title: A simple scoring system for predicting early major complications in spine surgery: the cumulative effect of age and size of surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the cumulative effect of risk factors associated with early major complications in postoperative spine surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of 583 surgically-treated patients. Early "major" complications were defined as those that may lead to permanent detrimental effects or require further significant intervention. A balanced risk score was built using multiple logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-two early major complications occurred in 76 patients (13%). Age > 60 years and surgery of three or more levels proved to be significant independent risk factors in the multivariate analysis. The balanced scoring system was defined as: 0 points (no risk factor), 2 points (1 factor) or 4 points (2 factors). The incidence of early major complications in each category was 7% (0 points), 15% (2 points) and 29% (4 points) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This balanced scoring system, based on two risk factors, represents an important tool for both surgical indication and for patient counseling before surgery.
authors.affiliation: Hospital São José, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Departamento de Neurocirurgia, Porto Alegre RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Albert Vincent Berthier
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Brasil
authors.affiliation: Montreal Neurological Hospital and Institute, McGill University, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Alisson R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Teles
authors.affiliation: Hospital São José, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Departamento de Neurocirurgia, Porto Alegre RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Ricardo
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Roxo
authors.affiliation: Hospital São José, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Departamento de Neurocirurgia, Porto Alegre RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Neutzling
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.affiliation: Hospital São José, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Departamento de Neurocirurgia, Porto Alegre RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Eduardo Ballverdu
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Zauk
authors.affiliation: Hospital São José, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Departamento de Neurocirurgia, Porto Alegre RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Gabriel da Costa
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Barcellos
authors.affiliation: Hospital São José, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Departamento de Neurocirurgia, Porto Alegre RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Pablo Ramon Fruett da
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Hospital São José, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Departamento de Neurocirurgia, Porto Alegre RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Nelson Pires
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Hospital São José, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Departamento de Neurocirurgia, Porto Alegre RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Jorge Luiz
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kraemer
authors.affiliation: Hospital São José, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Departamento de Neurocirurgia, Porto Alegre RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Paglioli
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Hospital São José, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Departamento de Neurocirurgia, Porto Alegre RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Pedro Luis
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Gobbato
authors.affiliation: Hospital São José, Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Departamento de Neurocirurgia, Porto Alegre RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Paulo Valdeci
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Worm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D061646:Operative Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013131:Spine / Q000601:surgery*