Clinical Study of Tianji Robotic-Assisted Surgery for Upper Cervical Spine Fractures

Object: To compare the safety, clinical efficacy, and complication rate of “Tianji” robot-assisted surgery with traditional open surgery in the treatment of cervical vertebrae fracture. Methods: 60 patients with upper cervical vertebrae fracture admitted to Baise People’s Hospital between November 2018 and April 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Among these patients, 29 underwent “Tianji” robot-assisted surgery (Robot group), and 31 underwent traditional C-arm fluoroscopy-assisted open surgery (Open group). Statistical analysis of the data was performed using SPSS 27.0 software to compare general data (gender, age, BMI), preoperative and postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, neck disability index (NDI), intraoperative blood loss, accuracy of screw placement on imaging, and the number of complications in both groups for comprehensive evaluation. A P value < 0.05 was deemed to have achieved statistical significance. Results: There was no significant difference in preoperative VAS scores between the two groups (Robot group: 8.34 ± 0.61;Open group: 8.26 ± 0.68, P = 0.317). There was also no significant difference in VAS scores at 1 week postoperatively (Robot group: 6.90 ± 0.31;Open group: 6.94 ± 0.36, P = 0.3237). Preoperative NDI scores showed no significant difference between the two groups (Robot group: 43.31 ± 2.67;Open group: 43.84 ± 2.67, P = 0.2227), and the difference in NDI scores at 1 week postoperatively was also not significant (Robot group: 35.69 ± 4.24;Open group: 37.35 ± 3.48, P = 0.0509). Intraoperative blood loss in the Robot group was significantly lower than in the Open group (246.21 ± 209 ml vs 380.65 ± 328.04 ml, P = 0.0308), with a statistically significant difference. The operation time was longer in the Robot group (3.75 ± 0.74 h) compared to the Open group (2.74 ± 0.86 h). In terms of screw placement accuracy, the Robot group had a higher accuracy rate for Class A screws compared to the Open group (102 screws vs 94 screws, P = 0.0487), and the accuracy rate for Class B screws was also higher in the Robot group (13 screws vs 29 screws, P = 0.0333), with both differences being statistically significant. There was no significant difference in the number of complications between the two groups (Robot group: 8 cases;Open group: 10 cases, P = 0.6931). Conclusion: Patients treated with “Tianji” robot-assisted surgery for upper cervical vertebrae fracture had lower intraoperative blood loss and higher screw placement accuracy compared to those undergoing traditional C-arm fluoroscopy-assisted open surgery, indicating that this robot-assisted surgery can effectively reduce intraoperative blood loss and improve screw placement accuracy.

Academic Stress Assessment Using Virtual Reality as an Educational Tool in Spine Surgery

Introduction: The evaluation of academic stress in medical students and residents is a topic of significant interest, given the considerable challenges they face during their learning process with traditional teaching methods. The use of technologies like virtual reality presents an opportunity to enhance their skills through simulations and training. The main objective of this study is to qualitatively assess the stress levels experienced by medical students and residents by integrating virtual reality into their current learning methods, aiming to improve their ability to manage stressors in their practice. Material and Methods: A questionnaire was conducted with 12 medical students and 12 Traumatology and orthopedics residents. The purpose of the questionnaire was to evaluate the levels of academic stress using the SISCO inventory. The stress levels were calculated by transforming average values into percentages, and the following criteria were assigned: 0 to 33% for Mild Stress, 34 to 66% for Moderate Stress, and 67 to 100% for Deep Stress. Then, a virtual reality class focused on spine surgery was provided. Both medical students and residents were trained using the Non Nocere SharpSurgeon software platform and Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality glasses. At the end of the session, a second questionnaire related to the practice with virtual reality was conducted with the same evaluation criteria and a comparative analysis was carried out. Results: 12 undergraduate students from Hospital Angeles Mexico, CDMX and 12 traumatology and orthopedics residents at Hospital Santa Fe, Bogota were evaluated. The students in CDMX reported an average qualitative stress of 28.50% during habitual practices, which decreased to an average of 14.67% after virtual reality practice. Residents in Bogotá experienced an average qualitative stress of 30.50% with their current learning methods but this reduced to an average of 13.92% after using virtual reality. These findings indicate that the use of virtual reality has a positive impact on reducing stress levels qualitatively. Conclusions: The use of virtual reality as a learning method for medical students and residents qualitatively improves stress levels. Further studies are required to define the potential uses of Virtual Reality to improve learning methods and emotional state in medical students and residents and for a quantitative assessment to validate the training as certified learning methods.

