Day Case Lumbar Fusion Surgery
This article published in World Neurosurgery evaluates the use of the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict outcomes from spinal fusion surgery. The study includes 4680 patients who underwent single-level, posterior-only lumbar fusion. Logistic regression analysis shows that increasing CCI is significantly associated with non-home discharge, readmissions, emergency department visits, and mortality. However, when comorbidity is isolated between matched cohorts, it is found that comorbid status did not affect readmissions, reoperations, or mortality. The study concludes that single-level, posterior lumbar fusions may be safe in appropriately selected patients regardless of comorbid status, and future research should investigate whether the CCI can guide discharge planning and postoperative optimization
Summarised by Mr Mo Akmal – Lead Spinal Surgeon
The London Spine Unit : innovative spine clinic in London
Published article
CONCLUSION: Comorbidity, measured by CCI, did not increase the risk of readmission, reoperation, or mortality. Single-level, posterior lumbar fusions may be safe in appropriately selected patients regardless of comorbid status. Future studies should determine whether CCI can guide discharge planning and postoperative optimization.
Lumbar Fusion Surgery Expert. Best Spinal Surgeon UK
World Neurosurg. 2023 Aug 17:S1878-8750(23)01146-4. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.08.044. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE: Preoperative management requires the identification and optimization of modifiable medical comorbidities, though few studies isolate comorbid status from related patient-level variables. This study evaluates Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) – an easily derived measure of aggregate medical comorbidity – to predict outcomes from spinal fusion,
World Neurosurg. 2023 Aug 17:S1878-8750(23)01146-4. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.08.044. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Preoperative management requires the identification and optimization of modifiable medical comorbidities, though few studies isolate comorbid status from related patient-level variables. This study evaluates Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) – an easily derived measure of aggregate medical comorbidity – to predict outcomes from spinal fusion surgery. Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM) is employed to control for key patient characteristics and isolate CCI.
METHODS: 4680 consecutive patients undergoing single-level, posterior-only lumbar fusion at a single academic center were retrospectively assessed. Logistic regression evaluated the univariate relationship between CCI and patient outcomes. CEM generated exact demographic matches between patients with high comorbid status (CCI>6) or no medical comorbidities (matched n=524). Patients were matched 1:1 on factors associated with surgical outcomes and outcomes were compared between matched cohorts. Primary outcomes included surgical complications, discharge status, 30- and 90-day risk of readmission, Emergency Department (ED) visits, reoperation, and mortality.
RESULTS: Univariate regression of increasing CCI was significantly associated with non-home discharge, as well as 30- and 90-day readmission, ED visits, and mortality (all p<0.05). Subsequent isolation of comorbidity between otherwise exact-matched cohorts found comorbid status did not affect readmissions, reoperations, or mortality; high CCI score was significantly associated with non-home discharge (OR=2.50, p<0.001) and 30- (OR=2.44, p=0.02) and 90- (OR=2.29, p=0.008) day ED evaluation.
CONCLUSION: Comorbidity, measured by CCI, did not increase the risk of readmission, reoperation, or mortality. Single-level, posterior lumbar fusions may be safe in appropriately selected patients regardless of comorbid status. Future studies should determine whether CCI can guide discharge planning and postoperative optimization.
PMID:37597658 | DOI:10.1016/j.wneu.2023.08.044
The London Spine Unit : innovative spine clinic in London
Read the original publication:
Relationship Between Comorbidity Burden and Short-Term Outcomes Across 4680 Consecutive Spinal Fusions