5 things to know about scoliosis surgery complications: Does age make a difference?

A new study published in Spine examines how age and complications rates are associated in adult scoliosis surgery patients.

Advertisement

The researchers examined the Scoliosis Research Society morbidity and mortality databases for patients who underwent surgery for scoliosis between 2004 and 2007. There were 5,470 adult scoliosis patients included in the study. Here are five tings to know:

 

1. The overall complication rate was 13.5 percent. There was a 0.3 percent mortality rate.

 

2. The patients who experienced complications were significantly older than patients who didn’t. The patients who experienced complications were around 56 years old, compared with patients who didn’t at 51 years old on average.

 

3. There was a statistically significant trend of increasing complication rates with each decade of life. The researchers stratified complications according to the decade of age to reach this finding.

 

4. The most common complication in patients 50 years old or older was dural tears.

 

5. The most common complication for patients younger than 50 years old were implant-related complications.

 

“There was a clear association between increasing age and higher rates of major short-term complications, a factor that ought to be taken into account during treatment decision making and patient counseling,” concluded the study authors.

 

More articles on spine surgery:
What is stifling spine surgery innovation in 2016? 5 spine surgeons weigh in
Dr. Christopher Good performs 100th robot-guided spinal fusion: 5 highlights
5 key notes on risk factors for adult spinal deformity surgery

At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.

Register to Attend Webinar

Is ambulatory care healthcare’s big margin engine? 4 leaders weigh in

Wednesday, July 29
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CDT

Presenters: Joe Ganley, athenahealthJeffrey Flynn, CASC, Gramercy Surgery CenterBryan Tsao, Access Center, Loma Linda University HealthJason Zepeda, Northridge Hospital Medical Center, CommonSpirit HealthGreg DeConciliis, PA-C, CASC, Boston Out­Patient Surgical Suites

Advertisement

Next Up in Spine

Advertisement

Comments are closed.