Back Surgery – High Price, High Complication Rate, Low Positive Results
The number of surgeries to treat chronic low back pain (CLBP) continues to increase, while positive patient outcomes do not correspond. An interesting article published in January 2011 issue of Practical Pain Management by lead author, Robert Gatchel, Ph.D., et al, reviewed cases of failed back surgery and updated a 2004 study they performed. Click here to read the 2011 article.
Low back pain is a significant source of morbidity in the United States and 85 percent of people will experience an episode of low back pain at some point in their lives. When both the medical cost and loss of productivity are factored in, back and neck pains have the highest cost to employers than any other medical condition.
Most patients with low back pain recover quickly, where 35 percent can be expected to recover within a month, 85 percent within three months, and 95 percent within six months. The remaining five percent have persistent pain that is beyond the normal time frame in which one would expect improvement.
There may be disabling psychological and physical symptoms that accompany this chronic cycle of pain. In 2007, there were more than 350,000 spinal fusion surgeries conducted in the United States. This has drawn scrutiny due to adverse outcomes and the overall efficacy of spinal fusions, especially in a worker’s compensation setting where there is a lack of clear surgical indications that have been evaluated. Additionally, surgical success with multiple procedures is also found to be statistically not extremely effective, where only 30 percent of second spine surgeries are successful, third spinal surgeries are even less effective at 15 percent success, and fourth surgeries are only five percent successful.
A final comment by Gatchel, Ph.D., et al is very telling: While surgery is an important option for managing CLBP, it should be viewed as a “last resort” option.
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only and not for medical diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult with your physician.