Columbia-based University of South Carolina researchers investigated treatment trends for cervical stenosis.
The study leveraged the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery database from 1998 to 2013 to pinpoint all cervical stenosis surgeries performed by orthopedic surgeons applying for board certification.
The study, published by The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, included 5,068 procedures performed by 1,025 surgeons.
Here are seven key points:
1. Between 1998 and 2010, procedure totals stayed consistent, with a 280 percent spike in 2011. The number of procedures jumped from 202 in 2010 to 768 in 2011.
2. The trend persisted, increasing by 460 percent to 1,131 procedures by 2013, compared to 2010.
3. Between 1998 and 2013, the number of orthopedic surgeon candidates increased by 150 percent.
4. Investigators recorded a bimodal distribution for the proportion of procedures performed with an anterior approach. The anterior approach surpassed the posterior approach in the early years of the study timeframe.
5. Between 2004 and 2011, however, posterior procedures grew in popularity. In 2011, this trend swiveled, with the number of posterior procedures dropping and the number of anterior cervical discectomies and fusions rising.
6. Between 2005 and 2007, motion-preserving approaches increased slightly, but the trend then shifted downward through 2014.
7. Over the 16-year timeframe, the number of orthopedic surgeon candidates performing cervical spine cases more than doubled. The researchers noted this shows a boost in orthopedic graduates subspecializing in spine. Additionally, the number of procedures performed "greatly outpaced the increased number of surgeons."