Older Patients Shouldn't Delay Spinal Surgery: Study

FRIDAY, Feb. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Delaying having spinal reconstruction surgery to correct spinal deformities such as scoliosis may increase the risk of surgical complications, U.S. researchers say.

Their study found that patients over the age of 69 are about nine times more likely to suffer complications.

"The study shows that waiting too long to have major reconstructive spine surgery can dramatically increase the risk of complications," Dr. Lawrence G. Lenke, an orthopedic spine surgeon and a professor of orthopedic surgery at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said in a prepared statement.

"In fact, sometimes waiting too long means the disease state has progressed to a point that would make any kind of surgical solution unsafe," Lenke said.

Researchers evaluated the effect that patient age had on complications and outcomes for major spinal deformity surgeries. They concluded that patients over age 60 have an overall complication rate of 37 percent and a major complication rate of 20 percent.

"We found the major risks associated with complex, multi-level spinal reconstruction in patients 60 to 69 years of age were similar to that of lesser surgeries performed on patients in the same age group," Dr. Michael D. Daubs, an orthopedic spine surgeon and an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Utah, said in a prepared statement.

"But after age 69, the risks jump significantly for those having complex procedures, including trunk imbalance correction," Daubs said.

The patients included in this study had suffered spinal deformity-related pain for years and had tried all non-surgical options to manage their pain. Surgery was their last hope.

"The study also shows that patients age 60 and older can benefit from major reconstructive spinal surgery. Patients in our study showed significant functional improvement at the two-year follow-up," Daubs said.

He noted that people with spinal deformities often experience painful degenerative spinal changes in their 40s and 50s, but many of them delay having surgery.

The study was scheduled to be presented on Friday at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting, in San Diego.

More information

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has more about scoliosis.

SOURCE: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, news release, Feb. 16, 2007