ArticleSpine deformity2025
The impact of a multi-disciplinary care pathway on intensive care unit and total hospital length of stay in high-risk neuromuscular scoliosis patients who require posterior spinal fusion: a quality improvement study.
Article in Spine deformity, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
purposeThe purpose of this study was to establish a multi-disciplinary consensus-based standardized perioperative care pathway for high-risk neuromuscular scoliosis (NMS) patients requiring posterior spinal fusion (PSF) and to compare patient outcomes before and after its implementation.
methodsA retrospective comparative cohort study was performed at a freestanding children's hospital in the United States. A multi-disciplinary team reviewed published evidence and developed a consensus-based standardized perioperative pathway that was implemented in May 2018. Pre-pathway (1/2014-4/2018) NMS patients with complex multi-system involvement who underwent PSF were compared to post-pathway (5/2018-12/2023) patients in demographics, radiographic characteristics, surgical variables, disposition, length of stay (LOS), and complications.
resultsNinety-one patients were included (30 pre-pathway, 61 post-pathway). There were no significant differences in patient demographics or curve characteristics. Central venous catheters were used more often in the pre-pathway group (50.0% vs 27.9%, p = 0.039). The post-pathway group had longer mean fusion length (14.4 vs 15.3 levels, p = 0.015), greater frequency of pelvic instrumentation (43.3% vs 73.8%, p = 0.005), and a longer mean operative time (316 vs 357 min, p = 0.032). The post-pathway group had a significantly shorter median intensive care unit (ICU) LOS (2.5 vs 2.0 nights, p = 0.017) and a significantly shorter median hospital LOS (7.5 vs 5.0 days, p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in early complications.
conclusionAfter implementation of a comprehensive multi-disciplinary pathway for high-risk scoliosis patients, patients had a 20% shorter median ICU LOS and a 33% shorter median hospital LOS despite more complex surgeries. Both groups had a similar incidence of early postoperative complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.
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