A new study published in Clinical Spine Surgery compares outcomes for athletes who undergo spine surgery.
The study authors examined 101 professional athletes who underwent spine surgery and returned to play in the NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA. The athletes either underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, posterior foraminotomy or total disc replacement. Study authors found:
1. The athletes who underwent posterior foraminotomy had a greater return to play rate and shortest time to return when compared with the 86 patients who underwent ACDF and two patients who underwent total disc replacement.
2. The reoperation rate was significantly higher — 46.2 percent — among the athletes who had posterior foraminotomy, when compared with 5.8 percent among the ACDF patients.
3. There wasn't a significant difference in performance score between athletes who underwent the different procedures.
4. Of all athletes studied, the baseball players had the biggest decrease in performance postoperatively.
5. The study authors concluded posterior foraminotomy and ACDF were viable options for professional athletes and could have excellent outcomes.