Sacral tumors: a comprehensive review of imaging, diagnostic challenges, and tumor mimics.

The sacrum can harbor a diverse group of both benign and malignant tumors, including metastases. Primary tumors of the sacrum can arise from bone, cartilage, marrow, notochordal remnants, or surrounding nerves and vessels. Among a variety of primary tumors of the spine, chordoma, germ cell tumors and Ewing's sarcoma are recognized for their propensity to occur in the sacrum.

Assessing a revised-risk analysis index for morbidity and mortality after spine surgery for metastatic spinal tumors.

Background: Risk Analysis Index (RAI) has been increasingly used to assess surgical frailty in various procedures, but its effectiveness in predicting mortality or in-patient hospital outcomes for spine surgery in metastatic disease remains unclear. The aim of this study was to compare the predictive values of the revised RAI (RAI-rev), the modified frailty index-5 (mFI-5), and advanced age for extended length of stay, 30-day readmission, complications, and mortality among patients undergoing spine surgery for metastatic spinal tumors.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed using the 2012-2022 ACS NSQIP database to identify adult patients who underwent spinal surgery for metastatic spinal pathologies.

Minimally Invasive Anterolateral Cervical Cordotomy for Intractable Cancer Pain Using Microtubular Retractors: A Single Institution Case Series.

Background And Objectives: As advancements in cancer treatments have allowed patients with a high burden of disease to live longer, the number of patients who present with debilitating refractory pain has increased. Anterolateral cordotomy has long been used for the treatment of intractable unilateral cancer pain using either an imaging-guided percutaneous approach or an open surgical approach. In this report, we describe a novel minimally invasive modification to the open surgical approach.

Racial disparities in the management and outcomes of primary osseous neoplasms of the spine: a SEER analysis.

Purpose: Primary osseous neoplasms of the spine, including Ewing's sarcoma, osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and chordoma, are rare tumors with significant morbidity and mortality. The present study aims to identify the prevalence and impact of racial disparities on management and outcomes of patients with these malignancies.

Methods: The 2000 to 2020 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Registry, a cancer registry, was retrospectively reviewed to identify patients with Ewing's sarcoma, osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, or chordoma of the vertebral column or sacrum/pelvis.

Racial/Ethnic Disparities Among Patients Undergoing Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion or Posterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: A National Administrative Database Analysis.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of racial disparities on surgical outcomes for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).

Methods: Adult patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) or posterior cervical decompression and fusion (PCDF) for CSM were identified from the 2016 to 019 National Inpatient Sample Database using the International Classification of Diseases codes. Patients were categorized based on approach (ACDF or PCDF) and race/ethnicity (White, Black, Hispanic).

Acceptability, feasibility and cost of point of care testing for sexually transmitted infections among South African adolescents where syndromic management is standard of care.

Background: Young people (YP) in southern Africa are at substantial risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Despite the epidemiological and biological link between STIs and HIV transmission and acquisition, infections such as Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) remain widely undiagnosed. Syndromic STI management is the standard of care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) despite a high prevalence of asymptomatic infections.

Novel Intrafraction Motion Tracking During Postoperative Spine Stereotactic Irradiation for a Patient With Carbon Fiber Fixation Hardware.

Carbon-fiber reinforced (CFR) polyetheretherketone hardware is an alternative to traditional metal hardware used for spinal fixation surgeries before postoperative radiation therapy for patients with spinal metastases. CFR hardware's radiolucency decreases metal artifact, improving visualization and accuracy of treatment planning. We present the first clinical use and proof of principle of CFR spinal hardware with tantalum markers used for successful tracking of intrafraction motion (IM) using Varian TrueBeam IMR (Intrafraction Motion Review) software module during postoperative spine stereotactic radiation.

Socioeconomic and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Perception of Health Status and Literacy in Spine Oncological Patients: Insights from the All of Us Research Program.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study was performed using the National Institutes of Health All of Us survey database.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess socioeconomic and racial disparities in the perception of personal health, health literacy, and healthcare access among spine oncology patients.

Summary Of Background Data: Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in health literacy and perception of health status have been described for many disease processes.

Differences in Outcomes and Health Care Resource Utilization After Surgical Intervention for Metastatic Spinal Column Tumor in Safety-Net Hospitals.

Study Design: Observational cohort study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between safety-net hospital (SNH) status and hospital length of stay (LOS), cost, and discharge disposition in patients undergoing surgery for metastatic spinal column tumors.

Summary Of Background Data: SNHs serve a high proportion of Medicaid and uninsured patients.

Prevalence and Influence of Frailty on Hospital Outcomes After Surgical Resection of Spinal Meningiomas.

Objective: Frailty has been shown to affect patient outcomes after medical and surgical interventions. The Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) is a growing metric used to assess patient frailty using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes. The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of frailty, assessed by HFRS, on health care resource utilization and outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for spinal meningiomas.

Feasibility, safety, and efficacy of circumferential spine stereotactic body radiotherapy.

