Does an Uninstrumented Level Increase the Rate of Revision Surgery in a Multilevel Posterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion?

Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study. Objective: The goal of this study is to determine if skipping a single level affects the revision rate for patients undergoing multilevel posterior cervical decompression and fusion (PCDF). Summary of Background Data: A multilevel PCDF is a common procedure for patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy. With advanced pathology, it can be difficult to safely place screw instrumentation at every level increasing the risk of intraoperative and perioperative morbidity. It is unclear whether skipping a level during PCDF affects fusion and revision rates. Patients and Methods: A cervical spine surgeries database at a single institution was used to identify patients who underwent ≥3 levels of PCDF. Inclusion criteria consisted of patients who had screws placed at every level or if they had a single level without screws bilaterally. Patients were excluded if the surgery was performed for tumor, trauma, or infection, and age below 18 years, or if there was
Source: Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques - Category: Surgery Tags: Primary Research Source Type: research