J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 7 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 9 7
N
owadays, you measure the length of stay for spinal
fusion surgery in hours, not days: 3 to 3
1
⁄2 hours from
entrance to discharge for a lumbar laminectomy and
6 hours for an anterior cervical discectomy. How do
you get patients street-ready so quickly? You closely
screen and stratify suitable candidates, and you manage their pain.
Same-day ambulatory spinal fusion is becoming a preferred option
for both patients and providers, spurred by minimally invasive surgi-
cal techniques that let surgeons perform spine fusions with less tissue
trauma and multimodal pain management protocols, as well as favor-
able economics. Patient selection and managing post-operative inci-
Anterior cervical surgery is all about
patient selection and pain management.
Secrets to Safe
Same-Day Spinal Fusion
• SPINAL FUSION Outpatient surgery for anterior
cervical discectomy and fusion is a safe and favorable
option for suitable patients.
Hospital
for
Special
Surgery
W. Bradley Worthington, MD
Nashville, Tenn.
