At Scottish Rite for Children, our mission of giving children back their childhood starts with the commitment of providing safe and quality care to every patient. Through ongoing research, our experts are constantly evaluating their practices and protocols to make sure they are providing the best and most effective care.

Members from our spine team recently published an article in the official journal of the Scoliosis Research Society, Spine Deformity. The purpose of the research was to evaluate the performance and outcome of a surgeon performing two adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) surgeries on the same day – with an emphasis on patient safety and efficiency in the operating room. 

Read the full article

What the team focused on

• To further understand what types of surgical spine cases can be performed safely by one surgeon in a single day.
  • Investigate the order of the cases for the most effective care. 
• Understanding if there is any change in patient care from having the surgeon and his/her surgical team do two AIS surgeries in one day. 

The research included a total of 56 different spine AIS surgeries from 2013-2017. Within that group, there were 28 surgeries performed in that time period where the same surgeon did two scoliosis surgeries in a day. The cases were then matched to the remaining 28 surgeries done by the same surgeon that had similar deformity profile/pattern and instrumentation plans but was performed in one day.

What we learned

• From this retrospective study, our team found that the first case of the day tended to be the slightly more difficult (more complex curve) case of the two surgeries.
• It was also found that when you compared the first AIS surgery of the day to other similar surgeries, they tended to be completed faster. This means that when two AIS procedures are performed in one day, the morning case on average was significantly faster which showed efficient teamwork and planning in the operating room. 
• We found no difference in care markers, such as blood loss during surgery, hospital length of stay or complication rate – confirming that it is safe for a surgeon to do two surgeries of this nature in one day.

Why is this important
By analyzing the results from this study, our team can make sure every child is in the safest environment when going into surgery. As leaders in pediatric orthopedics, we are dedicated to better understanding this aspect of care – the small details to make sure the quality care we provide remains steadfast. It also demonstrates that the demand for care at Scottish Rite is very high and it is necessary to do more than one scoliosis surgery per day, but it can be performed safely. 

Check out Scottish Rite’s latest spine research publications:

• The incidence and risk factors for perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion in primary idiopathic scoliosis surgery I Read the full article
• Intraoperative Prone Radiographs During Scheuermann Kyphosis Correction Closely Estimate Standing Thoracic and Lumbar Parameters at 2 Years I Read the full article

Learn more about our spine research.