Benefits of Best Practice Guidelines in Spine Fusion: Comparable Correction in AIS with Higher Density and Fewer Complications

Abstract

Background: There is significant variability in surgeons’ instrumentation patterns for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis surgery. Implant density and costs are difficult to correlate with deformity correction, safety, and quality of life measures. Materials and Methods: Two groups of postoperative adolescents were compared based on exposure to a best practice guidelines program (BPGP) introduced to decrease complications. Hybrid and stainless steel constructs were dropped, and posterior-based osteotomies, screws, and implant density were increased to 66.8 ± 12.03 vs. 57.5 ± 16.7% (p p = 0.307), final correction (beta = −0.065, p = 0.578), or loss of correction (beta= −0.137, p = 0.246). Considering screw constructs only (n = 63), a regression model controlled for flexibility continued to show a slight negative effect of density on initial correction (b = −0.274; p = 0.019). Only with major curve concavity was density relevant in initial correction (b = 0.293; p = 0.038), with significance at 95% not being achieved for final correction despite a similar beta (b = 0.263; p = 0.069). Complications and OR returns dropped from 25.6% to 4.2%. Despite this, no difference was found in SRS-22 (4.30 ± 0.432 vs. 4.42 ± 0.39; sd) or subdomain scores pre- and post-program. Findings: Although it appears counterintuitive that higher density, osteotomies, and operative time may lead to fewer complications, the study shows the value of best practice guidelines in spinal fusions. It also shows that a 66% implant density leads to better safety and efficacy, avoiding higher costs.

Keywords

• adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
• implant density
• complications
• outcomes