Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40033724›Full record

ArticleAsian spine journal2025

Decompression and fusion for lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis is associated with higher early morbidity rates and risk of perioperative complications compared with decompression alone: a retrospective study in the United States.

Abhinav Sharma, Paramveer Birring, Nischal Acharya, Manaav Mehta, Nicole Liu Goldenhersh, Michael Steinhaus, Hao-Hua Wu, Sohaib Hashmi, Don Young Park, Yu-Po Lee and 1 more

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Article in Asian spine journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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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

11 authors.

Abhinav SharmaDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.
Paramveer BirringDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.
Nischal AcharyaDepartment of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.
Manaav MehtaUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
Nicole Liu GoldenhershDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.
Michael SteinhausThe Spine Institute, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Hao-Hua WuDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.
Sohaib HashmiDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.
Don Young ParkDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.
Yu-Po LeeDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.
Nitin BhatiaDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

STUDY

designA retrospective cohort study. PURPOSE: To assess differences in 30-day morbidity and mortality and postoperative complications between two surgical treatment options. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: The choice of decompression with fusion or decompression alone for the management of degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) is controversial.

methodsThe American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program database was queried for laminectomy or laminotomy with and without fusion from 2015 to 2020. The estimated 30-day mortality and morbidity, 30-day complications, and American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) classification were evaluated through chi-square and analysis of variance tests, with the results further stratified according to the ASA classification.

resultsOf the 4,120 patients, 2,384 (58%) underwent a laminectomy or laminotomy without fusion and 1,736 (42%) underwent a laminectomy or laminotomy with fusion. Patients undergoing decompression with fusion had higher mean mortality (estimated probability 0.0034 vs. 0.0027, p<0.001), mean morbidity (estimated probability 0.053 vs. 0.048, p<0.001), mean length of stay (3.62±3.4 days vs. 3.15±4.3 days, p<0.001), and bleeding risk necessitating transfusion (9.5% vs. 7.6%, p =0.038). There was a higher rate of overall 30-day postoperative complications associated with an increasing ASA score for both cohorts.

conclusionsDecompression with fusion was associated with higher estimated mortality, morbidity, and 30-day complications. Decompression alone is an appealing treatment option for lumbar DS, particularly for patients with higher ASA scores and those at higher risk.

Indexed as

Lumbar decompressionLumbar fusionSpondylolisthesis

Identifiers

PMID40033724
PMCPMC12242256

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