Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30547120›Full record

ArticleJournal of spine surgery (Hong Kong)2018

Comparison of implant survivability in primary 1- to 2-level lumbar fusion amongst opioid abusers and non-opioid abusers.

Rushabh M Vakharia, Chester J Donnally, Augustus J Rush, Ajit M Vakharia, Derek D Berglund, Neil V Shah, Michael Y Wang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of spine surgery (Hong Kong), 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Higher charlson comorbidity index score correlates with higher rate of pseudoarthrosis following short-segment lumbar fusion surgery.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Rushabh M VakhariaOrthopedic Research Institute, Holy Cross Hospital, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA.
Chester J DonnallyDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Miami Hospital, Miami, FL, USA.
Augustus J RushDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Miami Hospital, Miami, FL, USA.
Ajit M VakhariaMorehouse School of Medicine Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Derek D BerglundOrthopedic Research Institute, Holy Cross Hospital, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA.
Neil V ShahDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
Michael Y WangDepartment of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrimary lumbar fusion (LF) is a treatment option for degenerative disc disease. The literature is limited regarding postoperative complications in opioid abusers undergoing LF. The purpose of this study was to compare 2-year short term implant-related complications, infection rates, 90-day readmission rates, in-hospital length of stay, and cost of care amongst opioid abusers (OAS) and non-opioid abusers (NAS) undergoing primary 1- to 2-level primary lumbar fusion (1-2LF).

methodsA retrospective review was performed using the Medicare Standard Analytical Files from an administrative database. Patients undergoing LF were queried using the International Classification of Disease, ninth revision (ICD-9) procedure codes 81.04-81.08. Patients who underwent 1-2LF were filtered using ICD-9 procedure code 81.62. Inclusion criteria for the study group consisted of patients undergoing primary 1-2LF with a diagnosis of opioid abuse and dependency 90-day prior to the procedure. NAS undergoing 1-2LF served as controls. Patients in the study group were matched to controls according to age, gender, and Charlson-Comorbidity Index (CCI). Two mutually exclusive cohorts were formed and outcome measures analyzed and compared were implant complications, infection rates, 90-day readmission rates, LOS, and cost of care.

resultsAfter the matching process 13,342 patients were identified with equal cohort distribution. OAS had higher odds implant related complications (OR: 2.78, P<0.001) such as prosthetic joint dislocation (OR: 3.83, P<0.001), requiring revision (OR: 2.89, P<0.001), pseudarthrosis (OR: 2.50, P<0.001), and spine related infections (OR: 1.58, P<0.001) compared to NAS. OAS had higher 90-day readmission rates, (OR: 1.29, P<0.001), higher hospital costs ($143,057.38

conclusionsOAS are susceptible to complications following primary 1-2LF. Appropriate patient counseling regarding the effects of opioids on lumbar fusion should be given priority to maximize patient outcomes. Future studies should investigate the impact of pre-operative opioid abuse versus post-operative opioid use.

Indexed as

complicationscostlumbar arthrodesismedicareOpioidsprimary lumbar fusionreadmissions

Identifiers

PMID30547120
PMCPMC6261761

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.