Use of Computer Assistance in Lumbar Fusion Surgery: Analysis of 15 222 Patients in the ACS-NSQIP Database

Abstract

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Objective: Several studies have shown that the accuracy of pedicle screw placement significantly improves with use of computer-assisted surgery (CAS). Yet few studies have compared the incidence of postoperative complications between CAS and conventional techniques. The objective of this study is to determine the difference in postoperative complication rates between CAS and conventional techniques in spine surgery. Methods: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database was used to identify patients who underwent posterior lumbar fusion from 2011 to 2013. Multivariate analysis was conducted to demonstrate the difference in postoperative complication rates between CAS and conventional techniques in spine surgery. Results: Out of 15 222 patients, 14 382 (95.1%) were operated with conventional techniques and 740 (4.90%) were operated with CAS. Multivariate analysis showed that patients in the CAS group had fewer odds to experience adverse events postoperatively (odds ratio [OR] = 0.57, P