An analysis of outpatient cervical disc replacements completed over six years at two DISC Surgery Center locations found the procedure can be done safely and efficiently at multiple levels at an ASC.
Four things to know:
1. Data from 1,043 patients and 1,684 cervical discs total were analyzed between 2018 and 2024, DISC Surgery Center said in a July 31 news release. Patients were treated at DISC Surgery Center in Newport Beach, Calif. and Marina del Rey, Calif.
2. No patient had immediate postoperative transfers, there were no blood transfusions and no readmissions within the immediate perioperative period. All patients were able to go home within 24 hours of surgery.
3. The analysis included 433 single-level, 579 two-level and 31 three-level disc replacements. The average times for each category respectively were 69.8 minutes, 93.4 minutes and 131.8 minutes.
4. Steven Girdler, MD, who authored the abstract, concluded “The shift toward outpatient from inpatient care demonstrates potential for substantial cost savings, reduced hospital stays, and fewer resource utilizations. These results demonstrate the success of ADRs with minimal complications within the immediate postoperative period. Outpatient ADR is an effective and cost-efficient approach to for spine surgery traditionally performed in the inpatient setting. Reduced hospital stays, minimal complications, and significant cost savings compared to traditional inpatient models highlight the evolving landscape of spine surgery. Progression toward outpatient spine surgery is a favorable alternative to inpatient procedures by improving patient recovery and offering financial benefits. Further prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and expand usage of outpatient spine surgeries across various procedures.”
