From research into how evidence-based guidelines affect lumbar spinal fusion to cost savings achieved in bundled payment programs for spine surgery, here are five recent studies drawing interest from surgeons:
1. A study published in Neurosurgery found that lumbar spinal fusions were three times more likely to achieve better outcomes when evidence-based guidelines were followed.
2. When cost-sharing is waived for patients using bundled payment programs for spinal fusion and total joint replacement, surgery costs can decrease by an average of $4,229, or 10.7 percent, according to a study by nonprofit organization Rand Corp.
3. A study published in Spine determined whether U.S. News & World Report hospital rankings correlate with cervical fusion outcomes.
4. There is a growing consensus that lumbar total disc replacement is a viable option for the treatment of lumbar degenerative disc disease, according to a study published in The Spine Journal.
5. Individualized infection prevention strategies tailored to operative level are needed in spine surgery, according to a study published in Spine. .