The study authors used the 2014 Nationwide Readmission Database to examine data for elective, inpatient, primary lumbar spine surgery patients. There were 169,788 patients included in the analysis. Four key findings:
1. The 90-day readmission rate was 2.5 percent, with 4,268 patients reporting readmissions.
2. Comorbidities were similar between the patients who were readmitted and the patients who were not.
3. The factors that increased 90-day readmission risk were:
• Anemia
• Diabetes
• Surgical wound disruption
• Acute myocardial infarction
Self-pay patients and patients who underwent an anterior surgical approach were also at a higher risk of readmission.
4. The most common cause of readmission was implant complications, and the readmissions significantly increased cost per case.
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