A new study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine examines the patient-specific factors that affect lumbar spine surgery costs.
The researchers examined 1,201 patients for the study. Laminectomies were performed in 557 patients and discectomies in 644 patients. The researchers found:
1. The patients with laminectomies reported increased average hospital stay of around 1.4 days.
2. Hospital costs increased $1,523 for laminectomies when compared with discectomies.
3. The patient's age, BMI, ASA grade, number of levels and durotomy were led to increased hospital costs and length of stay on the univariate analysis for laminectomies. However, the ASA grade and durotomy presence didn't maintain significance on a multivariate analysis for hospital costs.
4. The patients age 65 years and older reported a slight increase in hospital length of stay for laminectomies. Their hospital costs increased $945 when compared with patients who were younger than 65 years old.
5. Patients with a durotomy during laminectomy reported an average of one day longer stay in the hospital and cost increase of $1,382.
6. Among patients with discectomies, the patients' age, ASA grade and durotomy were significantly associated with increased hospital costs on the univariate analysis. However, BMI wasn't a factor, and only age and durotomy presence maintained significance on the multivariate analysis.
7. The patients age 65 years and older were associated with a 0.7-day increased length of stay and $931 increase in postoperative hospital costs among discectomy patients when compared with patients younger than 65.