Impact of an In-Hospital postoperative imaging after uncomplicated elective posterior lumbar fixation: A case series

Purpose: Following spinal fixation, postoperative imaging is routinely performed. The value of routine postoperative imaging and its impact on the surgical decision remains uncertain, especially in degenerative cases. Moreover, routine postoperative imaging is not free and is an ionizing radiation. This study investigated the value of postoperative imaging after uneventful uncomplicated elective posterior lumbar fixation. Methods: This case series retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent elective posterior lumbar fixation surgeries at our institution within two years. A series of 98 cases met our selection criteria. Their mean age was 51.2 years. We reviewed the decisions taken after performing the routine postoperative images. We searched for further diagnostic or imaging studies, revision surgery, or an extended hospital stay. Results: We found no particular decision was made after performing the postoperative imaging after uneventful uncomplicated elective posterior lumbar fixation surgeries. Moreover, there was no change in the hospital stay or the regular postoperative clinical management for all the included patients. No revision surgery was required based on the postoperative routine images. Conclusions: We found that routine postoperative imaging after posterior fixation of a degenerative lumbar spine is of limited value. A randomized, controlled study is helpful to confirm this finding.