Complications in spinal surgery

: There has been an explosion of new instrumentation systems, surgical approaches, and techniques for treatment of spinal pathology. The surgery is frequently aimed toward improving quality of life by decreasing pain and deformity. The complications can be catastrophic leading to loss of life or devastating loss of function. There is significant interest in actual history and outcome studies to adequately evaluate surgical techniques in all disciplines and particularly spinal disorders. Recent reviews point out the poor quality of the literature to date and make recommendations for improvement. Vascular complications, while infrequent, are potentially catastrophic. They are usually associated with repeat surgery; with the increasing number of spinal procedures performed, prompt recognition of such events is important. Steps toward avoiding these complications are reviewed. (C) Lippincott-Raven Publishers.