title: Lumbar spinal stenosis patients are satisfied with short-term results of surgery - younger age, symptom severity, disability and depression decrease satisfaction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patients' (n = 98) satisfaction with surgery outcome and associated factors at three months post-operative stage.
  
  
  METHODS
  LSS-related physical functioning and pain were assessed with Oswestry disability index, Stucki questionnaire, Visual Analogue Scale and pain drawings. Depression was assessed with 21-item Beck Depression Inventory. Psychological well-being was assessed with the Life satisfaction scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale and Sense of Coherence Scale. All questionnaires were administered before and 3 months after surgical treatment of LSS. Satisfaction with surgery outcome was assessed with a separate scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Considerable improvement was evident in all the functional and pain-related variables. Two-thirds (66%) of the patients were at least clearly satisfied with the surgery outcome. Younger age, symptom severity, disability and depression were independently associated with dissatisfaction with surgery outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lack of physical, functional and emotional well-being is associated with the patients' dissatisfaction with the surgery outcome. Patient satisfaction is a valid outcome to be measured in LSS patients undergoing surgery. It is recommended that patients should be provided with realistic pre-operative patient information and that depression be assessed pre-operatively.
authors: Department of Rehabilitation, Kuopio University Hospital, Kupio, Finland. sanna.sinikallio@kuh.fi
authors: Sanna
authors: S
authors: Sinikallio
authors: Timo
authors: T
authors: Aalto
authors: Olavi
authors: O
authors: Airaksinen
authors: Arto
authors: A
authors: Herno
authors: Heikki
authors: H
authors: Kröger
authors: Sakari
authors: S
authors: Savolainen
authors: Veli
authors: V
authors: Turunen
authors: Heimo
authors: H
authors: Viinamäki
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires