ArticleInternational journal of spine surgery2022
Subcutaneous Fat Thickness on Erect Radiographs Is a Predictor of Infection Following Elective Posterior Lumbar Fusion.
Article in International journal of spine surgery, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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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.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.
- Clinical and Surgical Risk Factors for Wound Healing Disorders Following Non-Instrumented Lumbar Spine Surgery Using Penalized Regression Analysis.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Modified subcutaneous lumbar spine index (MSLSI): a new predictor for early surgical site infection after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.Annals of medicine · 2025Article
- Prediction models for risk assessment of surgical site infection after spinal surgery: A systematic review.North American Spine Society journal · 2024Review
- Acute Surgical Site Complications in Direct Anterior Total Hip Arthroplasty: Impact of Local Subcutaneous Tissue Depth and Body Mass Index.Arthroplasty today · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPosterior lumbar fusions are a common and successful procedure, yet surgical site infection (SSI) is still prevalent and causes significant morbidity. Obesity is a well-established risk factor for SSI. Still, the accuracy of the body mass index (BMI) caused some to suggest other metrics that are more representative of the thickness of the soft-tissue envelope in the surgical site.
methodsA retrospective review of all cases that developed SSI following posterior lumbar fusion over the past 5 years was done. An age and gender-matched control group was formed from the lumbar fusion cases that did not develop SSI. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and morphometric measurements of the soft-tissue envelope were performed at the level of L4 for all cases on standing x-ray imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
resultsA total of 366 patients underwent posterior lumbar fusion, 26 of whom developed SSI. BMI and skin to spinous process measurements on x-ray imaging-not MRI-were found to be significantly associated with SSI. Regression analysis further confirmed the strength of the association.
conclusionWhile BMI and MRI measurements are useful, wound depth measurements on x-ray imaging can be predictive of SSI in lumbar fusion cases. CLINICAL RELEVACE: Wound depth measurements are predictive of lumbar wound infection. The information within this study can help surgeons better predict and manage infections of posterior lumbar wounds. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3:
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