ABSTRACT

Objective:

Quantify the time elapsed between the arrival of the patient with surgical trauma in the spine at the emergency room and the completion of the surgical procedure, analyzing the factors that may have influenced this process.

Methods:

Retrospective study that included individuals of both sexes aged between 18 and 100 years who arrived at a tertiary trauma center with surgical fractures in the spine. Patients treated between March 2018 and March 2022 were included in the sample. All data to compose the study sample were collected from secondary data sources (medical records).

Results:

Medical records of 259 patients with spinal injuries were evaluated. Approximately one-third of the patients were operated on between 13h and 24h, and the other third over 72h. Only 6.6% were operated within 12 hours. The mean time to perform the surgical process was 84.3 ± 144.6 hours. Surgical intervention for most patients (59.1%) occurred within the first 48 hours. Patients with systemic arterial hypertension and patients with at least one comorbidity had a statistically longer mean waiting time for the surgical procedure than patients who did not have these characteristics.

Conclusion:

Most surgical interventions occurred in the first 48 hours, which is considered early. In addition, some factors, such as the existence of comorbidities, are directly associated with the time it takes to perform the surgical procedure.

Level of Evidence II; Retrospective Prognostic.

Keywords:
Spinal Injuries; Spine; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Time