Table 3.
Information on adverse events (AEs) and outcome at discharge in=71 patients with degenerative disc disease undergoing standard TLIF surgery, or TLIF with release of the anterior longitudinal ligament (ALL) between L4 and S1 (transforaminal anterior release = TFAR).
| TFAR | Standard TLIF | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any postoperative AE | .530 | ||
| No | 9 (50.0%) | 31 (58.5%) | |
| Yes, | 9 (50.0%) | 22 (41.5%) | |
| Of those, medical complications | 6 (66.7%) | 15 (68.2%) | .935 |
| Of those, surgical complications | 3 (33.3%) | 7 (31.8%) | |
| Medical AEs | .641 | ||
| Cardiovascular | 2 (33.3%) | 5 (33.3%) | |
| Kidney/urinary | 1 (16.7%) | 2 (13.3%) | |
| Liver/gastrointestinal | −(0.0%) | 1 (6.7%) | |
| Pulmonary | 2 (33.3%) | 2 (13.3%) | |
| Thromboembolism | 1 (16.7%) | 1 (6.7%) | |
| Other* | −(0.0%) | 4 (26.7%) | |
| Surgical AEs | .337 | ||
| CSF leak/pseudomeningocele | 1 (33.3%) | −(0.0%) | |
| Implant failure | −(0.0%) | 1 (14.3%) | |
| Implant malposition | −(0.0%) | 1 (14.3%) | |
| New radiculopathy | −(0.0%) | 1 (14.3%) | |
| New sensory dysfunction | −(0.0%) | 2 (28.6%) | |
| Wound infection | 1 (33.3%) | −(0.0%) | |
| Other† | 1 (33.3%) | 2 (28.6%) | |
| Therapy-Disability-Neurology grade of AE | .524 | ||
| 1 (mild AE) | 1 (11.1%) | 7 (31.8%) | |
| 2 (mild to moderate AE) | 5 (55.6%) | 7 (31.8%) | |
| 3 (moderate AE) | 2 (22.2%) | 4 (18.2%) | |
| 4 (severe AE) | 1 (11.1%) | 4 (18.2%) | |
| 5 (death) | −(0.0%) | −(0.0%) | |
| Unplanned reoperation | .435 | ||
| No | 16 (88.9%) | 50 (94.3%) | |
| Yes, for the following reason | 2 (11.1%) | 3 (5.7%) | |
| Hardware malposition | −(0.0%) | 2 (3.8%) | .230 |
| Wound infection | 1 (5.6%) | 1 (1.9%) | |
| CSF leak | 1 (5.6%) | −(0.0%) | |
| Intensive care unit stay | .033 | ||
| Not required | 8 (44.4%) | 42 (79.3%) | |
| 1 d | 6 (33.3%) | 5 (9.4%) | |
| 2 d | 2 (11.1%) | 2 (3.8%) | |
| 3 d | −(0.0%) | 2 (3.8%) | |
| >3 d | 2 (11.1%) | 2 (3.8%) | |
| Discharge disposition | .641 | ||
| Home and outpatient rehabilitation | 9 (50.0%) | 31 (58.5%) | |
| Inpatient rehabilitation | 8 (44.4%) | 21 (39.6%) | |
| In-hospital transfer to different unit | 1 (5.6%) | 1 (1.9%) | |
| Clinical outcome | .502 | ||
| Excellent | −(0.0%) | 4 (7.6%) | |
| Good | 16 (88.9%) | 40 (75.5%) | |
| Fair | 1 (5.6%) | 7 (13.2%) | |
| Poor | 1 (5.6%) | 1 (1.9%) | |
| Missing | −(0.0%) | 1 (1.1%) | |
| Total | n=18 (100%) | n=53 (100%) |
⁎
Other listed medical AEs were anemia (n=3) and unspecific inflammatory condition (n=1).
†
Other surgical AEs were unusual pain exacerbation (n=1), hemorrhagic surgical wound (n=1) and gluteal compartment syndrome (n=1). Data is presented as count (percent) or mean (standard deviation).