACDF after initial PCF and to further describe any patient characteristics or preoperative or operative data that increase the rate of reoperation after PCF., Study Design: Retrospective chart review., Methods: Demographic, operative, and reoperation information was collected from the electronic medical records for all patients who underwent PCF at one institution between 2004 and 2011. All patients were subsequently contacted by telephone to identify postoperative complications and more conclusively determine whether any revision operation was performed at the index level., Results: One hundred seventy-eight patients who underwent a PCF were reviewed, with an average follow-up of 31.7 months. Nine (5%) patients underwent an ACDF revision operation at the index level. The reason for reoperation in these patients included cervical radiculopathy, foraminal stenosis, disc herniation, and cervical spondylosis. Patients who subsequently underwent ACDF at the index level were significantly younger (25 vs. 35 years, p=.03), had lower body mass index (25 vs. 29, p=.01), and more likely to take anxiolytic (56% vs. 22%, p=.04) or antidepressant medication (67% vs. 27%, p=.02), compared with those that did not have a revision operation., Conclusions: This is the first study to determine conversion to ACDF after PCF. The present study demonstrates that PCF is associated with a low reoperation rate, similar to the historical reoperation for ACDF. Accordingly, spine surgeons can operate via a PCF approach without a significant increased risk for ACDF revision surgery at the index level., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Object: Infections following spine surgery negatively affect patient quality of life (QOL) and impose a significant financial burden on the health care system. Postoperative wound infections occur at higher rates following dorsal cervical procedures than ventral procedures. Quantifying the health outcomes and costs associated with infections following dorsal cervical procedures may help to guide treatment strategies to minimize the deleterious consequences of these infections. Therefore, the goals of this study were to determine the cost and QOL outcomes affecting patients who developed deep wound infections following subaxial dorsal cervical spine fusions., Methods: The authors identified 22 (4.0%) of 551 patients undergoing dorsal cervical fusions who developed deep wound infections requiring surgical debridement. These patients were individually matched with control patients who did not develop infections. Health outcomes were assessed using the EQ-5D, Pain Disability Questionnaire (PDQ), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and visual analog scale (VAS). QOL outcome measures were collected preoperatively and after 6 and 12 months. Health resource utilization was recorded from patient electronic medical records over an average follow-up of 18 months. Direct costs were estimated using Medicare national payment amounts, and indirect costs were based on patients' missed workdays and income., Results: No significant differences in preoperative QOL scores were found between the 2 cohorts. At 6 months postsurgery, the noninfection cohort had significant pre- to postoperative improvement in EQ-5D (p = 0.02), whereas the infection cohort did not (p = 0.2). The noninfection cohort also had a significantly higher 6-month postoperative EQ-5D scores than the infection cohort (p = 0.04). At 1 year postsurgery, there was no significant difference in EQ-5D scores between the groups. Health care-associated costs for the infection cohort were significantly higher ($16,970 vs $7658; p < 0.0001). Indirect costs for the infection cohort and the noninfection cohort were $6495 and $2756, respectively (p = 0.03). Adjusted for inflation, the total costs for the infection cohort were $21,778 compared with $9159 for the noninfection cohort, reflecting an average cost of $12,619 associated with developing a postoperative deep wound infection (p < 0.0001)., Conclusions: Dorsal cervical infections temporarily decrease patient QOL postoperatively, but with no long-term impact; they do, however, dramatically increase the cost of care. Knowledge of the financial burden of wound infections following dorsal cervical fusion may stimulate the development and use of improved prophylactic and therapeutic techniques to manage this serious complication.

