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Incidence of complications associated with spinal endoscopic surgery: nationwide survey in 2007 by the Committee on Spinal Endoscopic Surgical Skill Qualification of Japanese Orthopaedic Association

  • Original Article
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Journal of Orthopaedic Science

Abstract

Background

This report was conducted to elucidate the current status of spinal endoscopic surgery and relevant incidents through analysis of the results of a questionnaire survey conducted in 2007 by the Committee on Spinal Endoscopic Surgical Skill Qualification of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA).

Methods

Questionnaire forms were sent to 2011 training facilities nationwide certified by the JOA, and 1082 of these facilities returned the filled questionnaires (response rate 53.8%). Of these facilities, 257 (23.8% of the responding facilities) undertook spinal endoscopic surgery in 2007. These institutions were asked to fill in the survey form with the details of the operations and relevant incidents as well as the incident levels.

Results

In total, the 257 facilities performed 6239 spinal endoscopic surgeries during 2007. Posterior spinal endoscopic surgery constituted most of the operations (6217 cases, 98.2%) including 4336 cases of microendoscopic discectomy (MED), 1273 cases of microendoscopic laminectomy or fenestration, and 379 cases of transforaminal or posterior lumbar interbody fusion. The total number of incidents was 133 (2.13%). The numbers of incidents by operative method were 75 (56.4%) during MED, 57 (42.9%) during microendoscopic laminectomy or fenestration, and 1 (0.8%) during interbody fusion. Of 133 incidents, dural tear occurred in 99 (74.4%), injury of the cauda equina or a nerve root in 7 (5.3%), facet fracture in 7 (5.3%), hematoma and wrong level in 6 each (4.5%), and wrong side and bedsore in 1 each (0.8%). The incident level was level 1 in 6, level 2 in 24, level 3a in 82, level 3b in 16, level 4 in 5, and level 5 (fatal) in 0.

Conclusions

The results of this survey revealed an increasing trend of spinal endoscopic surgery and a decreasing trend of the complication rates. The complication rates of spinal endoscopic surgery were not higher than those of conventional surgery, indicating the safety of this surgical method.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan

    Morio Matsumoto & Yoshiaki Toyama

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kawasaki Medical College, Okayama, Japan

    Toru Hasegawa

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan

    Manabu Ito

  4. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan

    Toshimi Aizawa

  5. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan

    Shinichi Konno

  6. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chiba Rosai Hospital, Chiba, Japan

    Masatsune Yamagata

  7. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chigasaki Tokushukai Medical Center, Chigasaki, Kanagawa, Japan

    Sohei Ebara

  8. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hachiya Orthopaedic Hospital, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

    Yudo Hachiya

  9. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan

    Hiroaki Nakamura

  10. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Takamatsu Red Cross Hospital, Takamatsu, Japan

    Shoji Yagi

  11. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kurume University, Fukuoka, Japan

    Kimiaki Sato & Kensei Nagata

  12. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Teikyo University, Mizonokuchi Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Akira Dezawa

  13. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama, 641-0012, Japan

    Muneto Yoshida

  14. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan

    Kenichi Shinomiya

  15. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan

    Katsuji Shimizu

Authors
  1. Morio Matsumoto
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  2. Toru Hasegawa
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  3. Manabu Ito
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  4. Toshimi Aizawa
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  5. Shinichi Konno
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  6. Masatsune Yamagata
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  7. Sohei Ebara
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  8. Yudo Hachiya
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  9. Hiroaki Nakamura
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  10. Shoji Yagi
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  11. Kimiaki Sato
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  12. Akira Dezawa
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  13. Muneto Yoshida
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  14. Kenichi Shinomiya
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  15. Yoshiaki Toyama
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  16. Katsuji Shimizu
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  17. Kensei Nagata
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Matsumoto, M., Hasegawa, T., Ito, M. et al. Incidence of complications associated with spinal endoscopic surgery: nationwide survey in 2007 by the Committee on Spinal Endoscopic Surgical Skill Qualification of Japanese Orthopaedic Association. J Orthop Sci 15, 92–96 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00776-009-1428-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00776-009-1428-6

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