Thamer A hamdan; Darren F Lui
Anh TV Nguyen; Sonia Tran BMed; Thamer A Hamdan; Robin Turner; Ahmed Ramadan Sadek; Darren Lui; Alexander S Montgomery
Abstract
This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis. The routine use of anticoagulants for the prevention of venothromboembolism in spinal patients is controversial and the risk benefit analysis is poorly described. The objective of this study is to collate the current evidence and quantify the risk ...
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This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis. The routine use of anticoagulants for the prevention of venothromboembolism in spinal patients is controversial and the risk benefit analysis is poorly described. The objective of this study is to collate the current evidence and quantify the risk of bleeding associated with anticoagulant thrombophylaxis in the spinal patient, both in the elective and trauma settings.
Medline, Embase, Cochrane Trial Register databases and the grey literature were searched. Data were pooled via a meta-analysis from randomized trials and cohort studies comparing the rates of spinal epidural haematoma and wound haemorrhagic complications in spinal surgery patients receiving low molecular weight and low dose unfractionated heparin (LMWH/UFH) thromboprophylaxis and those not anticoagulated. The risk of bias within individual studies and across all the studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tools and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) tool, respectively.
The meta-analysis included 10 studies of 96,042 patients with 1,007 relevant bleeding complications. A significant increase in the risk of extra-spinal wound haemorrhage was found in patients receiving peri-operative LMWH/UFH thromboprophylaxis compared to controls (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.18-2.06, p=0.002, I2=8%). The same comparison revealed no significant increase in the risk of spinal epidural haemorrhage (OR 1.20, 95% CI 0.65-2.22, p=0.56, I2=0%). The quality of evidence for both outcomes was low. There was insufficient data to conclude about the risk of haemorrhagic complications in spinal trauma and in patients receiving non-heparin thromboprophylaxis agents.
In conclusion, the results of this study raise concern about a possible increased risk of extraspinal wound haemorrhage associated with LMWH/LDUFH thromboprophylaxis in spinal surgery. Level of evidence: Therapeutic level III.
Priyanshu Saha; Thamer A Hamdan; Bisola Ajayi; Cristina Lupu; Timothy Bishop; Jason Bernard; Darren Lui
Abstract
The aim of this study is to determine whether there is a benefit of using stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) versus surgery or conventional external beam radiotherapy (cEBRT) for spinal oligometastatic disease in terms of tumor control, pain control, toxicity and morbidity.
This systematic review ...
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The aim of this study is to determine whether there is a benefit of using stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) versus surgery or conventional external beam radiotherapy (cEBRT) for spinal oligometastatic disease in terms of tumor control, pain control, toxicity and morbidity.
This systematic review was conducted by searching electronic databases such as Pubmed, Medline (Ovid) and Oxford Academic using an adapted version of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses” (PRISMA) checklist. Retrospective and prospective studies were identified and investigated for methods of treatment such as SRS, surgery and radiotherapy of spinal oligometastatic disease. Local Control rates, Overall Survival (OS) rates, Pain Response (PR) and toxicities were extracted to be investigated and compared. A study eligibility criterion was made to ensure that results were valid, statistically significant and relevant to the investigation.
One hundred and five articles were relevant to oligometastatic disease with the mention of spinal metastases however 89 of these articles were excluded based on irrelevance to investigation, title, abstract and duplication. Sixteen full text articles were thoroughly screened including 9 of them in the review. For 601 patients the average one year local control rate was 89%, average one year overall survival rate was 88%, evidence of pain relief was present, and some patients suffered low grade toxicities.
In conclusion, stereotactic radiosurgery is an excellent modality of treatment of spinal oligometastatic disease as local control rates, overall survival rates, pain response and toxicities indicate improved outcomes in comparison to studies that investigated the same factors with the treatment of surgery or cEBRT. However, there is a lack of data here to make statistically valid claims and require more studies & data to be analyzed and compared.