title: Outpatient anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for cervical disk disease: a prospective consecutive series of 96 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate surgical complications and clinical outcome in a consecutive series of 96 patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for cervical disk degeneration (CDD) in an outpatient setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre-, per-, and postoperative data on patients undergoing single- or two-level outpatient ACDF at the private Oslofjord Clinic were prospectively collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study includes 96 consecutive patients with a mean age of 49.1 years. 36/96 had a two-level ACDF. Mean postoperative observation time before discharge was 350 min, and 95/96 were successfully discharged either to their home or to a hotel on the day of surgery. The surgical mortality was 0%, while the surgical morbidity rate was 5.2%. Two (2.1%) patients developed postoperative hematoma, 2 (2.1%) patients experienced postoperative dysphagia, and 1 (1%) experienced deterioration of neurological function. Radicular pain, neck pain, and headache decreased significantly after surgery. 91% of patients were satisfied with the surgery, according to the NASSQ.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ACDF in carefully selected patients with CDD appears to be safe in the outpatient setting, provided a sufficient postoperative observation period. The clinical outcome and patient satisfaction of outpatients are comparable to that of inpatients.
authors.affiliation: Oslofjordklinikken, Oslo, Norway. libb@uus.no
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lied
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Rønning
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Halvorsen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ekseth
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Helseth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome