The March 15 issue of Spine includes an analysis of the current trends and demographics in cervical spine surgery outcomes.
Researchers examined the National Inpatient Sample database for patients undergoing anterior cervical fusion, posterior cervical fusion and posterior cervical decompression between 2002 and 2011. A total of 307,188 cervical spine procedures were performed during that nine-year time span. The researchers found:
• Anterior cervical fusion and posterior cervical fusion numbers had statistically significant increases over time
• There was an uptrend in patient age
• There was an uptrend in the comorbidity burden
• BMP utilization increased throughout the period studied, but demonstrated a decline after peaking in 2007
• Posterior cervical fusion showed the greatest comorbiditiy, length of stay, costs and mortality
• Hospital length of stay and mortality remained flat over time
• Significant increases in costs during this time period were noted, potentially do to advances in surgical technology and instrumentation
More Articles on Spine Surgery:
31 Spine Surgeons Focused on Trauma
Minimally Invasive vs. Open Spine Surgery: Where the Field is Headed
Cervical Artificial Disc Replacement: What the Long-Term Data Means for Spine