Background,techniques,applications,current trends,and future directions of minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery:A review of literature

Across many of the surgical specialties,the use of minimally invasive techniques that utilize indirect visualization has been increasingly replacing traditional techniques which utilize direct visualization.Arthroscopic surgery of the appendicular skeleton has evolved dramatically and become an integral part of musculoskeletal surgery over the last several decades,allowing surgeons to achieve similar or better outcomes,while reducing cost and recovery time.However,to date,the axial skeleton,with its close proximity to critical neural and vascular structures,has not adopted endoscopic techniques at as rapid of a rate.Over the past decade,increased patient demand for less invasive spine surgery combined with surgeon desire to meet these demands has driven significant evolution and innovation in endoscopic spine surgery.In addition,there has been an enormous advancement in technologies that assist in navigation and automation that help surgeons circumvent limitations of direct visualization inherent to less invasive techniques.There are currently a multitude of endoscopic techniques and approaches that can be utilized in the treatment of spine disorders,many of which are evolving rapidly.Here we present a review of the field of endoscopic spine surgery,including the background,techniques,applications,current trends,and future directions,to help providers gain a better understanding of this growing modality in spine surgery.

Effect of cervical spine surgery on the biomechanics of the cervical spine

In clinical practice,cervical spine surgery inevitably alters the original physiological structure of the cervical spine,thus causing changes in the original biomechanical properties of the cervical spine.The biomechanical properties of the cervical spine are particularly significant as it is an essential structure that supports the head and connects the trunk.Different cervical spine surgery options can have different effects on the biomechanics of the cervical spine.Therefore,this review will discuss recent research advances on the effects of cervical spine surgery on cervical spine biomechanics.We hope that this review will provide some theoretical basis for future studies on the biomechanical effects of cervical spine surgery on the cervical spine.

Perioperative outcomes in minimally invasive lumbar spine surgery: A systematic review

AIM: To compare minimally invasive(MIS) and open techniques for MIS lumbar laminectomy, direct lateral and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion(TLIF) surgeries with respect to length of surgery, estimated blood loss(EBL), neurologic complications, perioperative transfusion, postoperative pain, postoperative narcotic use, and length of stay(LOS).METHODS: A systematic review of previously published studies accessible through Pub Med was performed. Only articles in English journals or published with English language translations were included. Level of evidence of the selected articles was assessed. Statistical data was calculated with analysis of variance with P < 0.05 considered statistically significant.RESULTS: A total of 11 pertinent laminectomy studies, 20 direct lateral studies, and 27 TLIF studies were found. For laminectomy, MIS techniques resulted in a significantly longer length of surgery(177.5 min vs 129.0 min, P = 0.04), shorter LOS(4.3 d vs 5.3 d, P = 0.01) and less perioperative pain(visual analog scale: 16 ± 17 vs 34 ± 31, P = 0.04). There is evidence of decreased narcotic use for MIS patients(postoperative intravenous morphine use: 9.3 mg vs 42.8 mg), however this difference is of unknown significance. Direct lateral approaches have insufficient comparative data to establish relative perioperative outcomes. MIS TLIF had superior EBL(352 mL vs 580 mL, P < 0.0001) and LOS(7.7 d vs 10.4 d, P < 0.0001) and limited data to suggest lower perioperative pain.CONCLUSION: Based on perioperative outcomes data, MIS approach is superior to open approach for TLIF. For laminectomy, MIS and open approaches can be chosen based on surgeon preference. For lateral approaches, there is insufficient evidence to find noninferior perioperative outcomes at this time.