Object: The authors conducted a study to compare biomechanical effects on the cervical spine of bridging fixation and intermediate fixation techniques, in both fixed and dynamic modes., Methods: A biaxial, servohydraulic machine biomechanically tested 23 human cervical spines for stiffness and strain in compression, extension, flexion, and lateral bending through 3 specimen states: 1) intact, 2) defect (corpectomy and discectomy), and 3) grafting with plate application in 1 of 4 constructs: C3-7 dynamized long strut (DLS), C3-7 fixed long strut (FLS), C3-5-7 dynamized multisegment (DMS), and C3-5-7 fixed multisegment (FMS)., Results: Compared with FMS, FLS had significantly greater strain in extension (at C-3 and at the rostral and caudal parts of the graft) and in lateral bending (at C-3 and at the caudal part of the graft). Fixed (FLS and FMS) constructs had greater flexion stiffness than did dynamized (DLS and DMS) constructs and showed a trend toward greater lateral bending stiffness. Instrumentation revealed greater extension strain with the long fixed (FLS and DLS) constructs than with the multifixed (FMS and FMS) constructs at the rostral and caudal parts of the graft but no significant differences between the dynamized (DLS and DMS) and fixed (FLS and FMS) constructs., Conclusions: Multisegmental fixation provided greater stabilizing forces than did bridging constructs for both dynamized and fixed plates. Use of multisegmental fixation can potentially decrease strain at the screw-plate interface and reduce the rate of hardware failure.

Background: Pedicle fractures in the cervical spine are common. They may occur in isolation or in combination with other concomitant fractures. Multiple classification systems have been introduced to provide a clinical framework when approaching these types of fractures; however, these systems do not provide guidelines for optimal treatment. Data regarding decision making are limited. Conservative treatment with orthoses may result in subluxation and instability requiring further treatment. Surgery may not be required in all instances because many of these injuries may heal without surgical intervention., Methods: All cases of cervical fractures treated at a single institution over a 5-year period were retrospectively reviewed. Cases with pedicle fractures were further evaluated, and 40 cases managed either with or without surgery were identified. Data on presenting history, neurologic examination, imaging findings, comorbidity, method of treatment, complication rate, and length of hospital stay were collected. Fractures were classified based on computed tomography scans. Data on associated injuries were also collected. Fusion rate and fracture displacement were assessed by plain radiographs and computed tomography scans at follow-up. Follow-up time points included 2, 6, and 12 weeks and 6 months after injury. Primary outcome was fracture healing regardless of modality in the absence of progressive deformity (i.e., listhesis, kyphosis) and need for further surgery., Results: Conservative therapy was administered to 26 patients, and 14 patients underwent surgery. There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups in terms of total levels injured (P = 0.9) or injury severity score (P = 0.5). Patients who presented with intact neurologic status were more likely to be treated conservatively (88% vs. 29%; P = 0.0004), whereas patients presenting with spinal cord injuries were more likely to undergo surgical fixation (35% vs. 0%; P = 0.0004). Length of hospital stay trended toward being significantly greater in patients who underwent surgery (10.6 days vs. 5.5 days; P = 0.07). According to our classification system, the most common fracture type was single line horizontal fracture occurring in 68% (27 of 40 cases). Vertical split pedicle fracture occurred in 28% (11 of 40 cases), and double line horizontal fracture occurred in 5% (2 of 40 cases). Posttreatment progressive listhesis was significantly higher in patients who were treated conservatively (31% vs. 0%; P = 0.03), especially when associated with comminuted lateral mass or subluxation or both., Conclusions: This study describes and classifies unique cervical pedicle fractures and associated injuries. Our findings suggest that surgical treatment results in definitive stability for these injuries compared with conservative therapy, particularly for pedicle fractures associated with comminuted lateral mass or initially displaced fractures. However, nondisplaced vertical split pedicle fractures and isolated single line horizontal fractures may be treated nonsurgically without occurrence of further instability. A larger prospective study is required to confirm these findings., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Study Design: Systematic review., Objective: To summarize and critically review the economic literature evaluating the cost-effectiveness of minimal access surgery (MAS) compared with conventional open procedures for the cervical and lumbar spine., Summary of Background Data: MAS techniques may improve perioperative parameters (length of hospital stay and extent of blood loss) compared with conventional open approaches. However, some have questioned the clinical efficacy of these differences and the associated cost-effectiveness implications. When considering the long-term outcomes, there seem to be no significant differences between MAS and open surgery., Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Collaboration database, University of York, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (NHS-EED and HTA), and the Tufts CEA Registry were reviewed to identify full economic studies comparing MAS with open techniques prior to December 24, 2013, based on the key questions established a priori. Only economic studies that evaluated and synthesized the costs and consequences of MAS compared with conventional open procedures (i.e., cost-minimization, cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness, or cost-utility) were considered for inclusion. Full text of the articles meeting inclusion criteria were reviewed by 2 independent investigators to obtain the final collection of included studies. The Quality of Health Economic Studies instrument was scored by 2 independent reviewers to provide an initial basis for critical appraisal of included economic studies., Results: The search strategy yielded 198 potentially relevant citations, and 6 studies met the inclusion criteria, evaluating the costs and consequences of MAS versus conventional open procedures performed for the lumbar spine; no studies for the cervical spine met the inclusion criteria. Studies compared MAS tubular discectomy with conventional microdiscectomy, minimal access transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion versus open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion, and multilevel hemilaminectomy via MAS versus open approach., Conclusion: Overall, the included cost-effectiveness studies generally supported no significant differences between open surgery and MAS lumbar approaches. However, these conclusions are preliminary because there was a paucity of high-quality evidence. Much of the evidence lacked details on methodology for modeling, related assumptions, justification of economic model chosen, and sources and types of included costs and consequences. The follow-up periods were highly variable, indirect costs were not frequently analyzed or reported, and many of the studies were conducted by a single group, thereby limiting generalizability. Prospective studies are needed to define differences and optimal treatment algorithms., Level of Evidence: 3.

Background Context: Cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) is a motion-preserving procedure that is an alternative to fusion. Proponents of arthroplasty assert that it will maintain cervical motion and prevent or reduce adjacent segment degeneration. Accordingly, CDA, compared with fusion, would have the potential to improve clinical outcomes. Published studies have varying conclusions on whether CDA reduces complications and/or improves outcomes. As many of these previous studies have been funded by CDA manufacturers, we wanted to ascertain whether there was a greater likelihood for these studies to report positive results., Purpose: To critically assess the available literature on cervical arthroplasty with a focus on the time of publication and conflict of interest (COI)., Study Design/setting: Review of the literature., Methods: All clinical articles about CDA published in English through August 1, 2013 were identified on Medline. Any article that presented CDA clinical results was included. Study design, sample size, type of disc, length of follow-up, use of statistical analysis, quality-of-life (QOL) outcome scores, COI, and complications were recorded. A meta-analysis was conducted stratifying studies by COI and publication date to identify differences in complication rates reported., Results: Seventy-four studies were included that investigated 8 types of disc prosthesis and 22 met the criteria for a randomized controlled trial (RCT). All Level Ib RCTs reported superior quality-of-life outcomes for CDA versus anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) at 24 months. Fifty of the 74 articles (68%) had a disclosure section, including all Level Ib RCTs, which had significant COIs related to the respective studies. Those studies without a COI reported mean weighted average adjacent segment disease rates of 6.3% with CDA and 6.2% with ACDF. In contrast, the reverse was reported by studies with a COI, for which the averages were 2.5% with CDA and 6.3% with ACDF. Those studies with a COI (n=31) had an overall weighted average heterotopic ossification rate of 22%, whereas those studies with no COI (n=43) had a rate of 46%., Conclusions: Associated COIs did not influence QOL outcomes. Conflicts of interest were more likely to be present in studies published after 2008, and those with a COI reported greater adjacent segment disease rates for ACDF than CDA. In addition, heterotopic ossification rates were much lower in studies with COI versus those without COI. Thus, COIs did not affect QOL outcomes but were associated with lower complication rates., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To investigate the quality of life outcomes following surgical treatment of patients with coexisting multiple sclerosis (MS) and cervical stenosis with associated myelopathy (CS)., Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records and of prospectively acquired quality of life (QOL) data was performed for all patients with symptoms of myelopathy and coexisting diagnoses of MS and CS that underwent cervical decompression surgery between 2008 and 2011. The study population was matched (1:4) to a control