Data Show Patients Have Longer In-hospital Stays After Neck Surgery
By Admin | December 02, 2022
Among people undergoing surgery to remove a damaged spinal disc in the neck, those with Parkinson’s disease had significantly longer in-hospital stays and a greater risk of minor adverse events, according to an analysis of data collected from the U.S. National Inpatient Sample database.
No differences were seen, however, regarding the rate of serious adverse events (severe side effects) or mortality.
“The median lengths of stay for [Parkinson’s] and non-[Parkinson’s] cases were 2 days and 1 day, respectively,” the researchers wrote, noting that, while significant, “the absolute difference in length of stay for [Parkinson’s] cases is minimal.”
“These findings are important for surgeons and patients to consider when making decisions about surgical intervention,” the team wrote.
The study, “A comparison of in-hospital outcomes after elective anterior cervical discectomy and fusion in cases with and without Parkinson’s Disease,” was published in the North American Spine Society Journal.
Longer hospital stays for Parkinson’s patients
Parkinson’s disease is characterized by the loss of neurons, or nerve cells, that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine — a brain chemical messenger essential for muscle control.
As a result, patients are at higher risk of musculoskeletal problems due to rigidity of the muscles and akathisia, or the inability to remain physically still due to an inner restlessness.
Spinal problems also are more common among people with Parkinson’s than in the general population. Generally, Parkinson’s patients undergoing orthopedic surgery are also reported to have higher rates of surgical complications than people without the neurodegenerative condition, as well as less symptom ease and lower quality of life improvement.
“Given these poorer outcomes, the risks of surgery must be weighed more heavily when considering surgical intervention,” the researchers wrote.
Now, a team led by researchers at the Yale School of Medicine, in Connecticut, assessed the outcomes of Parkinson’s patients following elective spine surgery, which had not yet been studied.
Specifically, they compared the rate of post-surgery, in-hospital complications in people with and without Parkinson’s who underwent elective single or multi-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).
ACDF, the most commonly performed surgery for spinal degeneration in the neck region, is a minimally invasive procedure that involves removing a damaged spinal disc in the neck to relieve pressure and associated pain.
The researchers retrospectively analyzed patient data from...(More)
For more info please read, Data Show Patients Have Longer In-hospital Stays After Neck Surgery, by Parkinson's News Today
