National Utilization and Inpatient Safety Measures of Lumbar Spinal Fusion Methods by Race/Ethnicity

Degenerative lumbar conditions are prevalent, disabling, and often associated with loss of structural integrity, including spondylolisthesis, degenerative scoliosis, or instability1,2. If nonoperative treatment is unsuccessful, these conditions are frequently managed with surgical decompression and fusion3,4. Elective lumbar spinal fusion is an increasingly common procedure in the United States5,6. Several fusion methods are available, with varying complexity, invasiveness, and cost. The literature is inconclusive on whether any of these procedures results in better safety measures than the others7 –9.
Source: The Spine Journal - Category: Orthopaedics Authors: Source Type: research