Positioning patients for spine surgery: Avoiding uncommon position-related complications

Positioning patients for spine surgery is pivotal for optimal operating conditions and operative-site exposure. During spine surgery, patients are placed in positions that are not physiologic and may lead to complications. Perioperative peripheral nerve injury(PPNI) and postoperative visual loss(POVL) are rare complications related to patient positioning during spine surgery that result in significant patient disability and functional loss. PPNI is usually due to stretch or compression of the peripheral nerve. PPNI may present as a brachial plexus injury or as an isolated injury of single nerve, most commonly the ulnar nerve. Understanding the etiology, mechanism and pattern of injury with each type of nerve injury is important for the prevention of PPNI. Intraoperative neuromonitoring has been used to detect peripheral nerve conduction abnormalities indicating peripheral nerve stress under general anesthesia and to guide modification of the upper extremity position to prevent PPNI. POVL usually results in permanent visual loss. Most cases are associated with prolonged spine procedures in the prone position under general anesthesia. The most common causes of POVL after spine surgery are ischemic optic neuropathy and central retinal artery occlusion. Posterior ischemic opticneuropathy is the most common cause of POVL after spine surgery. It is important for spine surgeons to be aware of POVL and to participate in safe, collaborative perioperative care of spine patients. Proper education of perioperative staff, combined with clear communication and collaboration while positioning patients in the operating room is the best and safest approach. The prevention of uncommon complications of spine surgery depends primarily on identifying high-risk patients, proper positioning and optimal intraoperative management of physiological parameters. Modification of risk factors extrinsic to the patient may help reduce the incidence of PPNI and POVL.

Perioperative visual loss after spine surgery

Perioperative visual loss(POVL) is an uncommon, but devastating complication that remains primarily associated with spine and cardiac surgery. The incidence and mechanisms of visual loss after surgery remain difficult to determine. According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists Postoperative Visual Loss Registry, the most common causes of POVL in spine procedures are the two different forms of ischemic optic neuropathy: anterior ischemic optic neuropathy and posterior ischemic optic neuropathy, accounting for 89% of the cases. Retinal ischemia, cortical blindness, and posterior reversible encephalopathy are also observed, but in a small minority of cases. A recent multicenter case control study has identified risk factors associated with ischemic optic neuropathy for patients undergoing prone spinal fusion surgery. These include obesity, male sex, Wilson frame use, longer anesthetic duration, greater estimated blood loss, and decreased percent colloid administration. These risk factors are thought to contribute to the elevation of venous pressure and interstitial edema, resulting in damage to the optic nerve by compression of the vessels that feed the optic nerve, venous infarction or direct mechanical compression. This review will expand on these findings as well as the recently updated American Society of Anesthesiologists practice advisory on POVL. There are no effectivetreatment options for POVL and the diagnosis is often irreversible, so efforts must focus on prevention and risk factor modification. The role of crystalloids versus colloids and the use of α-2 agonists to decrease intraocular pressure during prone spine surgery will also be discussed as a potential preventative strategy.

Pulmonary complications after spine surgery

Spine surgery is one of the fastest growing branches of orthopedic surgery. Patients often present with a relatively high acuity and, depending on surgical approach, morbidity and mortality can be comparatively high. Among the most prevalent and most frequently fatalitybound perioperative complications are those affecting the pulmonary system; evidence of clinical or subclinical lung injury triggered by spine surgical procedures is emerging. Increasing burden of comorbidity among the patient population further increases the likelihood of adverse outcome. This review is intended to give an overview over some of the most important causes of pulmonary complications after spine surgery, their pathophysiology and possible ways to reduce harm associated with those conditions. We discuss factors surrounding surgical trauma, timing of surgery, bone marrow and debris embolization, transfusion associated lung injury, and ventilator associated lung injury.

Comparative induction of controlled circulation by magnesium and remifentanil in spine surgery

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of magnesium sulfate(MGS) in comparison with remifentanil for induction of relative hypotension in posterior fusion of spine(PSF).METHODS: In this randomized clinical trial, 40 patients with the American Society of Anesthesiologists Ⅰ and Ⅱ physical status undergoing lumbar PSF were randomized to receive remifentanil(REM) 0.15 μg/kg or MGS 50 mg/kg for controlled hypotension. The administering anesthesiologist was blinded to the medication. Continuous infusion was maintained at a fixed volume rate to deliver precalculated doses of either study drugs. All other aspects of anesthesia and surgery were similar in the two groups. The target mean arterial pressure(MAP) range used in this study was 60-70 mm Hg. In the course of surgery, the hemodynamic variables, volumeof blood loss, urine output, fluid intake and surgeon's satisfaction were recorded. Data was analyzed with SPSS version 13.0 and P values less than 0.05 were considered significant.RESULTS: Twenty patients in the MGS group and 19 patients in the REM group were studied. There was no difference between the two groups in the hemodynamic variables, blood loss, urine output, fluid requirement and surgeon's satisfaction for exposure. The target MAP was achieved in 75% of Mg and 58% of remifentanil groups. Although a higher number of patients in the REM group required nitroglycerin(42.1%) to reach the target MAP than those in the MGS group(25%), this difference was not statistically significant(P = 0.32).CONCLUSION: Our findings showed that in patients undergoing lumbar PSF surgery, remifentanil and MGS have a similar hypotensive effect and comparable amount of blood loss without any significant adverse effects.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Spine Surgery for Lumbar Disc Herniation and Lumbar Spine Stenosis: Emphasizing on Clinical Outcomes of Transforaminal Technique

Lumbar Disc Herniation and Lumbar Spine Stenosis are the most common spine diseases which are mainly due to age related Spine degeneration. Diagnosis of both Lumbar Disc Herniation and Lumbar Spine Stenosis depends on clinical findings as well as radiological investigations. Treatment of choice of these conditions is on the basis of the patient conditions. Surgical treatment is the option only when the conservative treatment does not improve the patient’s clinical condition. Advancement and improvement of the technology have resulted in the traditional open surgical treatment into minimal invasive surgery. Intervention of the different surgical instruments with expert spinal surgeons had made percutaneous endoscopic lumbar Spine surgery as one of the preferred choices of surgery for treating Lumbar Disc Herniation and Lumbar Spine Stenosis. The concept of percutaneous endoscopic surgery for lumbar region is to provide surgical options without producing iatrogenic morbidity associated with the open surgical procedures. Conventionally, there are different approaches/techniques for Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Spine Surgery, but in this review we are mainly focusing on the Transforaminal Technique. Regarding the Lumbar Disc Herniation treatment with transforaminal approach, a number of articles have been published due to which we mainly focused on those articles which were published after 2009 onwards. While fewer articles related to Lumbar Spine Stenosis treatment with Transforaminal approach were found, we tried to brief out all those articles. On the basis of comparative study of different surgeries done for Lumbar Disc Herniation and Lumbar Spine Stenosis, Percutaneous Transforaminal endoscopic Lumbar Surgery provides a substantial benefit. Transforaminal approach for treating Lumbar Disc Herniation and Lumbar Spine Stenosis is safe and effective. The Percutaneous Transforaminal Endoscopic Lumbar Surgery has advantage as it is performed under local anesthesia with shorter length of hospitalization and early return to normal life. The clinical outcome of the patient that underwent Percutaneous Transforaminal Endoscopic Lumbar Surgery for Lumbar Disc Herniation and Lumbar Spine Stenosis is quite good in regard of its fewer complication and more benefits.

