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Spinal Stenosis Surgery Costs and Complications
August 15, 2022
If you have been diagnosed with spinal stenosis, you might be considering surgery to correct the problem. But how do you choose the right surgeon for your condition? You can find out more by reading the following information about the costs and complications of the procedure, as well as how recovery will be affected. If you have undergone previous surgeries, you should also consider whether spinal stenosis surgery is right for you.
Costs
A study has revealed that the costs of spinal stenosis surgery varies considerably by region. While lumbar spinal stenosis is a common ailment among older adults, costs differ significantly even within the same region. To understand these differences, surgeons should compare costs within and between institutions, identifying individual drivers of costs. To improve cost transparency, decision aids have been suggested.
Complications
In a retrospective analysis of 253 unique patients undergoing surgical intervention for lumbar spinal stenosis with degenerative spondylolisthesis (LSSDS), researchers identified several factors that were predictive of 30-day postoperative complications. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. This population included Medicare beneficiaries and adults over 65 years old.
Recovery
Patients who undergo spinal stenosis surgery need a certain amount of time to recover from the procedure. Following spinal stenosis surgery, patients should refrain from bathing or applying lotion to the incision. They should not attempt to remove the staples or stitches that were used. Depending on the type of surgery, physical therapy may also be prescribed by the orthopedic surgeon. Recovery time can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.
Previous surgery
While the results of spinal stenosis surgery are generally good, patients must be aware that the surgery does not eliminate other medical conditions that contributed to the narrowing of the spinal canal. Moreover, the symptoms of stenosis may reappear even after the surgery has been performed. In such a situation, the patient must be committed to a recovery plan. After undergoing spinal stenosis surgery, it is important to take proper care of the spine and to follow the recovery plan.
NSAIDs
There are no studies that show the efficacy of NSAIDs for postoperative pain management in people who have undergone spinal fusion surgery. In the early 2000s, there was a report that NSAIDs increased the risk of non-union, but recent studies have shown that there is no effect, and that dose dependency is minimal. In addition, the use of NSAIDs for less than 48 hours after spinal fusion surgery is not associated with an increase in non-union rates.
Treatment options
Treatment options for spinal stenosis include a variety of nonsurgical treatments that are designed to relieve symptoms of this debilitating condition. The most common cause is age-related changes in the spinal column, such as osteoarthritis. While symptoms usually develop gradually, it may be difficult to diagnose the disease without imaging tests. Severity of symptoms varies by location and may include numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arms or legs.