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Study Design: Systematic review., Objectives: The purpose of the current study is to determine the overall incidence of Heterotopic Ossification (HO) following cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) as well as per annum rates., Summary of Background Data: CDA is a well-established surgical modality for treatment of one- and two-level degenerative disc disease that has failed conservative treatment. Despite its proven mid-term clinical success, the potential for accelerated HO following CDA remains an area of clinical concern., Methods: A MEDLINE literature search was performed using PubMed, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Embase from January 1980 to February 2018. We included studies involving adult patients, who underwent CDA, documentation of HO, with >12 month follow-up. The pooled results were obtained by calculating the effect size based on the logit event rate. Per annum rates were determined based on weighted averages according to average follow-up period., Results: The initial database review resulted in 230 articles, with 19 articles that met inclusion and exclusion criteria. These pooled results included 2151-disc levels and 1732 patients (50% men and 50% women) who underwent CDA and were evaluated for postoperative HO. The mean age was 45 years with a mean follow-up of 60 months. Sixteen studies reported the occurrence of severe HO resulting in 22.8% of disc levels developing severe HO. When stratifying these studies based on funding type, severe HO was reported at a rate of 21.6% by IDE studies and 27.9% by independent studies., Conclusion: The findings of the pooled data show the incidence of severe HO following CDA to be 22.8%. However, there is a significant difference in reported rates of mild and severe HO between IDE and independent data. This alludes to possible underreporting of HO and severity of HO in the industry sponsored IDE studies when compared with independent studies., Level of Evidence: 2.

Objective: To evaluate the differences in surgical outcomes of patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy with and without congenital cervical spinal stenosis (CCSS)., Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained to conduct a retrospective chart review of patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy who underwent decompression and fusion surgeries from 2010-2016 at a single institution. CCSS was identified using the Torg-Pavlov ratio on lateral cervical radiographs. Pre- and postoperative outcome measures were assessed using the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) and the EuroQol 5-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D)., Results: Of 208 patients, Torg-Pavlov ratio identified 85 patients with CCSS. There were no significant differences between the CCSS patient and control patient groups in EuroQol 5-dimension questionnaire and mJOA scores at all 4 designated time points in the study (preoperative, earliest postoperative, 6 month postoperative, and 1 year postoperative). Although not statistically significantly, there was a notable trend for patients with CCSS to be less likely to have mJOA-defined severe myelopathy at the postoperative (odds ratio [OR], 0.75; P = 0.38), 6 month postoperative (OR, 0.66; P = 0.20), and 1 year postoperative (OR, 0.64; P = 0.14) time points., Conclusions: Postoperatively, compared with non-CCSS patients, patients with congenital cervical stenosis reported equal quality of life for all markers. Our findings suggest that in patients with CCSS and relatively mild symptoms of myelopathy, equal consideration should be given for surgical intervention. The findings of this study warrant further large-scale, multi-institutional investigation to further understand the generalizability of these surgical outcome results., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

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.)

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study using prospectively collected data., Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the association between preoperative depression and patient experience in a cervical spine surgery population., Summary of Background Data: The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey is used to measure patient experience and its scores directly influence reimbursement in the United States. Although it is well-established in the literature that untreated depression is associated with worse patient-reported outcomes in cervical spine surgery, no previous studies have analyzed the association between depression and patient satisfaction for these patients., Methods: HCAHPS survey responses from patients undergoing cervical spine surgery between 2013 and 2015 were collected at a tertiary care center. HCHAPS survey responses were linked to demographic data as well as patient-reported quality of life (QOL) metrics including Patient Health Questionnaire, EuroQol 5 Dimensions index, and Visual Analog Scale for neck pain for each patient. Preoperative PHQ-9 scores of ≥10 (moderate to severe depression) was used to define preoperative depression. Uni- and multivariable analyses were performed to investigate the association of preoperative depression and top-box scores on several dimensions on the HCAHPS survey., Results: In our 145-patient cohort, depressed patients were on average younger, had higher preoperative neck pain scores, and had a lower health-related QOL. Depressed patients were less likely to report satisfaction with questions related to doctor respect (P = 0.020) and doctors listening (P = 0.030). After adjusting for covariates, multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that patients with preoperative depression had lower odds of feeling respected by their physicians (odds ratio = 0.14, 95% confidence interval: 0.02-0.87, P = 0.035)., Conclusion: In patients undergoing cervical spine surgery, preoperative depression was found to have a negative association with patient perceptions of doctor communication as measured by the HCAHPS survey. These results highlight depression as a risk factor for worse patient experience communicating with their spine surgeon., Level of Evidence: 3.

