The influence of smoking in minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery

February 16, 2021

. 2021 Jan 27;16(1):198-206.

doi: 10.1515/med-2021-0223.

eCollection 2021.

Affiliations

Item in Clipboard

Wolfgang Senker et al.

Open Med (Wars).

2021.

Abstract

Background:

The impact of smoking on spinal surgery has been studied extensively, but few investigations have focused on minimally invasive surgery (MIS) of the spine and the difference between complication rates in smokers and non-smokers. We evaluated whether a history of at least one pack-year preoperatively could be used to predict adverse peri- and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing minimally invasive fusion procedures of the lumbar spine. In a prospective study, we assessed the clinical effectiveness of MIS in an unselected population of 187 patients.

Methods:

We evaluated perioperative and postoperative complication rates in MIS fusion techniques of the lumbar spine in smoking and non-smoking patients. MIS fusion was performed using interbody fusion procedures and/or posterolateral fusion alone.

Results:

Smokers were significantly younger than non-smokers. We did not encounter infection at the site of surgery or severe wound healing disorder in smokers. We registered no difference between the smoking and non-smoking groups with regard to peri- or postoperative complication rate, blood loss, or length of stay in hospital. We found a significant influence of smoking (p = 0.049) on the overall perioperative complication rate.

Conclusion:

MIS fusion techniques seem to be a suitable tool for treating degenerative spinal disorders in smokers.

Keywords:

complication rate; lumbar spine; minimally invasive fusion techniques; smoking.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**

Number of female and male smokers (left and middle panels) and age distribution of smokers and non-smokers (right panel).

**Figure 2**

Number and percentage of smokers with and without perioperative complications.

**Figure 3**

The postoperative complication rate in female and male smokers.

**Figure 4**

Comparison of the discharge day in female and male smokers as well as non-smokers.

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