Zeitschrift für klinische Neurologie und Neurochirurgie

Patient Satisfaction after Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion for Cervical Radiculopathy is Predicted by a Number of Factors

Abstract

Hazel Scarlett*

To see if patient satisfaction after anterior cervical spine surgery can be predicted by preoperative Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) and rapid postoperative arm pain alleviation. The researchers conducted a retrospective study of prospectively collected data from 193 patients with cervical radiculopathy who had surgery at Aarhus University Hospital. Preoperatively, postoperatively, and at the 1-year follow-up, standardised questionnaires were utilised to assess demographics, clinical results, and complications. The Visual Analogue Scale for Arm Pain (VAS-AP) and Neck Pain (VAS-NP), the Neck Disability Index (NDI), the EQ-5D 3-level version (EQ5D3L), and satisfaction were all included in PROMs. Medical records were used to compile immediate upper extremity pain status. PROMs improved considerably (p<0.001), and the majority of patients (66%) were happy with the surgical outcome at follow-up. Complications and complaints occurred in 3.6% of intraoperative cases, 1.5% of in-hospital cases, and 43% of post discharge cases. When compared to patients with a symptom duration of less than 24 months, patients with a symptom duration of more than 24 months had substantially lower probabilities of being satisfied.