Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
Severely Obese Have More Complications With Spinal Surgery
0 views
Skip to first unread message
Sweet Zombie Jesus
May 25, 2012, 12:46:47 PM5/25/12
to
Severely Obese Have More Complications With Spinal Surgery
Study found almost doubled risk after spinal fusion
May 24, 2012 RSS Feed Print
THURSDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- Morbidly obese patients who
undergo spinal fusion surgery have nearly double the risk of
developing complications and also face higher hospital costs, a new
study says.
Spinal fusion surgery is an increasingly common operation for spinal
pain. People with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater are
considered morbidly (severely) obese. They are generally 50 to 100
percent over their ideal body weight, or 100 pounds overweight. BMI is
a calculation based on height and weight.
Stanford University researchers, led by Dr. P.S.A. Kalanithi, analyzed
data on nearly 85,000 hospital admissions for spinal fusion in
California between 2007 and 2008. Reporting May 15 in the journal
Spine, they said 2 percent of the patients were morbidly obese.
The complication rate for morbidly obese patients was nearly 14
percent, compared with almost 7 percent for other patients. This means
that morbidly obese patients had a 97 percent increased risk of
complications, including those related to the lung, heart and kidney,
and problems with wound healing, according to a journal news release.
The researchers also found that morbidly obese patients had higher
hospital costs ($109,000 vs. $85,000) and longer hospital stays (4.8
days vs. 3.5 days).
The overall risk of death after spinal fusion surgery was low for all
patients, but was somewhat higher for morbidly obese patients.
However, the difference was significant for one type of spinal surgery
called posterior lumbar (lower spine) fusion. The death rate for that
procedure was 0.56 percent for morbidly obese patients and 0.16
percent for all other patients.
While surgeons and patients should be aware of the increased risks for
morbidly obese patients, that does not mean that spinal fusion should
not be performed in these patients when they require it, the
researchers said.
Study found almost doubled risk after spinal fusion
May 24, 2012 RSS Feed Print
THURSDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- Morbidly obese patients who
undergo spinal fusion surgery have nearly double the risk of
developing complications and also face higher hospital costs, a new
study says.
Spinal fusion surgery is an increasingly common operation for spinal
pain. People with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater are
considered morbidly (severely) obese. They are generally 50 to 100
percent over their ideal body weight, or 100 pounds overweight. BMI is
a calculation based on height and weight.
Stanford University researchers, led by Dr. P.S.A. Kalanithi, analyzed
data on nearly 85,000 hospital admissions for spinal fusion in
California between 2007 and 2008. Reporting May 15 in the journal
Spine, they said 2 percent of the patients were morbidly obese.
The complication rate for morbidly obese patients was nearly 14
percent, compared with almost 7 percent for other patients. This means
that morbidly obese patients had a 97 percent increased risk of
complications, including those related to the lung, heart and kidney,
and problems with wound healing, according to a journal news release.
The researchers also found that morbidly obese patients had higher
hospital costs ($109,000 vs. $85,000) and longer hospital stays (4.8
days vs. 3.5 days).
The overall risk of death after spinal fusion surgery was low for all
patients, but was somewhat higher for morbidly obese patients.
However, the difference was significant for one type of spinal surgery
called posterior lumbar (lower spine) fusion. The death rate for that
procedure was 0.56 percent for morbidly obese patients and 0.16
percent for all other patients.
While surgeons and patients should be aware of the increased risks for
morbidly obese patients, that does not mean that spinal fusion should
not be performed in these patients when they require it, the
researchers said.
0 new messages