Indocyanine green:The guide to safer and more effective surgery

In this editorial we comment on the article by Kalayarasan and co-workers published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.The authors present an interesting review on the use of indocyanine green fluo-rescence in different aspects of abdominal surgery.They also highlight future perspectives of the use of indocyanine green in mini-invasive surgery.Indo-cyanine green,used for fluorescence imaging,has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and is safe for use in humans.It can be administered in-travenously or intra-arterially.Since its advent,there have been several advance-ments in the applications of indocyanine green,especially in the surgical field,such as intraoperative mapping and biopsy of sentinel lymph node,measurement of hepatic function prior to resection,in neurosurgical cases to detect vascular anomalies,in cardiovascular cases for patency and assessment of vascular ab-normalities,in predicting healing following amputations,in helping visualization of hepatobiliary anatomy and blood vessels,in reconstructive surgery,to assess flap viability and for the evaluation of tissue perfusion following major trauma and burns.For these reasons,the intraoperative use of indocyanine green has become common in a variety of surgical specialties and transplant surgery.Co-lorectal surgery has just lately begun to adopt this technique,particularly for perfusion visualization to prevent anastomotic leakage.The regular use of in-docyanine green coupled with fluorescence angiography has recently been pro-posed as a feasible tool to help improve patient outcomes.Using the best available data,it has been shown that routine use of indocyanine green in colorectal surgery reduces the rates of anastomotic leak.The use of indocyanine green is proven to be safe,feasible,and effective in both elective and emergency scenarios.However,additional robust evidence from larger-scale,high-quality studies is essential before incorporating indocyanine green guided surgery into standard practice.

Vitamin D and spine surgery

Vitamin D is crucial for musculoskeletal health, maintenance, and function. Vitamin D insufficiency is common among patients undergoing spine surgery and the ideal vitamin D level for spine surgery has yet to be investigated. There is a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in patients with musculoskeletal pain regardless of surgical intervention. With the frequency and costs of spine surgery increasing, it is imperative that efforts are continued to reduce the impact on patients and healthcare services. Studies into vitamin D and its associations with orthopaedic surgery have yielded alarming findings with regards to the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. Importantly, altered vitamin D status also contributes to a wide range of disease conditions. Therefore, future investigations are still essential for better understanding the relationship between vitamin D and spine surgery outcomes. Whilst further research is required to fully elucidate the extent of the effects of hypovitaminosis D has on surgical outcomes, it is strongly advisable to reduce the impacts by appropriate vitamin D supplementation of deficient and at-risk patients.

Erector spinae plane block at lower thoracic level for analgesia in lumbar spine surgery: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND Patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery usually suffer severe pain in the postoperative period.The erector spinae plane block(ESPB),first published in 2016,can anesthetize the ventral and dorsal rami of thoracic nerves and produce an extensive multi-dermatomal sensory block.AIM To assess whether bilateral ultrasound-guided ESPB at a lower thoracic level could improve pain control and quality of recovery in patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery.METHODS A total of 60 patients aged 18-80 years scheduled to undergo lumbar spine surgery with general anesthesia were randomly assigned to two groups:ESPB group(preoperative bilateral ultrasound-guided ESPB at T10 vertebral level)and control group(no preoperative ESPB).Both groups received standard general anesthesia.The main indicator was the duration to the first patient controlled intravenous analgesia(PCIA)bolus.RESULTS In the ESPB group,the duration to the first PCIA bolus was significantly longer than that in the control group(h)[8.0(4.5,17.0)vs 1.0(0.5,6),P<0.01],and resting and coughing numerical rating scale(NRS)scores at 48 h post operation were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding resting and coughing NRS scores at 24 h post operation.Sufentanil consumption during the operation was significantly lower in the ESPB group than in the control group(P<0.01),while there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding morphine consumption at 24 or 48 h post operation.In the ESPB group,Modified Observer’s Assessment of Alertness/Sedation score within 20 min after extubation was higher and duration in the post-anesthesia care unit was shorter than those in the control group(P<0.01).CONCLUSION In patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery,ultrasound-guided ESPB at a lower thoracic level improves the analgesic effect,reduces opioid consumption,and improves postoperative recovery.

