The researchers examined 352 patients who underwent primary one- or two-level ACDF procedures. The patients were stratified based on payer status and the researchers also looked at specific demographics to examine the patients.
There were 132 patients with workers’ compensation — 37.5 percent. Here are five things to know from the report:
1. The workers’ compensation cohort was significantly younger than the non-workers’ compensation patients.
2. These factors were more common among the workers compensation patients:
• Males
• Non-Caucasian
• Active tobacco users
3. Preoperative visual analog scales were varying between the cohorts; the six-month VAS score was 3.2±2.9 for the workers compensation patients, compared with 2.3±2.4 for non-workers compensation patients.
4. Pseudarthrosis rate was 7.6 percent for the workers compensation patients, compared with 0.9 percent for the non-workers compensation patients.
5. Revision and reoperation rates were 12.9 percent for the workers compensation rates, compared with 2.7 percent for the non-workers compensation patients.
6. There were 29.8 percent of the workers compensation patients who were smokers, compared with 20.5 percent of the non-workers compensation patients.
7. The difference in total charges for the two groups wasn’t statistically significant. These factors were also comparable between the two groups:
• Implants
• Anesthesia
• Operating room time
• In-hospital therapy
8. Workers compensation patients were associated with 282 percent higher reimbursement rates than non-workers compensation patients.
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