Table 3

Complications reported according to SSF or LSF.

VariableTotal (N = 439)SSF (n = 133)LSF (n = 306) P Value
Any complication192 (43.7%)36 (27.1%)156 (50.9%)<0.001
Pneumonia64 (14.6%)8 (6.0%)56 (18.3%)0.001
Urinary tract infection59 (13.4%)9 (6.8%)50 (16.3%)0.007
Deep vein thrombosis8 (1.8%)0 (0%)8 (2.6%)0.054a
Pulmonary thromboembolism3 (0.7%)0 (0%)3 (1.0%)0.338a
Postoperative hematoma4 (0.9%)0 (0%)4 (1.3%)0.235a
Cerebrospinal fluid leak7 (1.6%)1 (0.8%)6 (2.0%)0.321
Wound infection35 (8.0%)8 (6.0%)27 (8.8%)0.318
Wound dehiscence17 (3.9%)2 (1.5%)15 (4.9%)0.09
Neurological impairment1 (0.2%)0 (0%)1 (0.3%)0.697a
Reintervention24 (5.5%)5 (3.8%)19 (6.2%)0.299
Mortality3 (0.7%)0 (0%)3 (1.0%)0.338a
  • a Fisher’s exact test.

  • LSF, long-segment fixation; SSF, short-segment fixation.