SAME-DAY VERSUS STAGED ANTERIOR-POSTERIOR SPINAL SURGERY IN A NEUROMUSCULAR SCOLIOSIS POPULATION - THE EVALUATION OF MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS

The medical complications occurring in 29 patients with neuromuscular spinal deformity undergoing two-stage anterior-posterior spinal fusion (''staged'') were compared with 16 neuromuscular patients undergoing single-stage anterior-posterior spinal fusion (''same day''), Thirty-s ix (124%) major and minor medical complications occurred postoperative ly in the staged patients, whereas 14 (88%) major or minor complicatio n were present in same-day surgery patients. Thirty-five percent of st aged patients had no complications, whereas 63% of same-day patients w ere without complications. Associated findings comparing the two-stage procedure to the single-stage surgery included operative and anesthes ia time increase, increased blood-volume loss, increased blood transfu sion, decreased nutritional parameters, and longer hospital stays, Wit h either approach, there is the risk of significant complications in t his vulnerable population.