Survey shows spine surgeons would elect to undergo surgery due to high pain, limited activities

By Robert Linnehan

SAN DIEGO — Indications for decompressive spine surgery due to a herniated disc differ with each patient; therefore, a survey of International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery members was conducted to see when the surgeons would opt to undergo a surgical procedure themselves. Results were presented by a speaker during the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery Annual Meeting, here.

Sixty-seven spine surgeon members of the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS) completed the anonymous survey, saying they would opt for decompressive surgery for a 5-mm herniated disc if they were experiencing chronic pain or if they had severely limited activities, according to Donna D. Ohnmeiss, PhD.

“Most spine surgeons would have surgery if their pain was a seven out of a 10-point scale,” Ohnmeiss said.

ISASS surgeons who responded to the survey had been practicing for an average of 21 years. About 75.8% of surgeons said they would opt for surgery if they had buttock and leg pain below the knee that limited them to just 2 days out of a possible 5 days of work during the week. Additionally, about 63.6% said they would have surgery if they experienced a 7 out of 10 pain score, and 18.6% said they would not opt for surgery regardless of symptoms, according to Ohnmeiss.