Endoscopic spine patients were less likely to need readmission 30 days after surgery compared to traditional methods, according to a first-of-its-kind study published in the May 2025 issue of The Spine Journal.
Four things to know:
1. Researchers conducted a retrospective multicenter analysis to compare 30-day readmission rates in endoscopic spinal decompression or discectomy spine patients with those who had other spine surgery techniques.
2. A total of 908 patients who had full-endoscopic spine surgery between 2014 and 2023 were matched with a cohort of 73,906 patients who didn’t have FESS.
3. Before matching cohorts, the 30-day readmission rate was significantly lower for endoscopic spine patients, and the rates were consistent after matching. The rate of 30-day surgical revisions between the cohorts were similar. A multivariate analysis found a significant correlation between FESS and reduced 30-day readmissions.
4. The study concluded, “This study is the first to compare 30-day hospital readmissions between FESS and nonendoscopic surgeries in a large, matched multicenter cohort. FESS significantly reduces both the length of postoperative hospital stay and 30-day readmission rates compared to nonendoscopic approaches, underscoring the safety and effectiveness of outpatient FESS. Future studies are needed to define the role of FESS in more complex spine procedures.”