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 Context: Degenerative changes in the cervical spine occur in an age-dependent manner. As the US population continues to age, the incidence of age-dependent, multilevel, degenerative cervical pathologies is expected to increase. Similarly, the average age of patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) will likely trend upward. Posterior cervical fusion (PCF) is often the treatment modality of choice in the management of multilevel cervical spine disease. Although outcomes following anterior cervical fusion for degenerative disease have been studied among older patients (aged 80 years and older), it is unknown if these results extend to octogenarian patients undergoing PCF for the surgical management of CSM., Purpose: The present study aimed to quantify surgical outcomes following PCF for the treatment of CSM among the octogenarian patient population compared with patients younger than 80 years old., Study Design/setting: This was a retrospective study that used the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP)., Patient Sample: The sample included patients aged 60-89 who had CSM and who underwent PCF from 2012 to 2014., Outcome Measures: The outcome measures were multimorbidity, prolonged length of stay (LOS), discharge disposition (to home or skilled nursing/rehabilitation facility), 30-day all-cause readmission, and 30-day reoperation., Methods: The NSQIP database was queried for patients with CSM (International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 721.1) aged 60-89 who underwent PCF (Current Procedural Terminology code 22600) from 2012 to 2014. Cohorts were defined by age group (60-69, 70-79, 80-89). Data were collected on gender, race, elective or emergent status, inpatientor outpatient status, where patients were admitted from (home vs. skilled nursing facility), American Society of Anesthesiologists class, comorbidities, and single- or multilevel fusion. After controllingfor these variables, logistic regression analysis was used to compare outcome measures in the different age groups., Results: A total of 819 patients with CSM who underwent PCF (416 aged 60-69, 320 aged 70-79, and 83 aged 80-89) were identified from 2012 to 2014. Of the PCF procedures, 79.7% were multilevel. There were no significant differences in the odds of multimorbidity, prolonged LOS, readmission, or reoperation when comparing octogenarian patients with CSM with patients aged 60-69 or 70-79. Patients aged 60-69 and 70-79 were significantly more likely to be discharged to home than patients over 80 (odds ratio [OR] 4.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.8-10.4, p<.0001, and OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.1-6.4, p=.0005, respectively)., Conclusions: Compared with patients aged 60-69 and 70-79, octogenarian patients with CSM were significantly more likely to be discharged to a location other than home following PCF. After controlling for patient comorbidities and demographics, 80- to 89-year-old patients with CSM who underwent PCF did not differ in other outcomes when compared with the other age cohorts. These results can improve preoperative risk counseling and surgical decision-making., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.)

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study., Objective: The primary objective of this study is to report the safety and efficacy of the different surgical approaches to cervical deformity correction surgery., Summary of Background Data: Cervical subaxial deformity surgery has been shown to be an effective means to alleviate pain and improve neurological function in symptomatic patients. The reported outcomes and complications for the different surgical approaches (ventral, dorsal, and combined) are limited to small retrospective studies. The appropriate surgical approach is at times unclear, which is likely attributed to the overlap in indications for the ventral and combined approach., Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 76 patients who underwent cervical deformity surgery for cervical kyphosis at 1 institution was performed. The authors reviewed the complications, radiographic outcomes, and long-term functional outcomes for all patients., Results: The majority of patients in all groups reported excellent (15%) or good (50%) outcomes, with a mean improvement in modified Japanese orthopedic association score of 1.3. There were 26 perioperative complications (34%) for 19 patients (25%). We found the ventral-alone and combined approaches to achieve similar degrees of correction (23.1 and 23.2 degrees, respectively). The combined approach had the highest complication rate of the 3 approaches (combined: 40%, ventral: 30%, dorsal: 27%). The dorsal, ventral, and combined approaches had a mean neurological improvement in modified Japanese orthopedic association scores of 1.95, 3.00, and 1.26, respectively, and mean pain improvement of 0.8, 2.0, and 1.4., Conclusions: Given the moderate improvements in long-term outcomes, and the risks for perioperative complications, we recommend a careful selection process for patients eligible for cervical deformity surgery. We found that the ventral approach has reduced complications, similar degree of correction capability, and potentially higher improved neurological outcomes compared to the combined approach.

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: Single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is an established surgical treatment for cervical myelopathy. Within 10 years of undergoing ACDF, 19.2% of patients develop symptomatic adjacent-level degeneration. Performing ACDF adjacent to prior fusion requires exposure and removal of previously placed hardware, which may increase the risk of adverse outcomes. Zero-profile cervical implants combine an interbody spacer with an anterior plate into a single device that does not extend beyond the intervertebral disc space, potentially obviating the need to remove prior hardware. This study compared the biomechanical stability and adjacent-level range of motion (ROM) following placement of a zero-profile device (ZPD) adjacent to a single-level ACDF against a standard 2-level ACDF., Methods: In this in vitro biomechanical cadaveric study, multidirectional flexibility testing was performed by a robotic spine system that simulates flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation by applying a continuous pure moment load. Testing conditions were as follows: 1) intact, 2) C5-6 ACDF, 3) C4-5 ZPD supraadjacent to simulated fusion at C5-6, and 4) 2-level ACDF (C4-6). The sequence of the latter 2 test conditions was randomized. An unconstrained pure moment of 1.5 Nm with a 40-N simulated head weight load was applied to the intact condition first in all 3 planes of motion and then using the hybrid test protocol, overall intact kinematics were replicated subsequently for each surgical test condition. Intersegmental rotations were measured optoelectronically. Mean segmental ROM for operated levels and adjacent levels was recorded and normalized to the intact condition and expressed as a percent change from intact. A repeated-measures ANOVA was used to analyze the ROM between test conditions with a 95% level of significance., Results: No statistically significant differences in immediate construct stability were found between construct Patterns 3 and 4, in all planes of motion (p > 0.05). At the operated level, C4-5, the zero-profile construct showed greater decreases in axial rotation (-45% vs -36%) and lateral bending (-55% vs -38%), whereas the 2-level ACDF showed greater decreases in flexion-extension (-40% vs -34%). These differences were marginal and not statistically significant. Adjacent-level motion was nearly equivalent, with minor differences in flexion-extension., Conclusions: When treating degeneration adjacent to a single-level ACDF, a zero-profile implant showed stabilizing potential at the operated level statistically similar to that of the standard revision with a 2-level plate. Revision for adjacent-level disease is common, and using a ZPD in this setting should be investigated clinically because it may be a faster, safer alternative.

