Clinical Research Directory

Dynamic Compliance-Guided Ventilation in Lumbar Surgery

Postoperative pulmonary complications are a frequent cause of morbidity following lumbar stabilization surgery. Conventional ventilation strategies may not adequately reflect intraoperative changes in respiratory mechanics, potentially leading to impaired postoperative pulmonary function. Dynamic compliance-guided ventilation provides a real-time, individualized approach by adjusting ventilatory parameters according to lung compliance. This prospective randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the effects of dynamic compliance-guided ventilation compared with standard ventilation strategies on postoperative pulmonary function in patients undergoing lumbar stabilization surgery. Eligible patients will be randomly assigned to either the compliance-guided group or the conventional ventilation group. In this study, the investigators aim to prospectively compare ventilation with the dynamic compliance (Cdyn) approach-one of the lung-protective ventilation strategies-with conventional ventilation methods in patients undergoing surgery in the prone position. The primary outcome will be evaluated using a modified lung ultrasound scoring system based on the most severely affected regions of aeration loss. Secondary objectives include the assessment of intraoperative hemodynamics, respiratory mechanics, and the effects on postoperative pulmonary function.

OpalGenix- Personalized Postoperative Pain Management Following Lumbar Spinal Fusion and Decompression Surgery in Adults

The proposed research is an important extension of an ongoing perioperative personalized analgesia and intravenous opioid pharmacogenetic research. This research focuses on two of the most commonly used oral opioid analgesics, oxycodone, and methadone, in adults following lumbar spinal fusion and decompression surgery. Genetic signature and combinatorial pharmacogenetic approaches perform better than single-gene associations. This innovative translational research will for the first time evaluate simultaneously the effects of multiple genes and interactions on oxycodone and methadone's pharmacokinetics and optimal clinical dosing and on its safety and efficacy in the highly vulnerable pediatric population. This research's multigenetic signature findings can be easily extrapolated to adults undergoing surgery or using oxycodone and/or methadone for chronic and cancer pain and in identifying opioid abusers at risk of severe respiratory depression and death. When methadone is given in addition to oxycodone for inpatient pectus excavatum repair and idiopathic scoliosis spinal fusions according to new departmental protocols, methadone pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics will also be evaluated.

Orthopaedic Specimen Pathology and Early Diagnosis of ATTR Cardiopathy (ATTR-ORTHO)

The goal of this observational study is to learn about the frequency of ATTR amyloid, cardiac involvement and associated features, in 150 patients aged 50 or more years, and operated for an idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome, lumbar spine stenosis or total hip or knee arthroplasty for primary osteoarthritis. The main questions to be answered are: 1. What is the frequency of ATTR deposits in samples retrieved during surgery? 2. What is the frequency of cardiac involvement in ATTR positive patients? 3. What are the preoperative predictors of ATTR deposits? Participants will * have operative samples stained by Congo red in search of amyloid, which will be typed by immunochemistry in positive samples, * undergo a multimodal imaging search for cardiac involvement, if ATTR is identified, * undergo a preoperative complete clinical examination, including collection of medical history, ECG, biochemical tests, and imaging (ultrasound scans of rotator cuff and hip capsule in all participating patients, of the carpal tunnel in patients operated at this site, and MRI + standing profile radiography of the lumbar spine, in patients operated for lumbar stenosis) * ATTR positive patients will be proposed to be followed-up by a reference center, with the aim of an early diagnosis of cardiac involvement, allowing efficient mamagement. Researchers will assess the frequency of ATTR deposits at each operated site, the frequency or ATTR cardiopathy in ATTR + patients, and will compare demographic, clinical, biochemical, and imaging features in patients with and without ATTR deposits, to guide the indications of pathological examination during these frequent orthopedic surgeries