New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery researchers analyzed the minimally invasive technique's impact on a common cervical spine surgical complication.
Dysphagia is the most common complication arising out of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Researchers tested the effect of local intraoperative steroids on limiting this complication.
The study included 59 patients who underwent multilevel ACDF surgery at one institution. Some patients received 1 ml of methylprednisolone delivered via an absorbable hemostatic matrix to the retro-esophageal space before closure. The control group received the absorbable hemostatic matrix.
Study authors included Daniel Stein, BS; Han Jo Kim, MD; Darren R. Lebl, MD; Russel C. Huang, MD; Shari T. Jawetz, MD; Virginie Lafage, PhD; and Todd J. Albert, MD. The study won "Best Paper" at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the North American Spine Society in Orlando, Oct. 25.
Here are four takeaways:
1. At baseline, patients in both groups had similar scores on the dysphagia patient-reported outcomes.
2. Researchers reported the following pre- and postoperative swallowing quality of life domains comparison. The control group patients experienced a worsening of:
• Burden at day two post-operation
• Fear at day one and day two post-operation
• Fear at one month post-operation
• Mental health at day one post-operation
• Food selection at day two post-operation
• Eating duration at one month post-operation
3. The control group also saw a greater increase in the standard total Eat-10 score at one month post-operation.
4. Researchers didn't see significant a difference in major postoperative complication of Bazaz scores.