cohort of patients that did not have MS but presented with similar myelopathic symptoms due to cervical stenosis, were of the same age and gender, and underwent the same cervical decompression procedure within the same year., Results: Sixty-five patients were reviewed, including 13 in the MS group and 52 in the control group that were followed for an average of 22 and 18 months, respectively. Whereas patients in the MS cohort remained at a Quality-Adjusted Life-Year (QALY) gain of 0.51 both pre- and post-operatively (p = 0.96), patients in the matched control cohort improved from a preoperative QALY of 0.50 to a postoperative QALY of 0.64 (p < 0.0001). The latter represents an improvement that exceeds the minimum clinically important difference. Overall, 70% of patients in the control group experienced an improvement in QALY, compared to only 54% in the MS group (p = 0.4)., Conclusion: Patients in the control cohort had clinically and statistically significant improvements in QALY outcomes. Those in the MS cohort averaged no change in QALY. However, only a minority of MS/CS patients had worsening QALY following surgery, and as such surgery may still be considered for these patients. It is imperative that there are preoperative discussions with the MS/CS patient regarding the likelihood that surgery will only provide limited, if any, improvements in QOL.

Background Context: The presentation of myelopathy in patients with the concomitant diagnosis of cervical stenosis (CS) and multiple sclerosis (MS) complicates both diagnosis and treatment because of the similarities of presentation and disease progression. There are only a few published case series that examine this unique patient population., Purpose: To define the demographic features and presenting symptoms of patients with both MS and CS and to investigate the immediate and long-term outcomes of surgery in patients with MS and CS., Study Design/setting: Matched cohort-controlled retrospective review of 77 surgical patients in the MS group and 77 surgical patients in the control group. Outcome measures were immediate and long-term postoperative neck pain, radiculopathy, and myelopathy; Nurick Disability and modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores were collected as well., Methods: Retrospective review was performed for all patients presenting at one institution between January 1996 and July 2011 with coexisting diagnoses of MS and CS who had presenting symptoms of myelopathy and who then underwent cervical decompression surgery. Each study patient was individually matched to a control patient of the same gender and age that did not have MS, but that did have cervical spondylotic myelopathy or myeloradiculopathy. Each control patient underwent the same surgical procedure within the same year., Results: A total of 154 patients were reviewed, including 77 MS patients and 77 control patients, for an average follow-up of 58 months and 49 months, respectively. Patients in the control group were more likely to have preoperative neck pain (78% vs. 47%; p=.0001) and preoperative radiculopathy (90% vs. 75%; p=.03) than their counterparts in the MS group. Patients in the MS group had a significantly lower rate of postoperative resolution of myelopathic symptoms in both the short-term (39% in the MS group did not improve vs. 23% in the control group; p=.04) and the long-term (44% in the MS group did not improve vs. 19% in the control group; p=.004). Preoperative myelopathy scores were worse for the MS cohort as compared with the control cohort (1.8 vs. 1.2 in the Nurick scale, p<.0001; 13.7 vs. 15.0 in the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association scale, p=.002). This difference in scores became even greater at the last follow-up visit with Nurick scores of 2.4 versus 0.9 (p<.0001) and modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores of 16.3 versus 12.4 (p<.0001) for the MS and control patients, respectively., Conclusions: Myelopathic patients with coexisting MS and CS improve after surgery, although at a lower rate and to a lesser degree than those without MS. Therefore, surgery should be considered for these patients. MS patients should be informed that myelopathy symptoms are less likely to be alleviated completely or may only be alleviated temporarily because of progression of MS and that surgery can help alleviate neck pain and radicular symptoms., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) often can be surgically treated by either ventral or dorsal decompression and fusion. However, there is a lack of high-level evidence on the relative advantages and disadvantages for these treatments of CSM. The authors' goal was to provide a comprehensive review of the relative benefits of ventral versus dorsal fusion in terms of quality of life (QOL) outcomes, complications, and costs. They reviewed 7 studies on CSM published between 2003 and 2013 and summarized the findings for each category. Both procedures have been shown to lead to statistically significant improvement in clinical outcomes for patients. Ventral fusion surgery has been shown to yield better QOL outcomes than dorsal fusion surgery. Complication rates for ventral fusion surgery range from 11% to 13.6%, whereas those for dorsal fusion surgery range from 16.4% to 19%. Larger randomized controlled trials are needed, with particular emphasis on QOL and minimum clinically important differences.

