Full-endoscopic spinal decompression or discectomy show benefits regarding 30-day readmission rates when compared to other spine surgery techniques: a propensity score matched analysis.

Background And Context: Unplanned readmission within 30 days following elective spine surgery is a key indicator of quality of care, as readmissions often signal early complications or poor recovery. The Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) utilizes this metric to assess hospital and surgeon performance.

Purpose: Here we aim to delineate quality of care metrics for full-endoscopic spine surgery (FESS) compared to traditional spine surgery.

Full-endoscopic spine-surgery in the elderly and patients with comorbidities.

Due to demographic changes, a growing number of elderly patients with comorbidities will require spine surgery in the next decades. However, age and multimorbidity have been associated with considerably worse postoperative outcomes, and is often associated with surgical invasiveness. Full-endoscopic spine-surgery (FESS), as a cornerstone of contemporary minimally invasive surgery, has the potential to mitigate some of these disparities.

Tips and tricks for using cement augmentation of pedicle screws and vertebral body replacements-A literature review supported by two case reports.

Background: The prevalence of osteoporosis is escalating alongside an aging global population, increasing the demand for spinal surgeries, including those necessitating cement augmentation for enhanced construct stability.

Objective: This article delves into the nuanced application of cement augmentation techniques for pedicle screws and vertebral body replacements (VBR), aimed at optimizing surgical outcomes in osteoporotic spines.

Method: Drawing from a comprehensive literature review according to important clinical and biomechanical studies and the authors' clinical experiences, we elucidate strategies to mitigate complications and improve surgical efficacy.

Tips and tricks for using cement augmentation of pedicle screws and vertebral body replacements-A literature review supported by two case reports.

Background: The prevalence of osteoporosis is escalating alongside an aging global population, increasing the demand for spinal surgeries, including those necessitating cement augmentation for enhanced construct stability.

Objective: This article delves into the nuanced application of cement augmentation techniques for pedicle screws and vertebral body replacements (VBR), aimed at optimizing surgical outcomes in osteoporotic spines.

Method: Drawing from a comprehensive literature review according to important clinical and biomechanical studies and the authors' clinical experiences, we elucidate strategies to mitigate complications and improve surgical efficacy.

90-Day Emergency Department Utilization and Readmission Rate After Full-Endoscopic Spine Surgery: A Multicenter, Retrospective Analysis of 821 Patients.

Background And Objectives: Emergency department (ED) utilization and readmission rates after spine surgery are common quality of care measures. Limited data exist on the evaluation of quality indicators after full-endoscopic spine surgery (FESS). The objective of this study was to detect rates, causes, and risk factors for unplanned postoperative clinic utilization after FESS.

[Slipped vertebrae (Spondylolysis): the underestimated weak point of the (pre)professional football player-an algorithm].

Background: Isthmic spondylolysis represents the most common cause of spinal pain in adolescent athletes. This article provides an overview of the classification, diagnosis, and treatment options for these conditions, including conservative and operative measures. It also provides a treatment pathway to how young athletes with spondylolysis should be treated.

Economic Implications of Dural Tears in Lumbar Microdiscectomies: A Retrospective, Observational Study.

Objective: Dural tears (DTs) are a frequent complication after lumbar spine surgery. We sought to determine the incidence of DTs and the related impact on health care expenditures after lumbar discectomies.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, all patients with first-time single-level lumbar discectomies at our institution who underwent minimally invasive surgery from 2015 to 2019 were reviewed.

The projected increase of vertebral osteomyelitis in Germany implies a demanding challenge for future healthcare management of aging populations.

Purpose: Since an increase in the occurrence of native vertebral osteomyelitis (VO) is expected and reliable projections are missing, it is urgent to provide a reliable forecast model and make it a part of future health care considerations.

Methods: Comprehensive nationwide data provided by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany were used to forecast total numbers and incidence rates (IR) of VO as a function of age and gender until 2040. Projections were done using autoregressive integrated moving average model on historical data from 2005 to 2019 in relation to official population projections from 2020 to 2040.

Smartphone applications for remote patient monitoring reduces clinic utilization after full-endoscopic spine surgery.

Introduction: The rising number of outpatient spine surgeries creates challenges in postoperative management and care. Telemedicine offers a unique opportunity to reduce in-person clinic visits and improve resource allocation. We aimed to investigate the impact of a validated smartphone application on clinic utilization following full-endoscopic spine surgery (FESS).

Pain alleviation and functional improvement: ultra-early patient-reported outcome measures after full endoscopic spine surgery.

Objective: Questions regarding anticipated pain improvement and functional recovery postsurgery are frequently posed in preoperative consultations. However, a lack of data characterizing outcomes for the first postoperative days only allows for anecdotal answers. Hence, the assessment of ultra-early patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) is essential for patient-provider communication and patient satisfaction.

Quality of life in lumbar spinal stenosis: Does it correlate with magnetic resonance imaging and spinopelvic parameters?

Purpose: Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a common degenerative spinal disorder with debilitating symptoms that can impact quality of life (QoL). However, the anatomical basis for typical complaints has been poorly quantified. This study aims to correlate QoL assessments of patients with LSS with radiographic spinopelvic parameters and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements.

Spinal Deformity, Surgery at the Cervicothoracic Junction, and American Society of Anesthesiologists Class Increase the Risk of Post-surgical Intensive Care Unit Treatment after Dorsal Spine Surgery: A Single-Center Multivariate Analysis of 962 Patients.

