Time Savings and Related Economic Benefits of Suction-Curette Device for Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion Discectomy.

Background: Performing an adequate transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) discectomy requires numerous instrument passes, increasing surgical time and the risk of complications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and efficiency of discectomy and endplate preparation during TLIF using traditional manual instrumentation versus a novel suction discectomy curette. The direct economic benefit with use of the suction discectomy curette is calculated.

Methods: Three experienced, spine-fellowship-trained surgeons performed TLIF discectomies on 3 cadaveric specimens from T12 to S1 using either traditional manual discectomy instruments or CONCORD Clear (Xtool) devices supplemented with manual discectomy instruments. For each level in which a discectomy was performed, the following were measured: elapsed time, number of instrument passes and the number of instrument exchanges, and estimated tissue volume.

Results: Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion discectomy times improved on average 11:32 minutes per level, which equates to an estimated procedural time savings of 15:85 minutes, using 1.4 levels per TLIF, the average number of levels in a large series. Usage of the CONCORD Clear significantly reduced instrument passes compared to traditional, with a mean of 62.0 for traditional versus 7.1 for CONCORD Clear, an 8.7-fold improvement. Instrument exchanges showed a 5.9-fold improvement, with means of 26.8 and 4.6, respectively. Wet discectomy tissue volume was measured for each discectomy, with a mean of 5.4 cc for traditional versus 12.9 cc for CONCORD Clear, a 2.4-fold improvement.

Conclusions: This study estimates that, in a typical TLIF procedure, over 15 minutes should be saved by using the CONCORD Clear l device (a quarter of the time of a traditional discectomy), and by considering the direct cost-benefit associated with this time savings as well as reduced sterilization costs, it is estimated that a hospital could save approximately $1300 in operating room time and sterilization cost with the use of the CONCORD Clear device in a typical 1-level TLIF procedure.