FRIDAY, Oct. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing lumbar and cervical spine surgeries, multiple variables are associated with fulfillment of expectations after surgery, according to a study published in the October issue of The Spine Journal.
Carol A. Mancuso, M.D., from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, and colleagues conducted a prospective cohort study in which patients completed a valid 20-item lumbar or cervical spine surgery Expectations Survey preoperatively measuring the amount of improvement expected. They were asked about fulfillment of each expectation two years postoperatively.
The researchers found that 90 percent of the 366 patients who had lumbar surgery had at least some of their expectations fulfilled; the mean proportion of expectations fulfilled was 0.66. More preoperative expectations, not working full-time, previous spine surgery, surgery for more vertebral levels, subsequent spine surgery, and less improvement in pre- to postoperative Oswestry Disability Index and pain scores were associated with a lower proportion of expectations fulfilled. Overall, 91 percent of the 133 patients who had cervical surgery had at least some of their expectations filled, with a mean proportion of expectations fulfilled of 0.78. Having more preoperative expectations and less improvement in pre- to postoperative Neck Disability Index and pain scores were associated with a lower proportion of expectations fulfilled.
"Fulfillment of expectations after spine surgery is associated with multiple pre- and postoperative variables, including the amount of improvement expected preoperatively," the authors write.
Several authors disclosed financial ties to the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries.
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