VIBe Scale: Validation of the Intraoperative Bleeding Severity Scale by Spine Surgeons

Area of Science:

• Surgical Innovation
• Clinical Assessment Tools
• Hemostasis Management

Background:

• The Validated Intraoperative Bleeding Scale (VIBe Scale) was initially developed for cardiothoracic, abdominal, and pelvic surgeries.
• A validated tool is needed to assist with intraoperative blood management specifically in spine surgeries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the reliability and consistency of the VIBe Scale for spine surgeons.
• To assess the VIBe Scale's utility in the context of spine surgery.

Main Methods:

• Spine surgeons (orthopedic and neurological) evaluated videos of surgical bleeding.
• They assessed the VIBe Scale's relevance, clarity, and applicability.
• Inter- and intraobserver agreement were calculated using Kendall's W.

Main Results:

• All spine surgeons deemed the VIBe Scale clinically relevant for hemostasis evaluation.
• 88% found it represented expected bleeding ranges, and 96% saw its utility in team communication.
• Excellent intraobserver agreement (0.91-0.96) and appreciable interobserver agreement (0.79-0.88) were observed.

Conclusions:

• The VIBe Scale demonstrates reliability and potential utility for quantifying intraoperative blood loss in spine surgery.
• It can aid in evaluating hemostatic agents and managing transfusion needs.
• The scale facilitates communication among surgical teams regarding bleeding severity.