title: Japanese 2011 nationwide survey on complications from spine surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research (JSSR) previously carried out two nationwide surveys in 1994 and 2001 on complications from spine and spinal cord surgery. More than 10 years have now elapsed since 2001. Rapidly ageing populations have major impacts on society, particularly in the medical field. The purpose of this study was therefore to examine the present situation for spine surgery in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  The JSSR research team prepared a computerized questionnaire made up of two categories in order to capture clinicopathological information and surgical information. A recordable optical disc for data storage was sent to surgeons who were certified for spine surgery by JSSR. The data was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The JSSR carried out a nationwide survey of complications of 31,380 patients. Patients aged 60 years or older comprised 63.1 % of the overall cohort. This was considerably higher than observed in previous surveys. Degenerative spinal diseases increased 79.7 %. With regard to surgical approach, the incidence of anterior surgery has decreased, while that of posterior surgery has increased compared to the earlier surveys (both p < 0.05). Spinal instrumentation was applied in 30.2 % cases, compared to 27.0 and 34.0 % cases in the 1994 and 2001 surveys, respectively. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were reported in 10.4 % and were slightly increased compared to 8.6 % in the earlier surveys (both p < 0.05). Diseases associated with a high incidence of complication included intramedullary tumor (29.3 %) and primary malignant tumor (22.0 %). The highest incidence of complication was dural tear (2.1 %), followed by neurological complication (1.4 %).
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Minami-kogushi, Ube, Japan, i-yasuak@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imajo
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taguchi
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yone
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okawa
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.forename: Tadanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozawa
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neo
authors.forename: Tetsuhiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iguchi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult