Verifying the safety of spinal surgery over 80 years old There is no difference in complications compared to those in their 60s and 70s

Dec 11, 2024

Photos before and after spinal deformation surgery in the 80s.

With advances in medical technology, even elderly patients can receive high-level surgical treatments such as cancer and heart surgery, a study on the safety of spinal surgery for patients over 80 years of age has been published in the Global Spin Journal (USA).

A research team led by orthopedic surgeons (first author) and Kim Young-hoon (corresponding author) at Catholic University of Korea's Seoul St. Mary's Hospital investigated 400 patients who underwent spinal fusion for degenerative lumbar vertebral disease out of 2,056 patients over the age of 65. The research team selected 49 patients in their 80s and 49 patients aged 65 to 79 using propensity score matching techniques, focusing on age factors, to compare and analyze the surgery of elderly patients.

As a result, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the incidence of major postoperative complications, as well as the visual analysis score (VAS) or the low back pain disorder index (ODI), which measures the degree of preoperative and postoperative pain.

In winter, as the temperature drops, the muscles around the spine become stiff, and back pain is likely to worsen. Spinal canal stenosis, the main cause of back pain, causes pain as the spinal canal, which is the passage of nerves, narrows as aging progresses. Drug treatment to reduce pain or non-surgical treatment to relieve pain by injecting anti-inflammatory drugs around the neural tube is performed first. However, if conservative treatment is ineffective and it is difficult to walk due to nerve damage, or if there is a problem with bowel movements or urination, spinal surgery is considered. In particular, elderly patients are vulnerable to spinal diseases, but they often give up because of the burden of surgery.

The spinal surgery is divided into spinal decompression, which removes only nerves that compress the spine, and spinal fusion, in which the decompressed area is attached by screwing and bone grafting. Older patients often have spinal instability, so spinal union is often required. In recent years, spinal surgery has been developed with small incision windows, making it safer and shorter to recover because not only small wounds and scars, but also because decompression and fusion are possible in a way that minimizes damage to spinal muscles and does not stimulate nerves as much as possible.

The first author of the audience said, `Most patients with spinal diseases are old, but it was too bad that they were old and focused only on non-surgical treatment, excluding surgical treatment, but medical services are being developed around the world, especially in the field of spinal surgery in Korea"As a result of the study, all key indicators, including hospitalization period, cost, and mortality within three months after surgery, were stable even if elderly patients over the age of 80 underwent spinal fusion, so if doctors consider more and prepare and properly perform spinal surgery with the latest technology, I think the age of old age is a sufficient factor to overcome in spinal surgery", he explained.

Professor Kim Young-hoon said "As this study confirmed that even patients over the age of 80 can recover well without major complications if they manage underlying diseases and plan surgery well, even elderly patients with high pressure for surgery can be released from the pain caused by spinal diseases and ultimately improve their quality of life if they plan spinal surgery."