A perspective on wrong level, wrong side, and wrong site spine surgery

Four of the most common "errors" in spine surgery include: operating on the wrong patient, doing the wrong procedure, performing wrong-level surgery (WLS), and/or performing wrong-sided surgery (WSS). Although preoperative verification protocols (i.e. Universal Protocol, routine Time-Outs, and using the 3 R's (i.e. right patient, right procedure, right level/side)) have largely limited the first two "errors," WLS and WSS still occur with an unacceptably high frequency.

In 20 studies, we identified the predominant factors contributing to WLS/WSS; unusual/anatomical anomalies/variants (i.e. sacralized lumbar vertebrae. lumbarized sacral vertebra, Klippel-Feil vertebrae, block vertebrae, butterfly vertebrae, obesity/morbid obesity), inadequate/poor interpretation of X-rays/fluoroscopic intraoperative images, and failure to follow different verification protocols.

"Human error" was another major risk factor contributing to the failure to operate at the correct level/side (WLS/WSS). Factors comprising "human error" included; surgeon/staff fatigue, rushing, emergency circumstances, lack of communication, hierarchical behavior in the operating room, and failure to "speak up".

Utilizing the Universal Protocol, routine Time Outs, and the 3 R's largelly avoid operating on the wrong spine patient, and performing the wrong procedure. However, these guidelines have not yet sufficiently reduced the frequently of WLS and WSS. Greater recognition of the potential pitfalls contributing to WLS/WSS as reviewed in this perspective should better equip spine surgeons to avert/limit such "errors" in the future.