Background: With advances in systemic therapy translating to improved survival in metastatic malignancies, spine metastases have become an increasingly common source of morbidity. Achieving durable local control (LC) for patients with circumferential epidural disease can be particularly challenging. Circumferential stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) may offer improved LC for circumferential vertebral and/or epidural metastatic spinal disease, but prospective (and retrospective) data are extremely limited.

Computational lumbar spine models: A literature review.

Background: Computational spine models of various types have been employed to understand spine function, assess the risk that different activities pose to the spine, and evaluate techniques to prevent injury. The areas in which these models are applied has expanded greatly, potentially beyond the appropriate scope of each, given their capabilities. A comprehensive understanding of the components of these models provides insight into their current capabilities and limitations.

Association of inpatient opioid consumption on postoperative outcomes after open posterior spinal fusion for adult spine deformity.

Introduction: Opioids are the most commonly used analgesic in the postoperative setting. However, few studies have analyzed the impact of high inpatient opioid use on outcomes following surgery, with no current studies assessing its effect on patients undergoing spinal fusion for an adult spinal deformity (ASD). Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate risk factors for high inpatient opioid use, as well as to determine the impact of high opioid use on outcomes such as adverse events (AEs), hospital length of stay (LOS), cost of hospital admission, discharge disposition, and readmission rates in patients undergoing spinal fusion for ASD.

Impact of Affective Disorders on Inpatient Opioid Consumption and Hospital Outcomes Following Open Posterior Spinal Fusion for Adult Spine Deformity.

Objective: Affective disorders (ADs) are common and have a profound impact on surgical recovery, though few have studied the impact of ADs on inpatient narcotic consumption. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of ADs on inpatient narcotic consumption and healthcare resource utilization in patients undergoing spinal fusion for adult spinal deformity.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed using the 2016-2017 Premier Healthcare Database.

Utilization of Machine Learning to Model Important Features of 30-day Readmissions following Surgery for Metastatic Spinal Column Tumors: The Influence of Frailty.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relative importance and predicative power of the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) on unplanned 30-day readmission after surgical intervention for metastatic spinal column tumors.

Methods: All adult patients undergoing surgery for metastatic spinal column tumor were identified in the Nationwide Readmission Database from the years 2016 to 2018.

Leveraging HFRS to assess how frailty affects healthcare resource utilization after elective ACDF for CSM.

Background Context: Frailty is a common comorbidity associated with worsening outcomes in various medical and surgical fields. The Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) is a recently developed tool which assesses frailty using 109 International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) comorbidity codes to assess severity of frailty. However, there is a paucity of studies utilizing the HFRS with patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).

Spine Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy to Three or More Contiguous Vertebral Levels.

Background: With survival improving in many metastatic malignancies, spine metastases have increasingly become a source of significant morbidity; achieving durable local control (LC) is critical. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) may offer improved LC and/or symptom palliation. However, due to setup concerns, SBRT is infrequently offered to patients with ≥3 contiguous involved levels.

Assessment of Frailty Indices and Charlson Comorbidity Index for Predicting Adverse Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Spine Metastases: A National Database Analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the predictive ability of Metastatic Spinal Tumor Frailty Index (MSTFI) and the Modified 5-Item Frailty Index (mFI-5) on adverse outcomes, compared with the known Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI).

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed using National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2011 to 2019. All adult patients undergoing various procedures for extradural spinal metastases were identified.

Toward an artificial intelligence-assisted framework for reconstructing the digital twin of vertebra and predicting its fracture response.

This article presents an effort toward building an artificial intelligence (AI) assisted framework, coined ReconGAN, for creating a realistic digital twin of the human vertebra and predicting the risk of vertebral fracture (VF). ReconGAN consists of a deep convolutional generative adversarial network (DCGAN), image-processing steps, and finite element (FE) based shape optimization to reconstruct the vertebra model. This DCGAN model is trained using a set of quantitative micro-computed tomography (micro-QCT) images of the trabecular bone obtained from cadaveric samples.

A digital twin for simulating the vertebroplasty procedure and its impact on mechanical stability of vertebra in cancer patients.

We present the application of ReconGAN, introduced in a previous study, for simulating the vertebroplasty (VP) operation and its impact on the fracture response of a vertebral body. ReconGAN consists of a Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Network (DCGAN) and a finite element based shape optimization algorithm to virtually reconstruct the trabecular bone microstructure. The VP procedure involves injecting shear-thinning liquid bone cement through a needle in the trabecular region to reinforce a diseased or fractured vertebra.

Differences in Health Care Resource Utilization After Surgery for Metastatic Spinal Column Tumors in Patients with a Concurrent Affective Disorder in the United States.

Background: Affective disorders, such as depression and anxiety, are exceedingly common among patients with metastatic cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between affective disorders and health care resource utilization in patients undergoing surgery for a spinal column metastasis.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed using the 2016-2018 National Inpatient Sample database.

Postoperative Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Spinal Metastasis and Predictors of Local Control.

Background: Spine surgery is indicated for select patients with mechanical instability, pain, and/or malignant epidural spinal cord compression, with or without neurological compromise. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is an option for durable local control (LC) for metastatic spine disease.

Objective: To determine factors associated with LC and progression-free survival (PFS) for patients receiving postoperative stereotactic spine radiosurgery.