Epidemiology and Outcomes of Vertebral Artery Injury in 16 582 Cervical Spine Surgery Patients: An AOSpine North America Multicenter Study.

TitleEpidemiology and Outcomes of Vertebral Artery Injury in 16 582 Cervical Spine Surgery Patients: An AOSpine North America Multicenter Study.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2017
AuthorsHsu WK, Kannan A, Mai HT, Fehlings MG, Smith ZA, Traynelis VC, Gokaslan ZL, Hilibrand AS, Nassr A, Arnold PM, Mroz TE, Bydon M, Massicotte EM, Ray WZ, Steinmetz MP, Smith GA, Pace J, Corriveau M, Lee S, Isaacs RE, Wang JC, Lord EL, Buser Z, K Riew D
JournalGlobal Spine J
Volume7
Issue1 Suppl
Pagination21S-27S
Date Published2017 Apr
ISSN2192-5682
Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: A multicenter retrospective case series was compiled involving 21 medical institutions. Inclusion criteria included patients who underwent cervical spine surgery between 2005 and 2011 and who sustained a vertebral artery injury (VAI).

OBJECTIVE: To report the frequency, risk factors, outcomes, and management goals of VAI in patients who have undergone cervical spine surgery.

METHODS: Patients were evaluated on the basis of condition-specific functional status using the Neck Disability Index (NDI), modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score, the Nurick scale, and the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36).

RESULTS: VAIs were identified in a total of 14 of 16 582 patients screened (8.4 per 10 000). The mean age of patients with VAI was 59 years (±10) with a female predominance (78.6%). Patient diagnoses included myelopathy, radiculopathy, cervical instability, and metastatic disease. VAI was associated with substantial blood loss (770 mL), although only 3 cases required transfusion. Of the 14 cases, 7 occurred with an anterior-only approach, 3 cases with posterior-only approach, and 4 during circumferential approach. Fifty percent of cases of VAI with available preoperative imaging revealed anomalous vessel anatomy during postoperative review. Average length of hospital stay was 10 days (±8). Notably, 13 of the 14 (92.86%) cases resolved without residual deficits. Compared to preoperative baseline NDI, Nurick, mJOA, and SF-36 scores for these patients, there were no observed changes after surgery ( = .20-.94).

CONCLUSIONS: Vertebral artery injuries are potentially catastrophic complications that can be sustained from anterior or posterior cervical spine approaches. The data from this study suggest that with proper steps to ensure hemostasis, patients recover function at a high rate and do not exhibit residual deficits.

DOI10.1177/2192568216686753
Alternate JournalGlobal Spine J
PubMed ID28451487
PubMed Central IDPMC5400180