Given the risks, physiologic tolls, and morbidity associated with spine surgery, it is imperative to optimize outcomes with appropriate interventions in the pre-, peri-, and postoperative period. There have been numerous publications in other surgical specialties and more recently in the spine literature describing various techniques to improve patients' outcomes. In the preoperative setting, surgical education, patients risk stratification and optimization of medical conditions, smoking cessation, and weight loss are critical. In the perioperative period, monitoring and minimization of blood loss, appropriate neuroanesthesia and analgesia, and metabolism management play a significant role. In the postoperative setting, early ambulation, wound care management and opioid-sparing analgesia, among others, play a role in recovery.
Despite the many advances in spine surgery and most recently with robotics, navigation, and virtual and augmented reality, the morbidity associated with spine surgery remains an issue. Spinal fluid leak, venous thromboembolism, pneumonia, wound infection, and mortality rates remain low, but efforts should be made to decrease them further. There has been a substantial amount of focus recently on patient outcome optimization after spine surgery. In this topic, we will focus on the pre-, peri-, and postoperative time periods and focus on ways in which a direct correlation of an intervention led to improved outcomes. We have compiled a list of elite spine specialists across the country, all of whom we have spoken to and are eager to contribute.
We are focusing on manuscripts that display a direct link from intervention to outcome in the pre-, peri-, and postoperative time period. This could involve, for instance, the ERAS protocol or any other protocol that was applied at an institution that decreased risks, morbidity, or improved outcomes. Manuscripts will be focused on, but not limited to:
-Preoperative optimization of outcomes
-Surgical education, nutrition optimization, diabetes management, smoking cessation and weight loss
-Perioperative outcome management
-Blood loss management, multimodal anesthesia and wound care management
-Postoperative outcome optimization
-Early ambulation, opioid management and nausea reduction
Given the risks, physiologic tolls, and morbidity associated with spine surgery, it is imperative to optimize outcomes with appropriate interventions in the pre-, peri-, and postoperative period. There have been numerous publications in other surgical specialties and more recently in the spine literature describing various techniques to improve patients' outcomes. In the preoperative setting, surgical education, patients risk stratification and optimization of medical conditions, smoking cessation, and weight loss are critical. In the perioperative period, monitoring and minimization of blood loss, appropriate neuroanesthesia and analgesia, and metabolism management play a significant role. In the postoperative setting, early ambulation, wound care management and opioid-sparing analgesia, among others, play a role in recovery.
Despite the many advances in spine surgery and most recently with robotics, navigation, and virtual and augmented reality, the morbidity associated with spine surgery remains an issue. Spinal fluid leak, venous thromboembolism, pneumonia, wound infection, and mortality rates remain low, but efforts should be made to decrease them further. There has been a substantial amount of focus recently on patient outcome optimization after spine surgery. In this topic, we will focus on the pre-, peri-, and postoperative time periods and focus on ways in which a direct correlation of an intervention led to improved outcomes. We have compiled a list of elite spine specialists across the country, all of whom we have spoken to and are eager to contribute.
We are focusing on manuscripts that display a direct link from intervention to outcome in the pre-, peri-, and postoperative time period. This could involve, for instance, the ERAS protocol or any other protocol that was applied at an institution that decreased risks, morbidity, or improved outcomes. Manuscripts will be focused on, but not limited to:
-Preoperative optimization of outcomes
-Surgical education, nutrition optimization, diabetes management, smoking cessation and weight loss
-Perioperative outcome management
-Blood loss management, multimodal anesthesia and wound care management
-Postoperative outcome optimization
-Early ambulation, opioid management and nausea reduction