Lumbar spine surgeries performed later in the week were associated with higher risks of 30-day readmissions, non-home discharge and costs, according to a study published by Cureus July 15.
Four things to know:
1. Researchers did a retrospective review of 771 patients who had one-, two- or three-level lumbar spinal fusions from December 2020 to December 2023 at one institution. Demographics, surgical details and outcomes and costs were compared between patients who had their procedure on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday or Thursday and Friday.
2. Late-week surgeries on average were $3,697 more expensive than early-week cases.
3. Patients who had surgeries later in the week were also 2.47 times more likely to have a non-home discharge and 2.19 times more likely to have a 30-day readmission compared to patients who had their operations earlier in the week.
4. The study concluded that "Further research is needed to elucidate the reasons for these findings and to evaluate interventions aimed at improving outcomes for patients undergoing surgery later in the week."