University of Iowa Study Finds Outpatient Spinal Surgery Safer

Spine Institute Northwest in Seattle has announced that a recent study lead by Andrew Pugely, MD, of the University of Iowa has found that outpatient spinal surgery is a safer option for patients. Dr. Pugely and his research team reviewed 4,310 lumbar discectomy cases between 2005 and 2010. Approximately 2,658 of the procedures were performed in an inpatient setting. The patients who underwent the procedure in an inpatient setting had a 6.5 percent complication rate, while those that were performed in an outpatient setting had a 3.5 percent complication rate.

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