The effects of questionnaire design on the determination of end results in lumbar spinal surgery.
Two hundred and seven patients followed a minimum of 10 years after a single lumbar disc operation were evaluated using 14 different questionnaires that measure surgical outcomes. Dependent on the questionnaire design, the satisfactory outcomes for this population ranged from 97% to 60%, which is statistically significant. The authors conclude that the reported outcomes for lumbar spinal surgery are significantly manipulated by the criteria selected for the assessment of end results.
D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D008722:Methods; D059408:Pain Management; D012107:Research Design; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires