The results of the study were drawn from 942 consecutive patients (ages 16 to 90) undergoing spine surgery in a 12-month period.
The study found:
- 14 mortalities occurred out of the 942 cases
- 87% of patients had at least one complication
- 73.5% of complications were postoperative
- 13.5% of postoperative complications were due to wound complication
- 8% of postoperative complications were due to delirium
- 7% of postoperative complications were due to pneumonia
- 5% of postoperative complications were due to neuropathic pain
- 4.5% of postoperative complications were due to dysphagia
- 3% of postoperative complications were due to neurological deterioration
- 10.5% of complications were intraoperative
- 4.5% of intraoperative complications were due to incidental durotomy
- 2.2% of intraoperative complications were due to blood loss
- 1.9% of intraoperative complications were due to hardware malposition
- 39% of the patient complications had a negative effect on patient length of stay
- Length of stay ranged from 1 to 221 days
- 13.5 days was the average length of stay
The study concluded that the rate of complication in spine surgery may have been previously underestimated.
More Articles on Spine:
Minimally Invasive vs. Open Posterior Lumbar Instrumentation & Fusion
Hospital for Special Surgery Holds International Meeting for Cervical Spine Surgery
6 Things for Spine Surgeons to Know for Thursday