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 perform an evidence-based synthesis of the literature assessing the cost-effectiveness of surgery for patients with symptomatic cervical degenerative disc disease (DDD)., Summary of Background Data: Cervical DDD is a common cause of clinical syndromes such as neck pain, cervical radiculopathy, and myelopathy. The appropriate surgical intervention(s) for a given problem is controversial, especially with regard to quality-of-life outcomes, complications, and costs. Although there have been many studies comparing outcomes and complications, relatively few have compared costs and, more importantly, cost-effectiveness of the interventions., Methods: We conducted a systematic search in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Collaboration Library, the Cost-Effectiveness Analysis registry database, and the National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database for full economic evaluations published through January 16, 2014. Identification of full economic evaluations that were explicitly designed to evaluate and synthesize the costs and consequences of surgical procedures or surgical intervention with nonsurgical management in patients with cervical DDD were considered for inclusion, based on 4 key questions., Results: Five studies were included, each specific to 1 or more of our focus questions. Two studies suggested that cervical disc replacement may be more cost-effective compared with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Two studies comparing anterior with posterior surgical procedures for cervical spondylotic myelopathy suggested that anterior surgery was more cost-effective than posterior surgery. One study suggested that posterior cervical foraminotomy had a greater net economic benefit than anterior cervical discectomy and fusion in a military population with unilateral cervical radiculopathy. No studies assessed the cost-effectiveness of surgical intervention compared with nonoperative treatment of cervical myelopathy or radiculopathy, although it is acknowledged that existing studies demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of surgical intervention for these 2 clinical entities., Conclusion: A paucity of high-quality economic literature exists regarding cost-effectiveness of surgical intervention for cervical DDD. Future research is necessary to validate the findings of the few studies that do exist to guide decisions for surgery by the physician and patient with respect to cost-effectiveness., Level of Evidence: 2.

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: Retrospective review., Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the morbidity and mortality rate associated with same day versus staged cervical circumferential approach., Summary of Background Data: A combined approach to the cervical spine is often indicated for complex cervical pathologies. Previous studies suggested superior results associated with same day combined surgery for thoracolumbar patients. This study examines the usefulness of p-Physiological and Operative Severity Score for enumeration of Morbidity and Mortality (POSSUM), an estimated mortality risk assessment for cervical spine patients and will compare same day surgery to staged procedures., Methods: This is a retrospective chart review including patients who underwent ventral and dorsal approach within 2 weeks. Estimated mortality was calculated using p-POSSUM. The cohort was divided into same day surgery group and staged group. Risk factors were compared between groups. Mean p-POSSUM was calculated and compared with the actual mortality rate. Univariate analysis was used to compare the risk factors between groups and the groups' outcomes. Multivariable analysis was used to adjust for risk factor differences when comparing group outcomes., Results: One hundred thirty-five patients were included, 106 patients were in the same day surgery group whereas 29 patients were in the staged group. Mean p-POSSUM was 2.8% predicted mortality with a 95% confidence interval of 1.6% to 4.1%. The actual mortality rate was 3.7%. The groups did not vary in most risk factors assessed. Univariate analysis demonstrated a statistically significantly higher rate of major complications (0.62 vs. 0.34, P=0.0369), infection (41.4% vs. 9.4%, P<0.0001), and length of hospital stay (9.3 vs. 6.8 d, P=0.0120) in the staged group. Multivariable analysis demonstrated significantly higher infection rate in the staged group., Conclusions: P-POSSUM mortality estimate may serve as a useful and valid tool for spine surgery studies. Staged combined cervical surgery harbors a higher complication rate and may be associated with lengthier hospitalization.

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.

Object: The C-7 lateral mass has been considered difficult to fit with instrumentation because of its unique anatomy. Of the methods that exist for placing lateral mass screws, none particularly accommodates this anatomical variation. The authors have related 12 distinct morphological measures of the C-7 lateral mass to the ability to place a lateral mass screw using the Magerl, Roy-Camille, and a modified Roy-Camille method., Methods: Using CT scans, the authors performed virtual screw placement of lateral mass screws at the C-7 level in 25 male and 25 female patients. Complications recorded included foraminal and articular process violations, inability to achieve bony purchase, and inability to place a screw longer than 6 mm. Violations were monitored in the coronal, axial, and sagittal planes. The Roy-Camille technique was applied starting directly in the middle of the lateral mass, as defined by Pait's quadrants, with an axial angle of 15° lateral and a sagittal angle of 90°. The Magerl technique was performed by starting in the inferior portion of the top right square of Pait's quadrants and angling 25° laterally in the axial plane with a 45° cephalad angle in the sagittal plane. In a modified method, the starting point is similar to the Magerl technique in the top right square of Pait's quadrant and then angling 15° laterally in the axial plane. In the sagittal plane, a 90° angle is taken perpendicular to the dorsal portion of the lateral mass, as in the traditional Roy-Camille technique., Results: Of all the morphological methods analyzed, only a combined measure of intrusion of the T-1 facet and the overall length of the C-7 lateral mass was statistically associated with screw placement, and only in the Roy-Camille technique. Use of the Magerl technique allowed screw placement in 28 patients; use of the Roy-Camille technique allowed placement in 24 patients; and use of the modified technique allowed placement in 46 patients. No screw placement by any method was possible in 4 patients., Conclusions: There is only one distinct anatomical ratio that was shown to affect lateral mass screw placement at C-7. This ratio incorporates the overall length of the lateral mass and the amount of space occupied by the T-1 facet at C-7. Based on this virtual study, a modified Roy-Camille technique that utilizes a higher starting point may decrease the complication rate at C-7 by avoiding placement of the lateral mass screw into the T1 facet.

