title: Driving reaction time before and after anterior cervical fusion for disc herniation: a preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Reduced driving reaction time (DRT) has already been studied in context with lumbar disc surgeries. Data on whether cervical spine pathologies impair driving abilities are still lacking. In addition, no return-to-driving recommendations after anterior cervical fusion procedures have been published. Therefore, we assessed DRT before and after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a prospective study with 12 patients (mean age 47.2 years; female 7, male 5). DRT as well as arm and neck pain were evaluated before surgery, on the day before discharge from hospital and at the 4-6-week follow-up examinations. 31 healthy subjects were tested for DRT as a control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients showed significant improvement in DRT in the longitudinal course (p < 0.05). DRT was 601 ms (median, IQR: 63) before surgery, which was reduced to 580 ms (median, IQR: 112) on the day before discharge from hospital and to 532 ms (median, IQR: 48) at follow-up examination. Control subjects had a driving reaction time of 487 ms (median, IQR: 116), which differed significantly from that of patients at all three testing times (p < 0.05). VAS for arm and neck pain showed significant improvement (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results show a positive effect of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion on driving safety. Based on our data we state that it appears to be safe to resume driving after discharge from hospital. However, patients scheduled to undergo anterior cervical discectomy and fusion should be informed about increased DRT as compared to healthy individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstr. 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria. ricarda.lechner@i-med.ac.at
authors.forename: Ricarda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lechner
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thaler
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krismer
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haid
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Obernauer
authors.forename: Alois
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Obwegeser
mesh_terms: D001334:Automobile Driving; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011930:Reaction Time; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods*