Global Validation of the AO Spine Upper Cervical Injury Classification: Geographic Region Affects Reliability and Reproducibility.

Authors

• Mark J Lambrechts
• Gregory D Schroeder
• Brian A Karamian
• Jose A Canseco
• Richard Bransford
• Cumhur Oner
• Lorin M Benneker
• Frank Kandziora
• Rajasekaran Shanmuganathan
• Rishi Kanna
• Andrei F Joaquim
• Jens R Chapman
• Emiliano Vialle
• Mohammad El-Sharkawi
• Marcel Dvorak
• Klaus Schnake
• Christopher K Kepler
• Alexander R Vaccaro

Publication/Presentation Date

4-1-2024

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: Global Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy, interobserver reliability, and intraobserver reproducibility of the AO Spine Upper Cervical Injury Classification System based on surgeons' AO Spine region of practice (Africa, Asia, Central/South America, Europe, Middle East, and North America).

METHODS: A total of 275 AO Spine members assessed 25 upper cervical spine injuries and classified them according to the AO Spine Upper Cervical Injury Classification System. Reliability, reproducibility, and accuracy scores were obtained over two assessments administered at three-week intervals. Kappa coefficients (ƙ) determined the interobserver reliability and intraobserver reproducibility.

RESULTS: On both assessments, participants from Europe and North America had the highest classification accuracy, while participants from Africa and Central/South America had the lowest accuracy (

CONCLUSIONS: The AO Spine Upper Cervical Injury Classification System can be applied with high accuracy, interobserver reliability, and intraobserver reproducibility. However, lower classification accuracy and reliability were found in regions of Africa and Central/South America, especially for severe atlas injuries (IIB and IIC) and atypical hangman's type fractures (IIIB injuries).

Volume

14

Issue

3

First Page

821

Last Page

829

ISSN

2192-5682

Published In/Presented At

Lambrechts, M. J., Schroeder, G. D., Karamian, B. A., Canseco, J. A., Bransford, R., Oner, C., Benneker, L. M., Kandziora, F., Shanmuganathan, R., Kanna, R., Joaquim, A. F., Chapman, J. R., Vialle, E., El-Sharkawi, M., Dvorak, M., Schnake, K., Kepler, C. K., Vaccaro, A. R., & AO Spine Upper Cervical Injury Classification International Members (2024). Global Validation of the AO Spine Upper Cervical Injury Classification: Geographic Region Affects Reliability and Reproducibility. Global spine journal, 14(3), 821–829. https://doi.org/10.1177/21925682221124100

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

PubMedID

36036763

Department(s)

Administration and Leadership

Document Type

Article