A cohort study of the morbidity of combined anterior-posterior cervical spinal fusions: incidence and predictors of postoperative dysphagia.

A cohort study of the morbidity of combined anterior-posterior cervical spinal fusions: incidence and predictors of postoperative dysphagia.

Eur Spine J. 2016 Mar 14;

Authors: Reinard KA, Cook DM, Zakaria HM, Basheer AM, Chang VW, Abdulhak MM

Abstract
PURPOSE: To identify risk factors that may lead to the development of dysphagia after combined anterior and posterior (360°) cervical fusion surgery.
METHODS: A single center, retrospective analysis of patients who had same-day, 360° fusion at Henry Ford Hospital between 2008 and 2012 was performed. Variables analyzed included demographics, medical co-morbidities, levels fused, and degree of dysphagia.
RESULTS: The overall dysphagia rate was 37.7 %. Patients with dysphagia had a longer mean length of stay (p < 0.001), longer mean operative time (p < 0.001), greater intraoperative blood loss (p = 0.002), and fusion above the fourth cervical vertebra, C4, (p = 0.007). There were no differences in the rates of dysphagia when comparing patients undergoing primary or revision surgery (p = 0.554).
CONCLUSION: Prolonged surgery and fusion above C4 lead to higher rates of dysphagia after 360° fusions. Prior anterior cervical fusion does not increase the risk of dysphagia development.

PMID: 26972082 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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