The researchers examined data on 189 patients who underwent cervical disc arthroplasty; 144 patients received workers’ compensation while 45 didn’t. The researchers found:
1. The average patient-reported measures were significantly improved one year after surgery for both groups. Workers’ compensation and non-workers compensation groups reported similar outcomes.
2. For workers’ compensation, the scores include:
• Neck Disability Index: 22.7
• Short Form-36 physical component summary: 8.3
• SF-36 mental component: 7.9
• Neck pain: 3.5
• Arm pain: 2.6
For the non-workers compensation patients, the scores include:
• Neck Disability Index: 25
• Short Form-36 physical component summary: 9.6
• SF-36 mental component: 9.6
• Neck pain: 3.7
• Arm pain: 2.8
3. The rate of operations was similar between the two groups — 7.6 percent received workers’ compensation compared with 13.3 percent of those who didn’t receive workers compensation.
4. The complication rates were similar between the two groups — 2.8 percent for the workers compensation patients compared with 4.4 percent of the non-workers compensation patients.
5. The return to work rate was 77.7 percent for the workers compensation group and 79.4 percent for the non-workers compensation patients.
6. The patients receiving workers compensation reported significantly more days off — 145.2 days off — compared with the non-workers compensation patients who took off 61.9 days.
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