Data Sheet 1_Clinical outcomes of individualized surgical pathways in elderly patients with spinal tuberculosis: a retrospective cohort study in eastern China.docx

Because pathway selection was indication-based and the cohorts had different operative indications, outcomes were summarized descriptively rather than compared statistically. Index spinal operative time, index estimated blood loss, visual analog scale score, Oswestry Disability Index, kyphotic angle, Frankel grade, postoperative complications, and secondary surgery were recorded.</p>Results<p>All patients achieved satisfactory clinical and radiographic outcomes during 24–45 months of follow-up.

Mean index operative time was 211.26 ± 70.30 min in Group A and 315.68 ± 70.92 min in Group B, and mean index estimated blood loss was 406.52 ± 224.26 mL and 594.74 ± 139.33 mL, respectively. These values described different clinically selected index operations and were not statistically compared. At final follow-up, Frankel grade E was recorded in 19/23 (82.6%) patients in Group A and 16/19 (84.2%) in Group B, compared with 15/23 (65.2%) and 12/19 (63.2%) preoperatively.

Recurrence occurred in one patient in Group A and three patients in Group B.</p>Conclusions<p>The individualized staged pathway was completed without salvage anterior surgery in 22 of 23 Group A patients, while one patient required subsequent anterior debridement and interbody fusion. These descriptive data support feasibility in selected patients but do not establish that preoperative catheter drainage is necessary or superior to posterior surgery without drainage.

Combined posterior-and-anterior surgery remained appropriate when immediate anterior debridement or reconstruction was indicated.</p>