Study Design: Morphometric and volumetric analyses and virtual screw placement., Objective: The aim of the study was to (1) define the morphometric and volumetric dimensions of the laminae of C3-C7 and (2) analyze the feasibility of unilateral and bilateral translaminar screw placement at C3-C7., Summary of Background Data: Previous studies on translaminar screw fixation have primarily focused on upper cervical and thoracic fixation. Most studies have been conducted on the subaxial cervical vertebrae in the pediatric population and a few in the adult population. In this study, we used computed tomographic (CT) scans to calculate the spatial anatomical environment for translaminar screws at C3-C7. We also determined the feasibility of translaminar screw placement at C3-C7 for clinical applicability., Methods: Morphometric and volumetric analyses were performed on CT scans of the C3-C7 laminae in 25 male and 25 female patients. A total of 2000 morphometric and 1000 volumetric measurements were performed. The feasibility analysis was performed using unilateral and bilateral virtual screw placement via BrainLAB software (BrainLAB AG, Heimstetten, Germany) on the same CT scans., Results: Male patients had significantly (P < 0.05) longer translaminar lengths (C5-C7), sagittal-diagonal measurements (C3-C7), and larger volumes (C6-C7) than female patients. Unilaterally, C7 showed 3.5-mm translaminar screw acceptance rates of 100%, C6 showed high acceptance rates (>64%), and C3-C5 showed lower acceptance rates (<52%). C7 accepted bilateral placement at a high rate (96% men, 84% women). C3 and C6 accepted bilateral screws at low placement rates (8%-24%). C4 and C5 never accepted bilateral translaminar screw placement., Conclusion: Subaxial cervical unilateral translaminar screw placement is a potentially safe and effective technique to use in conjunction with preoperative CT scanning for all vertebral levels. The same is true for bilateral placement at C7 but not at C3-C6. A prospective study to evaluate the long-term outcomes of translaminar fixation at all vertebral levels is currently underway.

Background context C5 nerve root palsy (C5P) is a relatively rare complication after anterior and posterior cervical decompression surgery that leads to a variety of debilitating symptoms. The precise etiology remains obscure, and a clear understanding of preoperative risk factors for C5P development does not exist. Purpose To determine whether postoperative C5P can be predicted from preoperative anteroposterior diameter (APD), foraminal diameter (FD), and/or cord-lamina angle (CLA). Study design Retrospective review. Patient sample Consecutive patients who underwent either anterior or posterior decompression surgery at C4-C5 for cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Outcome measures Development of C5P. Methods Blinded reviewers retrospectively assessed magnetic resonance images for each included patient's C4-C5 interspace, including the midline APD, the left and right FDs, and the left and right CLA. Multivariable logistic regression was used to model the probability of palsy on the basis of one or more predictors. A jackknife validation was performed to internally validate the model and assess its generalizability. Results A total of 98 patients fit the inclusion criteria; 12% had developed symptoms of C5 palsy postoperatively. Using the three variables in a predictor-model, we found that the odds ratio of having palsy for APD, FD, and CLA was 0.3, 0.02, and 1.4, respectively. For every 1-mm increase in APD and FD, the odds of developing palsy decrease 69% (p<.0001) and decrease 98% (p<.0003), respectively. In contrast, for every 1-degree increase in CLA, the odds of developing palsy increase by 43% (p<.0001). The receiver-operating characteristic curve for this three-variable model predicting development of palsy has an area under the curve (concordance index) of 0.97. After implementing a jackknife validation, the area under the curve was 95%. Conclusions This study is the first to use the combination of APD, FD, and CLA to predict development of postoperative C5 palsy after decompression surgery for patients with spondylotic myelopathy. This prediction formula may allow for better patient selection and to prepare patients that have an increased probability of developing this complication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background context: Decompressive procedures such as laminectomy, facetectomy, and costotransversectomy are routinely performed for various pathologies in the thoracic spine. The thoracic spine is unique, in part, because of the sternocostovertebral articulations that provide additional strength to the region relative to the cervical and lumbar spines. During decompressive surgeries, stability is compromised at a presently unknown point. Purpose: To evaluate thoracic spinal stability after common surgical decompressive procedures in thoracic spines with intact sternocostovertebral articulations. Study design: Biomechanical cadaveric study. Methods: Fresh-frozen human cadaveric spine specimens with intact rib cages, C7–L1 (n=9), were used. An industrial robot tested all spines in axial rotation (AR), lateral bending (LB), and flexion-extension (FE) by applying pure moments (±5 Nm). The specimens were first tested in their intact state and then tested after each of the following sequential surgical decompressive procedures at T4–T5 consisting of laminectomy; unilateral facetectomy; unilateral costotransversectomy, and subsequently instrumented fusion from T3–T7. Results: We found that in all three planes of motion, the sequential decompressive procedures caused no statistically significant change in motion between T3–T7 or T1–T12 when compared with intact. In comparing between intact and instrumented specimens, our study found that instrumentation reduced global range of motion (ROM) between T1–T12 by 16.3% (p=.001), 12% (p=.002), and 18.4% (p=.0004) for AR, FE, and LB, respectively. Age showed a negative correlation with motion in FE (r=−0.78, p=.01) and AR (r=−0.7, p=.04). Conclusions: Thoracic spine stability was not significantly affected by sequential decompressive procedures in thoracic segments at the level of the true ribs in all three planes of motion in intact thoracic specimens. Age appeared to negatively correlate with ROM of the specimen. Our study suggests that thoracic spinal stability is maintained immediately after unilateral decompression at the level of the true ribs. These preliminary observations, however, do not depict the long-term sequelae of such procedures and warrant further investigation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI), defined as blunt traumatic injury to the carotid or vertebral arteries, is associated with significant risk of stroke and mortality. Cervical spine trauma is a recognized risk factor for BCVI. The objective of this study was to identify significant predictors of BCVI and its sequelae in patients with known cervical spine injury. Patients from 2007 to 2018 with blunt cervical spine injury diagnoses were identified in the National Trauma Data Bank. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify patient baseline and injury characteristics associated with BCVI, stroke, and mortality. We identified 229,254 patients with cervical spine injury due to blunt trauma. The overall rate of BCVI was 1.6%. Factors associated with BCVI in patients with cervical spine injury included lower Glasgow Coma Scale, motor vehicle crash, higher Injury Severity Score, concomitant traumatic brain or spinal cord injury, and current smoking status. BCVI was a strong predictor of stroke (odds ratio, 8.2; 95% confidence interval, 5.7–12.0) and was associated with mortality (odds ratio, 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.3–2.2). Stroke occurred in 3.3% of patients with BCVI versus 0.02% for patients without BCVI. While BCVI is rare following cervical spine injury due to blunt trauma, it is a significant predictor of stroke and mortality. The risk factors associated with BCVI, stroke, and mortality identified here should be used in the development of more effective predictive tools to improve care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Context: Awake spine surgery is growing in popularity, and may facilitate earlier postoperative recovery, reduced cost, and fewer complications than spine surgery conducted under general anesthesia (GA). However, trends in the adoption of awake (ie, non-GA) spine surgery have not been previously studied.Purpose: To investigate temporal trends in non-GA spine surgery utilization and outcomes in the United States.Study Design/setting: A retrospective observational study.Patient Sample: Patients undergoing cervical or lumbar decompression or/and fusion from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database records dated 2005-2019.Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was the adoption trends of awake cervical and lumbar spine operations from 2005 to 2019. The secondary outcomes included the outcomes trends of 30-day complications, readmission rates, and length of stay in cervical and lumbar spine operations from 2005 to 2019.Methods: Patients were stratified into two groups: GA and non-GA (regional, epidural, spinal, monitored anesthesia care/intravenous sedation). Pearson chi-square or Fisher exact test and independent-sample t test were used to compare demographics between groups. Jonckheere-Terpstra test was used to determine whether trends and outcomes of non-GA operations from 2005 to 2019 were statistically significant. No non-GA spine operations were reported in the database from 2005 to 2006.Results: We included 301,521 patients who underwent cervical or lumbar spine operations from 2005 to 2019. GA was used in 294,903 (97.8%) operations; 6,618 (2.2%) operations were non-GA. Patients in the non-GA cohort were more likely to be younger (50.1 vs 57.2 years; p<.001), less likely to have American Society of Anesthesiologists classification ≥3 (39.7% vs 48.3%; p<.001), and to have lower BMI (27.8 vs 31.5 kg/m2; p<.001), outpatient admission status (10.8% vs 4.0%; p<.001), and fewer bleeding disorders (0.0% vs 1.2%; p<.001). The proportion of non-GA spine operations increased from nearly 0% in 2005 to 2.1% in 2019. The increase in non-GA operations was statistically significant in cervical (0.0%-1.1%) and lumbar (0.0%-2.9%) operations. For non-GA lumbar operations performed 2007-2019, 30-day complication rates, readmission rates, and mean length of stay all decreased (19.1%-5.4%, p<.05; 5.9%-2.8%, p<.05; 30.9 hours-24.9 hours, p<.05, respectively). Similarly, for non-GA cervical operations performed 2007-2019, 30-day complication rates, readmission rates, and mean length of stay all decreased (20.1%-6.1%, p<.05; 6.7%-3.7%, p<.05; 27.0-20.0 hours p<.05, respectively).Conclusions: Our trends analysis revealed increasing utilization and improved outcomes of non-GA spine surgery from 2005 to 2019; however, the proportion of non-GA spine operations remains small. Future research should investigate the barriers to adoption of non-GA spine surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background context Posterior cervical fusion (PCF) has been shown to be an effective treatment for cervical spondylosis, but is associated with a 9% complication rate and high costs. To limit such complications and costs, it is imperative that proper selection of surgical candidates occur for those most likely to do well with the surgery. Affective disorders, such as depression, are associated with worsened outcomes after lumbar surgery; however, this effect has not been evaluated in patients undergoing cervical spine surgery. Purpose To assess the predictive value of preoperative depression and the health state on 1-year quality of life (QOL) outcomes after PCF. Study design A retrospective cohort analysis. Patient sample Eighty-eight patients who underwent PCF for cervical spondylosis were reviewed. Outcome measures Preoperative and 1-year postoperative health outcomes were assessed based on the Pain Disability Questionnaire (PDQ), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the EuroQol five-dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire. Methods Univariable and multivariable regression analyses were performed to assess for preoperative predictors of 1-year change in health status. Results Compared with preoperative health states, the PCF cohort showed statistically significant improved PDQ (87.8 vs. 73.6), PHQ-9 (7.7 vs. 6.6), and EQ-5D (0.50 vs. 0.60) scores at 1 year postoperatively. Only 10/88 (11%) patients achieved or surpassed the minimum clinically important difference for the PHQ-9 (5). Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses showed that increasing PHQ-9 and EQ-5D preoperative scores were associated with reduced 1-year postoperative improvement in health status (EQ-5D index). Conclusions Of patients who undergo PCF, those with a greater degree of preoperative depression have lower improvements in postoperative QOL compared with those with less depression. Additionally, patients with better preoperative health states also attain lower 1-year QOL improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]