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Findings highlight timing of postoperative complications after spinal fusion
Among the findings of a study on the average postoperative times for complications after spine fusion surgery, investigators discovered a median time of diagnosis for deep vein thrombosis of 10.5 days after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion and a median of 17 days for surgical site infection after posterior lumbar fusion.
“These precisely described postoperative time periods enable heightened clinical awareness among spine surgeons,” the researchers wrote. “Spine surgeons should have the lowest threshold for testing for each complication during the time period of greatest risk.”
Investigators conducted the study using information from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database for procedures performed between 2011 and 2013. Researchers determined the median time from surgery until complication, along with the interquartile range and middle 80%, for eight complications.
Researchers identified 12,067 patients who underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and 11,807 patients who had posterior lumbar fusion (PLF).
For both ACDF and PLF patients, the median day of diagnosis for anemia requiring transfusion was 0 days and the median time to diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI) was 2 days. The median day of diagnosis for pneumonia was 4 days, and the median day of diagnosis for pulmonary embolism was 5 days.
For ACDF patients, the median time to diagnosis for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) it was 10.5 days and for sepsis it was 10.5 days. The median day of diagnosis for surgical site infection (SSI) was 13 days and 17 days for urinary tract infection (UTI).
For PLF patients, the median time to diagnosis for UTI was 7 days and for DVT was 8 days. The median time to a diagnosis of sepsis was 9 days and SSI was 17 days, researchers wrote. – by Robert Linnehan
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.