Background: In today's health-care environment, operational efficiency is intrinsic to balancing the need for increased productivity driven by rising costs and potentially decreasing reimbursement. Other operational factors kept constant, decreasing the time for a procedure can be viewed as one marker for increased efficiency., Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the time and operating room efficiency differences between the two methods for intraoperative level localization. STYDY DESIGN: Prospective nonrandomized study., Patient Sample: Prospective consecutive patients undergoing a single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with plate and allograft., Outcomes Measures: Time for performance and interpretation of intraoperative localization radiograph., Methods: This is a prospective nonrandomized study of patients treated consecutively with a single-level ACDF with allograft and plating. All the patients underwent a conventional approach to the cervical spine. After exposure, a spinal needle was placed in the exposed intervertebral disc and a radiography was performed. Either a conventional or a digital radiography was used in each case., Results: Eighteen patients were enrolled in this study. Ten patients underwent localization with conventional radiography, whereas eight patients underwent localization with digital imaging. The mean time for conventional radiography was 823 seconds (standard deviation [SD], 159), and for digital, it was 100 seconds (SD, 34; p<.001)., Conclusions: Current technology provides options for level localization. Digital imaging provides equally accurate information as conventional radiography in a significantly reduced amount of time. Image quality, ease or archival, and manipulation provided by digital radiography are superior to those by provided fluoroscopy. Keeping operational factors constant, decreasing the time for a procedure, and increasing the efficiency of the environment may be viewed as a surrogate for improving the cost basis for a procedure.

Study Design: Morphometric and volumetric analysis., Objective: To define the morphometric and volumetric variance of the lateral masses of C5, C6, and C7., Summary of Background Data: Lateral mass screws are routinely placed throughout the subaxial cervical spine but the morphology of the C7 lateral mass is associated with greater difficulty in obtaining adequate purchase. Previous studies have suggested that modified techniques may be associated with better screw purchase in the C7 lateral mass and subsequent avoidance of complications such as foraminal intrusion and C7-T1 facet joint violation. It is necessary to systematically examine the morphometric and volumetric differences among lower cervical lateral masses in order to define the morphologic differences as this has implication with C7 lateral mass instrumentation., Methods: Morphometric and volumetric analysis was performed on computed tomography scans of the of the lateral masses of C5, C6, and C7 in 25 male and 25 female patients in the axial, coronal, and sagittal planes. Volumetric analysis was conducted by tracing the lateral mass at progressive 1 mm axial slices and images were linked for complex volume calculation., Results: At all levels and for all measurements, men and women differed significantly (P < 0.05). Between C5 and C6, sagittal height differed in both men and women, whereas axial articular process (AP) diameter differed only in males (9.2 mm at C5 vs. 10.5 mm at C6). C7 differed statistically from C5 and C6 as measurements increased in sagittal height, sagittal diagonal height, coronal height (women only), and axial AP diameter (women only). C7 measurements decreased relative to the other levels in medial-to-lateral measurements in the axial plane (12.8 vs. 11.5 mm in men, 11.4 vs. 10.5 mm in women), sagittal thickness and axial AP diameter only differed in women. Importantly, the angulation of the lower cervical spine decreases by approximately 6 degrees moving toward C7. There was no statistical difference in lateral mass volume between any of the vertebrae., Conclusion: The degree of cervical angulation represents a consistent and significant anatomic relationship in the lower cervical spine and may necessitate a modified surgical approach.