Full-endoscopic spine surgery treatment of lumbar foraminal stenosis after osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures:A case report

BACKGROUND Few reports have described lumbar foraminal stenosis-induced radiculopathy after treatment by full-endoscopic spine surgery(FESS)combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty(PVP)in patients with vertebral compression fractures.We herein report such a case,including the patient’s treatment process and doctor’s surgical experience.CASE SUMMARY A 79-year-old man presented with symptoms of radiculopathy after sustaining L4 vertebral compression fractures.Imaging and physical examination revealed L4 vertebral compression fractures combined with L3/4 Lumbar foraminal stenosis(LFS).The patient’s symptoms were low back pain with pain in the lateral left leg.Although many reports have described radiculopathy induced by osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures,the use of FESS combined with PVP has rarely been reported.This case report indicates that the combination of FESS and PVP is a safe and effective approach for the treatment of LFS-induced radiculopathy after vertebral compression fractures.This minimally invasive technique has great potential to replace traditional lumbar fixation and decompression surgery.Thus,we suggest the continued accumulation of similar cases to discuss the wider application of FESS.CONCLUSION For patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture(OVCF)and LFS,PVP and FESS can be used to restore the vertebral height and reduce the pressure around the intervertebral foramen.Additionally,the combination of FESS and PVP can treat the pain or numbness of the low back and lower limbs and allow for recovery in a short time with excellent postoperative effects.In general,FESS is a good treatment for radiculopathy caused by foraminal stenosis after OVCF.

Vitamin B12 Screening in Cervical Spine Surgery Patients

Introduction Vitamin B12 is very vital for the nervous system. Its deficiency can manifest with neurological symptoms like pain and paresthesias and in severe cases may cause not completely restorable neurological damage, especially in elderly patients. Methods The charts of 702 patients who underwent cervical spine surgery retrospectively reviewed and data collected . All patients were preoperatively seen by an internist who ordered Vit B12 levels for some of them. We used two thresholds for the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency, 200 and 300 pg/mL as recommended by Yao et al. 1992. Data were also collected on gender, payor status, myelopathy, hemoglobin level, corpuscular parameters and glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c). Vitamin B12 levels were compared between patients with HbA1c levels ≥ 6.1% and <6.1%. Differences between patients ≥ and < than the median age were studied. The median age of the patient cohort was 52. Results Hemoglobin level was recorded for 659 patients. Vit B12 levels were ordered for 291 patients only. Overall, 13.7% had decreased hemoglobin level (anemia), 30.2% had decreased Vit B12 levels by the 300 threshold, 6.9% had decreased Vit B12 levels by the 200 threshold, 6.3% decreased MCV (microcytosis), and 2.8% increased MCV (macrocytosis). Only four patients (0.7%), of whom older than 52, had decreased hemoglobin level and increased MCV (macrocytic anemia) and one patient (0.4%), who was also older than 52, had decreased hemoglobin level, increased MCV and Vit B12 level < 200 pg/mL (macrocytic anemia duo to Vit B12 deficiency). Dividing the patient sample into three age groups, <40, 40-59, and ≥ 60 years, we investigated the trend of cobalamin deficiency by age and found an increase in cobalamin deficiency after 40 from 0% to 7.4% (200 threshold). Uninsured patients (25%) using the 200 pg/mL threshold and workers’ compensation (54.5%) and uninsured patients (50.0%) had the highest rate of Vit B12 deficiency using the 300 pg/mL threshold. The few patients with macrocytic anemia (N=4) and macrocytic anemia due to Vit B12 deficiency (N=1) had health coverage. Conclusion Vit B12 deficiency in cervical spine surgery patients may not necessarily mean macrocytic anemia but may precede macrocytic anemia. Therefore, Vit B12 deficiency screening on the preoperative visit is warranted especially in uninsured or older patients or both. Preoperative treatment may be indicated and correlation with postoperative outcome is suggested for future research.

New direction for surgery:Super minimally invasive surgery

The top goal of modern medicine is treating disease without destroying organ structures and making patients as healthy as they were before their sickness.Minimally invasive surgery(MIS)has dominated the surgical realm because of its lesser invasiveness.However,changes in anatomical structures of the body and reconstruction of internal organs or different organs are common after traditional surgery or MIS,decreasing the quality of life of patients post-operation.Thus,I propose a new treatment mode,super MIS(SMIS),which is defined as“curing a disease or lesion which used to be treated by MIS while preserving the integrity of the organs”.In this study,I describe the origin,definition,operative channels,advantages,and future perspectives of SMIS.

