Spinal cord decompression: Is country of surgery a predictor of outcome?

Adopting and adapting clinical practice guidelines for timing of decompressive surgery in acute spinal cord injury from a developed world context to a developing region

PURPOSE

The proper application of high-quality clinical practice guidelines improves trauma patients' care and outcomes. This study aimed to adopt and adapt guidelines on the timing of decompressive surgery in acute spinal cord injury (SCI) in Iranian clinical settings.

METHODS

This study followed a systematic search and review of the literature to enter them into the selection process. The source guidelines' clinical suggestions were converted into clinical scenarios for clinical questions on the timing of decompressive surgery. After summarizing the scenarios, we prepared an initial list of recommendations based on the status of the Iranian patients and the health system. The ultimate conclusion was reached with the help of a national interdisciplinary expert panel comprising 20 experts throughout the country.

RESULTS

A total of 408 records were identified. After title and abstract screening, 401 records were excluded, and the full texts of the remaining seven records were reviewed. Based on our screening process, only one guideline included recommendations on the topic of interest. All of the recommendations were accepted by the expert panel with slight changes due to resource availability in Iran. The final two recommendations were the consideration of early surgery (≤24 h) as a treatment option in adult patients with traumatic central cord syndrome and in adult patients with acute SCI regardless of the level of injury.

CONCLUSION

Considering early surgery for adult patients with acute traumatic SCI regardless of the level of injury was the final recommendation for Iran. Although most of the recommendations are adoptable in developing countries, issues with infrastructure and availability of resources are the limitations.

Early versus late surgical decompression for traumatic thoracic/thoracolumbar (T1-L1) spinal cord injured patients. Primary results of a randomized controlled trial at one year follow-up

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy of surgical decompression <24 (early) versus 24-72 hours (late) in thoracic/thoracolumbar traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI).

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 35 T1-L1 TSCI patients including early (n=16) and late (n=19) surgical decompression was conducted in the neurosurgery department of Shahid Rajaee Hospital from September 2010. Pre- and postoperative American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS), ASIA motor/sensory scores, length of hospitalization, complications, postoperative vertebral height restoration/rebuilding and angle reduction, and 12-month loss of height restoration/rebuilding and angle reduction were evaluated.

RESULTS

Sixteen patients (46%) had complete TSCI. No AIS change was seen in 17 (52%) patients. Complete TSCI patients had no motor improvement. The AIS change in this group was solely due to increased sensory scores. For incomplete TSCI, the mean motor score improved from 77 (± 22) to 92 (± 12) in early, and from 68 (± 22) to 82 (± 16) in late surgery. One deep vein thrombosis was observed in each group. There were 2 wound infections, one CSF leak, one case of meningitis, and one decubitus ulcer in the late surgery group. Six screw revisions were required.

CONCLUSION

Our primary results show overall AIS and motor score improvement in both groups. Motor improvement was only observed in incomplete TSCI. Two-grade improvements in AIS were seen in 3 early, and one late surgery patient.