Trial reportEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2020
No benefit of early versus late ambulation after incidental durotomy in lumbar spine surgery: a randomized controlled trial.
Trial report in 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, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Early ambulation versus prolonged bed rest for incidental durotomies in spine procedures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Neurosurgical review · 2023Pooled it
- Complications after early versus late mobilization after an incidental durotomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.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 · 2023Pooled it
- Readmission rates after intraoperative durotomy and repair in outpatient lumbar spinal surgery.North American Spine Society journal · 2026Article
- Central Venous Catheter for Treating Pseudomeningocele Compressing the Spinal Cord After Thoracic Ossification Surgery: Case Series.Orthopaedic surgery · 2026Article
- Does incidental durotomy affect clinical outcome in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases after posterior open lumbar interbody fusion? a multicenter observational study.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2025Observational
- Durotomy During Outpatient Lumbar Discectomy Should Not Preclude Same-Day Discharge: A Case Series.Neurosurgery practice · 2024Article
- Cerebrospinal fluid leakage prevention using the anterior transpetrosal approach with versus without postoperative spinal drainage: an institutional cohort study.Neurosurgical review · 2023Article
- Dural injury following elective spine surgery - A prospective analysis of risk factors, management and complications.Journal of clinical orthopaedics and trauma · 2023Article
- Complication Avoidance in Surgical Management of Vertebral Column Tumors.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2022Review
- Cerebrospinal fluid leaks following intradural spinal surgery-Risk factors and clinical management.Frontiers in surgery · 2022Article
- Comparison of Transthecal Approach With Traditional Conservative Approach for Primary Closure After Incidental Durotomy in Anterior Lumbar Tear.International journal of spine surgery · 2021Article
- Benefits of Early Ambulation in Elderly Patients Undergoing Lumbar Decompression and Fusion Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study.Orthopaedic surgery · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeIncidental durotomy (ID) is a complication occurring in 4-17% of decompressive spinal surgeries. Persisting CSF leakage can occur even after ID repair and requires revision surgery. Prolonged flat bed rest (BR) to reduce the incidence of persisting CSF leakage is frequently applied but highly debated. A randomized controlled trial comparing prolonged BR versus early ambulation after ID repair is lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of revision surgery as a result of persistent cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) leakage and medical complications after immediate or late post-operative ambulation following ID during decompressive spinal surgery.
methodsNinety-four of 1429 consecutive cases undergoing lumbar spine surgery (6.58%) were complicated by an ID. Sixty patients (mean age of 64 ± 13.28 years) were randomized to either early post-operative ambulation (EA, n = 30) or flat BR for 48 h (BR, n = 30). The incidence of CSF leakage resulting in revision surgery, medical complications and duration of hospitalization were compared between groups.
resultsTwo patients in the BR group and two patients in the EA group underwent revision surgery as a result of persisting CSF leakage. Four patients in the BR group experienced medical complications associated with prolonged immobilization. The duration of hospitalization was 7.25 ± 3.0 days in the BR group versus 6.56 ± 2.64 days in the EA group, p = 0.413.
conclusionThe results of this study indicate no benefit of prolonged BR after an adequately repaired ID in lumbar spine surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 1b (individual randomized controlled trial). These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
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