Nonhome Discharge as an Independent Risk Factor for Adverse Events and Readmission in Patients Undergoing Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

Study Design: A retrospective study of a prospectively collected cohort. Objective: To characterize a cohort of patients who underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and examine whether nonhome discharge (NHD) is associated with postdischarge adverse events (AEs) and readmission. Summary of the Background Data: Predictors of NHD have been elucidated in the spine surgery literature, and NHD has been tied to poor outcomes in the joint arthroplasty literature, but no such analysis exists for patients undergoing ACDF. Materials and Methods: All patients who underwent ACDF from 2012 to 2015 in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program were identified. Those who underwent concomitant posterior cervical operations were excluded. Patients who were discharged to home were compared with those discharged to nonhome destinations on the basis of demographics and outcomes. Multivariable models were created to assess whether NHD was an independent risk factor for postdischarge AEs and readmission. Results: NHD patients were significantly older (63.96 vs. 53.57 y; P2 (77.89% vs. 39.57%; P
Source: Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques - Category: Surgery Tags: PRIMARY RESEARCH Source Type: research