A recent study1 took a hard look at the rates of surgery in the United States. The study revealed:
"From 1979-81 to 1988-90, in each sex, the rate of hospitalization with cervical spine surgery increased >45% with the rates for cervical fusion surgery increasing >70%. The rate of hospitalization with lumbar spine surgery increased >33% in each sex, with the rate for lumbar fusion surgery increasing >60% in each sex, the rate for lumbar disc surgery increasing 40% among males and 21% among females, and the rate for lumbar exploration/decompression surgery increasing >65% in each sex.National survey data2-7 indicate that from 1979 to 1990, spinal surgeries increased 137 percent, while the population older than 25 years (on whom almost all these operations are done) rose only 23 percent. The author concluded that "surgery rates are influenced by the ratio of surgeons to population."8 Between 1980 and 1990,1 the number of neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons increased by 24 percent. Of the all lumbar operations, 12-14 percent are repeat operations.9-11
A second study12 compared back surgery rates between the United States and the rest of the world. The authors found:
"The rate of back surgery in the United States was at least 40% higher than any other country and was more than five times those in England and Scotland. Back surgery rates increased almost linearly with the per capita supply of orthopaedic and neurosurgeons in the country."In the United States, back surgery rates at HMOs were found to be "roughly half the rates for the states in which the HMOs were located and where fee-for-service practice and easy access to surgeons is the norm." The study suggests that differences in "financial incentives to perform surgery and in practice style philosophies" may explain why HMO back surgery rates are much lower.
While there has been no statement by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) to suggest so, these startling increases in surgery rates have to have been one of the primary motivating factors in the development of the low back guidelines. Now the question is, will spine surgeons respect the new guidelines or continue to operate as they have been?
References
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
