Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40579582›Full record

SynthesisEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2025

Perioperative outcomes and technical and patient-reported success of rigid occipitocervical fusions in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Alexander O Aguirre, Mohamed A R Soliman, Isabelle G Stockman, Gaitree R Boojraj, Esteban Quiceno, Asham Khan, Kyungduk Rho, John Pollina, Jeffrey P Mullin

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis 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, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

9 authors.

Alexander O AguirreDepartment of Neurosurgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at University at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA.
Mohamed A R SolimanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at University at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA.
Isabelle G StockmanJacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at University at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA.
Gaitree R BoojrajJacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at University at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA.
Esteban QuicenoDepartment of Neurosurgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at University at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA.
Asham KhanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at University at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA.
Kyungduk RhoDepartment of Neurosurgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at University at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA.
John PollinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at University at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA.
Jeffrey P MullinDepartment of Neurosurgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at University at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA. jmullin@ubns.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeOccipitocervical (OC) fusions are uncommon and challenging surgeries as patients have a wide range of pathologies that could necessitate this procedure. Due to this rarity, limited outcomes data are available for OC fusions. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first meta-analysis on the topic of OC fusions with a specific focus on the current preference of treatment with rigid constructs.

methodsA literature search of the Embase and PubMed databases was completed from each database's earliest records to April 23, 2024. Studies were included if they focused on rigid construct methods for OC fusions in adults. Meta-analysis was completed adhering to the random effects models, where continuous variables were analyzed with pooled-weighted means (95% confidence intervals [CI]) and categorical variables with pooled-weighted prevalence rates (CI).

resultsA total of 42 studies, encompassing 1,274 patients, were included in this study. Included patients had a mean age of 57.18 years (CI, 52.21-62.15; I

conclusionRigid OC fusions have an extremely high likelihood of successful bony fusion and lower complication rates than those previously published, demonstrating a promising current state and future for the procedure.

Indexed as

Cervical VertebraeOccipital BoneSpinal FusionAdultHumansPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresPostoperative ComplicationsTreatment OutcomeCervical instabilityComplication rateFusion rateMeta-analysisOccipitocervical fusionRigid constructsSurgical management

Identifiers

PMID40579582

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.