Object: Pseudarthrosis and construct failure following single-level anterior cervical discectomy, fusion, and plate placement (ACDFP) rarely occur. Routine postoperative anteroposterior and lateral radiographs may be an inconvenience to patients and expose them to additional and potentially unnecessary radiation. No standard exists to define when patients should obtain radiographs following an ACDFP. The authors hypothesize that routinely obtaining static anteroposterior and lateral radiographs in patients who recently underwent a single-level ACDFP without new axial neck pain or other neurological complaints or symptoms is unwarranted and does not alter the long-term treatment of the patient., Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed the charts and radiographs of patients who underwent a single-level ACDFP between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2005. All patients underwent a single-level ACDFP and had routine cervical radiographs obtained at various intervals after surgery., Results: Twenty-one patients underwent ACDFP at C5-6, 14 patients underwent surgery at C6-7, 11 patients at C4-5, and 7 patients at C3-4. None of the intraoperative radiographs demonstrated malposition of the graft or instrumentation. Based on subjective reporting by the patients, the vast majority (49 of 53) showed improvement in neck and arm pain, and/or neurological dysfunction following surgery. Overall, 5 patients (9%) demonstrated abnormalities on their postoperative radiographs. No patients were returned to the operating room as a result of postoperative radiographic findings. The sensitivity of plain radiographs in this patient series or the percentage of patients with new symptoms that had an abnormality related to the construct on plain radiography was 50%. The specificity of plain radiographs or the percentage of patients who were asymptomatic and had normal radiographs was 94%. The positive predictive value was 25%; that is, there was a 25% chance that patients with symptoms would have a construct abnormality on postoperative radiographs. The negative predictive value was 98%; that is, 98% of patients without symptoms will have normal radiographs., Conclusions: Pseudarthrosis and construct failure following single-level ACDFP occur rarely, and patients with new symptoms following surgery are as likely to have normal radiographic findings as they are to have abnormalities identified on their postoperative plain radiographs. Routinely obtaining postoperative radiographs at regular intervals in asymptomatic patients following single-level ACDFP does not appear to be warranted.

The article presents a study which identifies the complications in patients following the use of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) in spinal fusion surgery. The study conducted a systemic review of literatures published from 1990 to June 2009 in the Cochrane Collaboration Library, EMBASE and MEDLINE. Results show that multiple complications including resorption, subsidence and dysphagia are associated following the use of recombinant BMP-2 in lumbar and cervical spinal fusion surgery.

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]

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]

