TY - JOUR
T1 - No difference in postoperative complications, pain, and functional outcomes up to 2 years after incidental durotomy in lumbar spinal fusion
T2 - A prospective, multi-institutional, propensity-matched analysis of 1,741 patients
AU - Adogwa, Owoicho
AU - Huang, Mary I.
AU - Thompson, Paul M.
AU - Darlington, Timothy
AU - Cheng, Joseph S.
AU - Gokaslan, Ziya L.
AU - Gottfried, Oren N.
AU - Bagley, Carlos A.
AU - Anderson, Greg D.
AU - Isaacs, Robert E.
PY - 2014/9/1
Y1 - 2014/9/1
N2 - Background Incidental durotomies occur in up to 17% of spinal operations. Controversy exists regarding the short- and long-term consequences of durotomies. Purpose The primary aim of this study was to assess the effect of incidental durotomies on the immediate postoperative complications and patient-reported outcome measures. Study design Prospective study. Patient sample A total of 1,741 patients undergoing index lumbar spine fusion were selected from a multi-institutional prospective data registry. Outcome measures Patient-reported outcome measures used in this study included back pain (BP-Visual Analog Scale), leg pain (LP-Visual Analog Scale), and Oswestry Disability Index. Methods A total of 1,741 patients were selected from a multi-institutional prospective data registry, who underwent primary lumbar fusion for low back pain and/or radiculopathy between January 2003 and December 2010. We collected and analyzed data on patient demographics, postoperative complications, back pain, leg pain, and functional disability over 2 years, with risk-adjusted propensity score modeling. Results Incidental durotomies occurred in 70 patients (4%). Compared with the control group (n=1,671), there was no significant difference in postoperative infection (p=.32), need for reoperation (p=.85), or symptomatic neurologic damage (p=.66). At 1- and 2-year follow-up, there was no difference in patient-reported outcomes of back pain (BP-Visual Analog Scale), leg pain (LP-Visual Analog Scale), or functional disability (Oswestry Disability Index) (p>.3), with results remaining consistent in the propensity-matched cohort analysis (p>.4). Conclusion Within the context of an on-going debate on the consequences of incidental durotomy, we found no difference in neurologic symptoms, infection, reoperation, back pain, leg pain, or functional disability over a 2-year follow-up period.
AB - Background Incidental durotomies occur in up to 17% of spinal operations. Controversy exists regarding the short- and long-term consequences of durotomies. Purpose The primary aim of this study was to assess the effect of incidental durotomies on the immediate postoperative complications and patient-reported outcome measures. Study design Prospective study. Patient sample A total of 1,741 patients undergoing index lumbar spine fusion were selected from a multi-institutional prospective data registry. Outcome measures Patient-reported outcome measures used in this study included back pain (BP-Visual Analog Scale), leg pain (LP-Visual Analog Scale), and Oswestry Disability Index. Methods A total of 1,741 patients were selected from a multi-institutional prospective data registry, who underwent primary lumbar fusion for low back pain and/or radiculopathy between January 2003 and December 2010. We collected and analyzed data on patient demographics, postoperative complications, back pain, leg pain, and functional disability over 2 years, with risk-adjusted propensity score modeling. Results Incidental durotomies occurred in 70 patients (4%). Compared with the control group (n=1,671), there was no significant difference in postoperative infection (p=.32), need for reoperation (p=.85), or symptomatic neurologic damage (p=.66). At 1- and 2-year follow-up, there was no difference in patient-reported outcomes of back pain (BP-Visual Analog Scale), leg pain (LP-Visual Analog Scale), or functional disability (Oswestry Disability Index) (p>.3), with results remaining consistent in the propensity-matched cohort analysis (p>.4). Conclusion Within the context of an on-going debate on the consequences of incidental durotomy, we found no difference in neurologic symptoms, infection, reoperation, back pain, leg pain, or functional disability over a 2-year follow-up period.
KW - CSF leak
KW - Complications
KW - Functional outcomes
KW - Incidental durotomy
KW - Long-term outcomes
KW - Patient reported outcomes
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U2 - 10.1016/j.spinee.2013.10.023
DO - 10.1016/j.spinee.2013.10.023
M3 - Article
C2 - 24189136
AN - SCOPUS:84906935576
SN - 1529-9430
VL - 14
SP - 1828
EP - 1834
JO - Spine Journal
JF - Spine Journal
IS - 9
ER -