Dynamic Chiropractic - November 20, 1995, Volume 13, Issue 24

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Trends in Low Back Surgery

The trends in low back pain surgery are to have fewer nonsurgical hospitalizations and to perform fewer operations with fusion, but to perform an increasing number of lumbar spine operations. By 1992, the difference between utilization rates for fusion and lumbar spine operations was nearly twofold, leaving researchers wondering about overutilization.

line graph

1987

Lumbar Spine Operations - 18.8
Operations Involving Fusion - 15.8
Nonsurgical Hospitalizations - 15.5

1992

Lumbar Spine Operations - 20.3
Operations Involving Fusion - 11.7
Nonsurgical Hospitalizations - 5.1

Number per 10,000 Adults

----------------------------- SOURCE: Taylor VM, Deyo RA, Goldberg H, et al. Low back pain hospitalization in Washington State: Recent trends and geographic variations. J Spine Disord, 8(1);1-7.