A study published in the journal Spine and covered in Medscape examines the morbidity rate in elderly spine surgery patients.
Researchers classify elderly patients into three weight groups (morbidly obese, obese, and non-obese) in an effort to understand weight's impact on postoperative quality of life.
Here are seven things to know:
1. The study aimed to determine how morbid obesity and obesity impact primary, lumbar spinal fusion surgery in patients who are at least 65 years old.
2. Obese and elderly patients have a higher risk of surgery complications in the U.S. Despite this development, both demographics are increasingly opting to undergo elective lumbar spine surgery.
3. Researchers collected Medicare data for patients who underwent posterolateral lumbar fusion for degenerative pathology from 2005 to 2012 comparing morbidly obese, obese and non-obese patients.
4. Results showed that morbidly obese and obese patients were significantly more susceptible to major medical complications.
5. Thirty-day readmission, length of stay and hospital costs increased the heavier patients were, and morbidly obese patients paid almost $8,000 more than non-obese patients.
6. The researches recommend appropriate counseling of these risks so that postoperative complications may be reduced.
7. The researchers were medical doctors Johns Hopkins Hospital's department of orthopedic surgery in Baltimore and at the University of Virginia's department of orthopedic surgery in Charlottesville, Va.
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