United States Trends in Lumbar Fusion Surgery for Degenerative Conditions

In Brief Study Design. Retrospective cohort study using national sample administrative data. Objectives. To determine if lumbar fusion rates increased in the 1990s and to compare lumbar fusion rates with those of other major musculoskeletal procedures. Summary of Background Data. Previous studies found that lumbar fusion rates rose more rapidly during the 1980s than did other types of lumbar surgery. Methods. We used the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 1988 through 2001 to examine trends. U.S. Census data were used for calculating age and sex-adjusted population-based rates. We excluded patients with vertebral fractures, cancer, or infection. Results. In 2001, over…