Table 2.
Number of moderate or major complications among multitrauma patients without neurologic injuries undergoing stabilization of spine fractures for each quartile of surgical delay
| Complication | Surgical delay, no. (%) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 24 h, n = 23 | > 24 h to < 72 h, n = 23 | ≥ 72 h to ≤ 7 d, n = 19 | > 7 d, n = 18 | |
| Pneumonia | 1 (4) | 3 (13) | 2 (11) | 7 (39) |
| Other respiratory (e.g., ARDS, respiratory failure) | 2 (9) | 3 (13) | 5 (26) | 3 (17) |
| Pulmonary embolism | 0 (0) | 1 (4) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Deep vein thrombosis | 1 (4) | 0 (0) | 1 (5) | 1 (6) |
| Other infections (e.g., UTI, wound infection) | 0 (0) | 2 (9) | 2 (11) | 1 (6) |
| Cardiovascular (e.g., MI, CVA) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (5) | 2 (11) |
| Decubitus ulcers | 1 (4.4) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Gastrointestinal (e.g., GI hemorrhage, dysphagia) | 1 (4) | 1 (4) | 1 (5) | 0 (0) |
| Intracerebral (e.g., acute hydrocephalus, meningitis) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (5) | 1 (6) |
| Acute renal failure | 0 (0) | 1 (4) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Failure of orthopedic implant | 0 (0) | 4 (17) | 1 (5) | 2 (11) |
ARDS = acute respiratory distress syndrome; CVA = cerebral vascular accident; GI = gastrointestinal; MI = myocardial infarction; UTI = urinary tract infection.