The frequency and risk factors for surgery dissatisfaction in patients undergoing lumbar or cervical surgery for degenerative spinal conditions

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the frequency and risk factors for surgery dissatisfaction in patients undergoing lumbar or cervical surgery for degenerative spinal conditions. Based on the Patient Satisfaction Index (PSI) at 6 months after surgery, we divided patients into two groups: a satisfied and a dissatisfied group. We evaluated the association between patient dissatisfaction and five categories of variables:1) sociodemographic; 2) preoperative pain and disability [pain duration, level of surgery, previous spinal surgeries, pain scores as measured by the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), numerical rating of average pain (NRS), disability as measured by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)]; 3) preoperative psychological status [depression, anxiety, and overall distress as measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), life satisfaction as measured by the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), and surgery expectations (SE) as measured by a Likert scale]; 4) postoperative improvements in pain and disability [improvements in SF-MPQ, improvement in ODI] and 5) postoperative psychological status [HADS, SWLS]. Results showed that 17.8% patients were dissatisfied with surgery. In the multivariate logistic analysis, more negative surgery expectations, smaller improvement in ODI scores, and a greater postoperative overall distress were significant risk factors associated with patient dissatisfaction with surgery.

KEYWORDS:

• Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
• patient dissatisfaction
• spinal surgery
• chronic back pain
• psychosocial factors

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank the nursing staff of the inpatient Neurosurgery Unit for their assistance and help. We also wish to thank Psychology students Anna Piekarz and Wojciech Mikosz for assisting with the data collection for some patients. Finally, we extend our thanks to all the patients who agreed to participate in our study.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare there are no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study received no external grant or other financial support from any public or private agency.