Study Design: This was a retrospective multivariate analysis of preoperative risk factors leading to intensive care unit (ICU) admissions in patients undergoing elective or acute dorsal spine surgery.

Purpose: Numerous studies have predicted a substantial increase in spine surgeries within the next decades, potentially overwhelming hospitals' resources, including ICU occupancy. Accurate estimates of whether patients need postsurgical ICU treatment are pivotal for both resource allocation and patient safety.

Severity of spinal degeneration does not affect the pain reduction under continuous epidural analgesia.

Purpose: To outline clinical effectiveness of continuous epidural analgesia (CEA) in patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) or lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) depending on severity of spinal degeneration.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, all patients with FBSS or LSS who underwent CEA within an inpatient rehabilitation program were evaluated. The pain reduction was measured by VAS on an hourly basis.

Validation of smartphone app-based digital patient reported outcomes in full-endoscopic spine surgery.

Purpose: Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are important tools to assess patient function, pain, disability, and quality of life. We aim to study the efficiency and validity of digital PROMs collection using a smartphone app compared to traditional paper PROMs.

Methods: Patients undergoing evaluation for full-endoscopic spine surgery were recruited from the outpatient clinic at Harborview Medical Center.

Remote patient monitoring following full endoscopic spine surgery: feasibility and patient satisfaction.

Objective: The utilization of telemedicine in healthcare has increased dramatically during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility to perform remote patient monitoring after full endoscopic spine surgery via a smartphone application that also allows communication with patients.

Methods: A smartphone application (SPINEhealthie) was designed at the University of Washington and used to collect patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and to provide chat communication between patients and their care team.

Clinical Trials Targeting Secondary Damage after Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often causes loss of sensory and motor function resulting in a significant reduction in quality of life for patients. Currently, no therapies are available that can repair spinal cord tissue. After the primary SCI, an acute inflammatory response induces further tissue damage in a process known as secondary injury.

Projections From Surgical Use Models in Germany Suggest a Rising Number of Spinal Fusions in Patients 75 Years and Older Will Challenge Healthcare Systems Worldwide.

Background: Spinal fusion is a well-established procedure in the treatment of degenerative spinal diseases. Previous research shows that the use of this operative treatment has been growing in recent decades in industrialized countries and has become one of the most cost-intensive surgical procedures. It seems that in some countries such as Germany-with its large, industrialized, European population-this increase is mainly driven by demographic changes with low fertility rates, increasing life expectancy, and an aging population.

Full-endoscopic spine surgery diminishes surgical site infections - a propensity score-matched analysis.

Background Context: Surgical site infections (SSI) are one the most frequent and costly complications following spinal surgery. The SSI rates of different surgical approaches need to be analyzed to successfully minimize SSI occurrence.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to define the rate of SSIs in patients undergoing full-endoscopic spine surgery (FESS) and then to compare this rate against a propensity score-matched cohort from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database.

A decrease in the neuroprotective effects of acute spinal cord decompression according to injury severity: introducing the concept of a ceiling effect.

Objective: Acute traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) is followed by a prolonged period of secondary neuroglial cell death. Neuroprotective interventions, such as surgical spinal cord decompression, aim to mitigate secondary injury. In this study, the authors explore whether the effect size of posttraumatic neuroprotective spinal cord decompression varies with injury severity.

Current evidence on where to end a fusion within the thoracolumbar junction most preferably - A systematic literature review.

Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) is one main complication in the surgical treatment of adult spinal deformities. Ending within the thoracolumbar junction (TLJ) should but cannot always be avoided to reduce the risk for PJK. With this systematic review we sought to define the most preferable vertebra within the TLJ to minimize the risk for PJK and establish recommendations based on our findings.

Long-term Radiological and Clinical Outcome after Lumbar Spinal Fusion Surgery in Patients with Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: A Prospective 6-Year Follow-up Study.

Objective: To assess which radiological alignment parameters are associated with a satisfactory long-term clinical outcome after performing lumbar spinal fusion for treating degenerative spondylolisthesis.

Methods: This single-center prospective study assessed the relation between radiological alignment parameters measured on standing lateral lumbar spine radiographs and the patient-reported outcome using four different questionnaires (COMI, EQ-5D, ODI and VAS) as primary outcome measures (level of evidence: II). The following spinopelvic alignment parameters were used: gliding angle, sacral inclination, anterior displacement, sagittal rotation, lumbar lordosis, sacral slope, pelvic tilt and pelvic incidence.

Bisphenol A-Related Effects on Bone Morphology and Biomechanical Properties in an Animal Model.

Bisphenol A (BPA), which is contained in numerous plastic products, is known to act as an endocrine-disruptive, toxic, and carcinogenic chemical. This experimental series sought to determine the influence of BPA exposure on the femoral bone architecture and biomechanical properties of male and female Wistar rats. BPA was applied subcutaneously by using osmotic pumps.

Feasibility of continuous epidural analgesia in patients with failed back surgery syndrome and spinal stenosis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to outline the feasibility of continuous epidural analgesia in the treatment of failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) or spinal stenosis.

Methods: We queried our prospective collected institutional database to include all consecutive patients, who underwent continuous epidural analgesia with accompanying intensive physiotherapeutic exercise within a timeframe of 4 years. Patients suffered from FBSS or spinal stenosis; protocolled continuous epidural analgesia was planned for 4 days within the framework of an inpatient multimodal pain therapy concept.