An international group of spine surgeons developed a classification system to quantify the invasiveness of degenerative lumbar spine procedures.
Roger Härtl, MD, director of spinal surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine and neurosurgical director of Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, helped develop the Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Invasiveness Classification, or MISS-INC (L), according to an Aug. 17 news release. The full study was published in Global Spine Journal.
The classification was developed through a modified Delphi process involving an international panel of 45 spine surgeons over three years. The group narrowed 16 initial factors to nine: operative time, number of approaches, blood loss, instrumentation, muscle dissection and access, anesthesia type, number of levels, fusion technique and revision status.
Each factor is scored from zero to two points. Procedures scoring under five are classified as minimally invasive, those scoring five to 10 are considered less invasive and those scoring above ten are considered more invasive. Every factor exceeded the predefined 75% consensus threshold, with agreement ranging from 80% to 100%.
The classification is intended primarily as a research tool for comparing invasiveness across procedures. Researchers could use it in future studies examining relationships between surgical invasiveness and outcomes such as complication rates and patient satisfaction, according to the release.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.
