Life quality after instrumented lumbar fusion in the elderly.
METHODS
Retrospective cohort study.


OBJECTIVE
To review the clinical outcome on elderly patients after spinal instrumented fusion.


BACKGROUND
Although lumbar fusion in elderly patients has increased rapidly, there are only few and conflicting results regarding the clinical outcome.


METHODS
This retrospective review evaluated 195 patients aged 70 to 89 who underwent lumbar spinal fusion. All 195 patients had follow-ups after 6 weeks, 1 year, and 2 years, including clinical evaluation as well as visual analog scale score, Oswestry Disability Index, and Short Form health survey.


RESULTS
Elderly patients benefit from spinal fusion. Back and leg pains were initially reduced by >50%, with a slight deterioration over a 2-year period. Pain medication was reduced in 69% of the patients, and 89.7% of the patients were satisfied.


CONCLUSIONS
Age itself cannot be considered a contraindication.
Becker
Philipp
P
Orthopaedic Hospital Speising, Spine Center, Vienna, Austria. philipp.becker@oss.at
Bretschneider
Wolfgang
W
Tuschel
Alexander
A
Ogon
Michael
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires