Spinal Fusion Surgery No Better Than Non Surgical Treatment

Here is another in a growing list of studies showing no long-term benefit with many spinal surgeries including spinal fusion surgeries for low back pain. This study is from the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases and compared spinal fusion surgery with hardware to exercise therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy in 124 patients after 4 years. The main outcome instrument the Oswestry disability index showed no significant difference in both groups and there was no difference in return to work.

There has been much criticism in the medical literature of both the lumbar and cervical spinal fusion surgeries because of an increasing amount of studies showing no benefit our only minimal benefit, and the high cost and complication rate of these types of surgery. In spite of the studies in their criticisms, the fusion rates continue to increase every year and the insurance companies and insurance plans continue to cover the majority of the costs.

Recently Medicare considered whether it would continue to pay for spinal fusion surgery for certain conditions and surprisingly to me they decided to continue to pay billions of dollars every year for these surgeries.

Four-year follow-up of surgical versus non-surgical therapy for chronic low back pain

santolinchiropractic.com