Several studies address the question of whether to extend a long-segment, posterior cervical fusions into the upper thoracic spine. Recommendations for appropriate caudal "end level" continue to vary. This systematic review seeks to compare fusion, reoperation and complication rates, estimated blood loss (EBL) and surgical time between multilevel instrumented fusions ending in the cervical spine and those that extend into the thoracic spine. Systematic review and Meta-analysis. Fusion, reoperation and complication rates, EBL and surgical time. A comprehensive computerized literature search through multiple electronic databases without date limits up until April Week 3 2020 using combinations of key search terms and inclusion/exclusion criteria was performed. Our comprehensive literature search yielded 3,852 studies. Of these, 8 articles consisting of 1,162 patients were included in the meta-analysis. In 61.2% of the patients the fusion did not cross the CTJ (the cervical end level CEL). In the remaining 38.8%, fusion extended into the upper thoracic spine (thoracic end level, TEL). Mean age of CEL group ranged from 57 to 67.8 years, and for TEL group, it was 55 to 65.3 years. Our direct analysis showed that odds of fusion were not statistically different between CEL and TEL groups (OR: 0.648, 95% CI: 0.336-1.252, p=0.197). Similarly, odds of reoperation (OR:0.726, 95% CI:0.493-1.068, p=0.104) and complication rates were similar between the two groups (OR:1.299, 95% CI:0.536-3.149, p=0.563). Standardized mean difference (SMD) for the blood loss (SMD: 0.728, 95% CI:0.554-0.901, p=0.000) and operative (SMD:0.653, 95% CI: 0.479-0.826, p=0.000) differed significantly between the two groups. The indirect analysis showed similar fusion (Effect Size (ES)crossing: 0.892, 95% CI: 0.840-0.928 vs ES not crossing:0.894, 95% CI:0.849-0.926); reoperation rate (EScrossing:0.112, 95% CI:0.075-0.164 vs ES not crossing: 0.125, 95% CI: 0.071-0.211) and complication rates (EScrossing: 0.108, 95% CI: 0.074-0.154 vs ES not crossing:0.081, 95% CI: 0.040-0.156). Our meta-analysis showed that fusion, complication and reoperation rates did not differ significantly between patients in whom multi-level posterior fusions ended in the cervical spine versus those of which was extended into the thoracic spine. The mean blood loss, operative time and length of stay were significantly lower in patients with caudal level as C7 or below, compared to their counterparts. These data suggest that, absent focal C7-T1 pathology, extension of long posterior cervical fusions into the thoracic spine may not be necessary. This abstract does not discuss or include any applicable devices or drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Understanding the timing of adverse event onset is a critical component of post-surgical care and discharge planning. As health-care systems continue to evolve toward rewarding quality of care through episode and bundled payments, spine surgeons face increasing pressure to minimize hospital length of stay following common yet costly procedures such as cervical laminoplasty. Although prior studies outline the incidence and predictors of postoperative complications following cervical laminoplasty, the time elapsed between surgery and adverse event onset remains unknown. PURPOSE To characterize the timing of postoperative complications following cervical laminoplasty. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING Retrospective cohort analysis using the 2012-2015 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. PATIENT SAMPLE The study included 1,243 patients undergoing cervical laminoplasty. OUTCOME MEASURES Outcome measures were rate and timing of postoperative complications, readmission, and reoperation. METHODS A retrospective cohort analysis of the NSQIP database for 2012-2015 was performed. Data from patients undergoing cervical laminoplasty was extracted with 12 outcomes selected a priori: stroke or CVA, MI,pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, UTI, deep vein thrombosis requiring therapy, sepsis, superficial SSI, deep SSI, organ space SSI, unplanned reoperation, and hospital readmission. Analysis was done to determine rate of adverse events, timing to adverse events, 30-day readmission rates and timing, and 30-day unplanned reoperation rates and timing. RESULTS A total of 1,243 patients undergoing cervical laminoplasty were identified for this study. The median day of diagnosis (lower quartile-upper quartile) for myocardial infarction was 2days (1–7 days), for pneumonia 4days (1–6 days), for pulmonary embolism 4days (3–13 days), for stroke or CVA 8 (4–14 days), unplanned reoperation 9.5 (4–16 days), urinary tract infection 10.5 (4–14.5 days), readmission 14 (6.5–18.5 days), deep incisional surgical site infection 16.5 (12–19 days), organ or space surgical site infection 18 (15–21 days), sepsis 18 (8–21 days), and superficial incisional surgical site infection 24 (20–26 days). CONCLUSIONS A value-based health-care system requires that physicians optimize patient outcomes while containing costs wherever possible. Decreasing postoperative length of stay has been a major focus of hospital systems and surgeons in their response to emerging alternative payment models. However, outcome-based reimbursement and penalties for hospital readmissions necessitate that surgeons not discharge a patient prematurely. The results of this study can help improve clinical decision-making by identifying the typical time frame during which adverse events develop following cervical laminoplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]