Researchers evaluated 16,822 patients with a primary diagnosis of lumbar stenosis who had fusion surgery in the past. Findings include:
• Use of BMP increased rapidly from 5.5 percent in 2003 to 28.1 percent in 2008.
• BMP use was greater among patients with previous surgery and among those having complex fusion procedures.
• Major medical complications, wound complications and 30-day rehospitalization rates were nearly identical with or without BMP. Reoperation rates were also very similar.
• Adjusted hospital charges for operations involving BMP were $15,000 more than hospital charges for fusions without BMP.
• Medicare’s Diagnosis-Related Group reported reimbursing only an average of $850 more for fusions with BMP than without it.
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