The role of nursing in enhanced recovery after surgery programs in accordance with spine surgery: A mini review

Spine surgery is typically having a relationship to high degrees of pain and immobility.It is a known fact that the implementation of an enhanced recovery after surgery(ERAS)approach has led to a paradigm shift in various surgical specialties.These protocols require doctors,nurses,anesthesiologists,patients,and their families to agree to strengthen communication with each other,and involve a long timeline and teamwork from start to finish.To our knowledge,the role of nursing in the ERAS of spine surgery has not been reported before.The purpose of this study is to summarize the role of nursing in ERAS programs in accordance with surgical periods.The methods applied for this review include literature review of the world’s acknowledged databases such as Springer Link,PubMed,Embase,and Wanfang,especially in the period of 2000-2015.A total of 9 studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included in the review.The findings confirm that the nursing work continued throughout the perioperative procedure,which plays a key role in the successful ERAS pathway.According to different nursing measures,ERAS nursing can effectively promote the postoperative recovery of spine surgical patients,with fewer postoperative complications and increased patient satisfaction.

Microvascular response to transfusion in elective spine surgery

AIM To investigate the microvascular(skeletal muscle tissue oxygenation; SmO_2) response to transfusion in patients undergoing elective complex spine surgery.METHODS After IRB approval and written informed consent, 20 patients aged 18 to 85 years of age undergoing > 3level anterior and posterior spine fusion surgery were enrolled in the study. Patients were followed throughout the operative procedure, and for 12 h postoperatively. In addition to standard American Society of Anesthesiologists monitors, invasive measurements including central venous pressure, continual analysis of stroke volume(SV), cardiac output(CO), cardiac index(CI), and stroke volume variability(SVV) was performed. To measure skeletal muscle oxygen saturation(SmO_2) during the study period, a non-invasive adhesive skin sensor based on Near Infrared Spectroscopy was placed over the deltoid muscle for continuous recording of optical spectra. All administration of fluids and blood products followed standard procedures at the Hospital for Special Surgery, without deviation from usual standards of care at the discretion of the Attending Anesthesiologist based on individual patient comorbidities, hemodynamic status, and laboratory data. Time stamps were collected for administration of colloids and blood products, to allow for analysis of SmO_2 immediately before, during, and after administration of these fluids, and to allow for analysis of hemodynamic data around the same time points. Hemodynamic and oxygenation variables were collected continuously throughout the surgery, including heart rate, blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, SV, CO, CI, SVV, and SmO_2. Bivariate analyses were conducted to examine the potential associations between the outcome of interest, SmO_2, and each hemodynamic parameter measured using Pearson's correlation coeffi-cient, both for the overall cohort and within-patients individually. The association between receipt of packed red blood cells and SmO_2 was performed by running an interrupted time series model, with SmO_2 as our outcome, controlling for the amount of time spent in surgery before and after receipt of PRBC and for the inherent correlation between observations. Our model was fit using PROC AUTOREG in SAS version 9.2. All other analyses were also conducted in SAS version 9.2(SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, United States).RESULTS Pearson correlation coefficients varied widely between SmO_2 and each hemodynamic parameter examined. The strongest positive correlations existed between ScvO_2(P = 0.41) and SV(P = 0.31) and SmO_2; the strongest negative correlations were seen between albumin(P =-0.43) and cell saver(P =-0.37) and SmO_2. Correlations for other laboratory parameters studied were weak and only based on a few observations. In the final model we found a small, but significant increase in SmO_2 at the time of PRBC administration by 1.29 units(P = 0.0002). SmO_2 values did not change over time prior to PRBC administration(P = 0.6658) but following PRBC administration, SmO_2 values declined significantly by 0.015 units(P < 0.0001).CONCLUSION Intra-operative measurement of SmO_2 during large volume, yet controlled hemorrhage, does not show a statistically significant correlation with either invasivehemodynamic, or laboratory parameters in patients undergoing elective complex spine surgery.

