Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the relationships between specific functional abilities assessed from the third version of the Spinal Cord Injury Measure and health-related quality of life after a traumatic spinal cord injury. Design: A prospective cohort of 195 patients who had sustained a traumatic spinal cord injury from C1 to L1 and consecutively admitted to a single level 1 spinal cord injury–specialized trauma center between April 2010 and September 2016 was studied. Correlation coefficients were calculated between Spinal Cord Injury Measure scores and Short Form 36 version 2 summary scores (physical component score; mental component score). Results: The total Spinal Cord Injury Measure score correlated moderately with the physical component score in the entire cohort, correlated strongly with physical component score in tetraplegics, did not correlate with physical component score in paraplegics, and did not correlate with mental component score. Mobility subgroup and individual items scores showed the strongest correlations with the physical component score in the entire cohort, followed by self-care and sphincter management. Conclusions: This work is significant being the first to determine which specific functional abilities are mostly related to health-related quality of life and highlights the differences between tetraplegic and paraplegic patients. Our findings could help clinicians to guide rehabilitation plan based on importance of specific functional abilities in relationship with the health-related quality of life.

Introduction: Spinal surgery involves different techniques and treatment strategies. Intraoperative navigation by 3D tomography (IoCT) is used to facilitate the insertion of pedicular screws. Better accuracy has been demonstrated by several studies when using navigation compared to fluoroscopy. However, no study as far as we know, investigated the operative outcomes of navigation during single-level transforaminal interbody fusion (SL-TLIF). Objectives: Our goal was to evaluate the impact of Computer Assisted Navigation during SL-TLIF in terms of operative time, hospitalization, blood loss and number of surgical revisions up to 6 months postoperatively when compared to fluoroscopic guidance. Methods: This is a retrospective, single center, case-control study. Patients submitted to SL-TLIF between 2016 and 2020 with fluoroscopy (Fluoro) or loCT navigation (Nav) were evaluated. We excluded traumatic, oncological, infectious, minimally invasive cases, anterior and lateral cases and all those performed on more than one level. Demographic, clinical, and surgical data were collected. Results: One hundred and seventy-six patients were included, 54 (30.68%) in the Nav group and 122 (69.32%) in the Fluoro group. A statistically significant difference in operative time (OT) was reported (Nav 185.93 Vs. Fluoro 163.24, p=0.003), with an average OT of 170 min. The revision rate was also significantly different, with 8 revisions of surgery in the Fluoro group and none in the Nav group (6.6% of GF patients, p=0.050). No statistically significant difference was found for blood loss (Nav 270.83 ml vs. Fluoro 277.28 ml p=0.827) and hospitalization time (days) (4.31 for Nav vs. 4.65 for Fluoro p=0.302). Discussion: Despite the increase in operative time in the Nav group, navigation does not involve increased blood loss or longer hospital stay. We observed a lower rate of reoperation in the Nav group during the first 6 months postoperatively. Conclusions: The use of IoCT navigation is safe, effective, and provides advantages even when used to perform single level TLIF.

Study design.: Prospective cohort study Objective.: Our primary objective was to determine the effects of all classes of obesity (BMI ≥30) on patient-reported disability at one year of follow-up among patients undergoing surgery for degenerative lumbar conditions, with particular attention given to the effects of severe obesity (BMI ≥40). Secondary objectives were to determine effects on health-related quality of life, back pain, leg pain, and adverse events. Summary of Background Data.: The importance of obesity among patients undergoing spine surgery has been well-established, but effects according to severity of obesity remain poorly understood. Methods.: Patients were prospectively enrolled in the Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network between 2015 and 2024. We used logistic regression and propensity score matching to compare outcomes while adjusting for potential confounders. Results.: Among 6,242 patients, 2309 (37%) had obesity including 1448 (23%) with Class I (BMI 30 to <35), 571 (9%) with Class II (BMI 35 to <40) and 290 (5%) with Class III (BMI ≥40, “severe” obesity). Patients with any class of obesity were significantly less likely to achieve the Minimum Clinically Important Difference (MCID) for the Oswestry Disability Index, and the effect most pronounced for those with Class III obesity (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.83, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.90, P <0.01). Rates of incidental durotomy (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.38, P <0.01), surgical site infection (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.25 to 1.78, P <0.01), and wound dehiscence (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.59 to 3.07, P <0.01) were all significantly higher among patients with Class III obesity. Conclusions.: Patients with obesity were less likely to experience improvement of disability after surgery for degenerative lumbar conditions and severe obesity was particularly associated with greater odds adverse events. These findings inform shared clinical decision-making and suggest that obesity management prior to surgery may be of benefit.