The Relationship of SmokingOpioidAntidepressant Use and History of Spine Surgery

Introduction: In a recent paper, smoking was shown to be an independent predictor of longterm continued opioid use in spine patients (Krebs et al. 2010). In this paper, we study the interaction of smoking with opioid and antidepressant use and the relationship with prior spine surgery and future spine surgery. Methods: Data on smoking, opioid and antidepressant use were retrospectively collected from 758 spine surgery inpatients [lumbar microdiskectomy (LMD), anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) and lumbar decompression and fusion (LDF)]. Interaction with history of previous spine surgery and return for additional spine surgery was studied. Followup ranged from one to four years. Results: Significant correlation was detected between smoking and opioid use and between opioid and antidepressant use. History of previous spine surgery correlated with antidepressant use and return for additional spine surgery. Additional spine surgery correlated with opioid use and history of previous spine surgery. Smoking LMD patients on both opioids and antidepressants and smoking ACDF patients on antidepressants who have a history of prior spine surgery were more likely to return for additional spine surgery. However, in the LDF group, smoking patients on antidepressants without previous spine surgery were more likely to come for another spine surgery. Conclusion: Smokingantidepressantopioid use could be predictive of return for additional spine surgery during the followup years especially if a history of prior spine surgery was reported. Further research is needed on the implications of such an association.

Relevance of Lifestyle and Attitudinal Factors to Spine Surgery Outcomes: Empirical Results on a Heterogeneous Sample

Background Context: Patient demographic and medical indicators influence the well-being of spine surgery patients. It may, however, be worthwhile to evaluate other lifestyle and attitudinal factors. We hypothesized that such factors would explain at least as much variance in outcome as more commonly considered covariates. Purpose: To compare explained variance in outcome of lifestyle and attitudinal factors as compared to standard demographic and medical covariates. Study Design/Setting: Cross-sectional observational study of patients drawn from an active clinic and internet-based support group. Patient Sample: A heterogeneous sample of 376 patients was recruited, comprised of people with diagnoses of cervical (n = 80), lumbar (n = 228), and scoliosis (n = 68) spine disorders. Outcome Measures: Quality of Life (QOL) outcomes were measured using the Oswestry Disability Index, Neck Disability Index, Rand-36, PROMIS Pain Impact, NRS Back and Leg Pain, Scoliosis Research Society-22r, and Global Health. Methods: This study compared explained variance in QOL outcomes in demographic and medical versus lifestyle and attitudinal factors. Demographic and medical factors included age, gender, body mass index, and co-morbidities. Lifestyle factors included exercise and commuting practice. Attitudinal factors related to social connectedness: giving and receiving emotional support, feeling overwhelmed by others’ needs, helping orientation, and general helping behaviors. Regression analyses estimated explained variance. Patient groups differed in most factors evaluated, so the regression analyses were computed separately by group. R2 statistics were characterized as null, small (0.02), medium (0.15), and large (0.35) effect sizes (ES), and proportions were compared for the medical/demographic versus lifestyle/attitudinal factors by group. Results: Similar proportions of variance were explained by demographic/medical and lifestyle/attitudinal covariates across groups, with half of effect sizes being small in magnitude and 6% being medium. Lumbar patients tended to have more small effect sizes among lifestyle and attitudinal covariates than among medical/demographic covariates (z = – 1.29, p < 0.10). Similar patterns were found for both generic and disease-specific outcomes. Conclusions: Spine surgery outcome research should investigate lifestyle and attitudinal factors to enhance the personal and salutogenic relevance of the research. Time spent commuting, exercise practice, and social connectedness appear to be relevant factors. A pre-operative evaluation of overweight and smoking status, limited social connectedness, and long daily commutes could alert the surgeon to delay or avoid performing procedures on these patients to avoid poor outcomes.