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Back Pain

IQ: Interesting Quote

Editorial Staff

Despite the growth of alternative health care in the past 20 years, drugs and surgery still lead the way. Even for back pain and associated conditions, doctors are performing an ever-increasing number of spinal surgeries. Ponder this quote from Weinstein, et al., as published in the journal Spine:

"Lumbar fusion rates have increased steadily since 1992 (0.3 per 1,000 enrollees in 1992 to 1.1 per 1,000 enrollees in 2003. ... Medicare spending for inpatient back surgery more than doubled over the decade. Spending for lumbar fusion increased more than 500%, from $75 million to $482 million. In 1992, lumbar fusion represented 14% of total spending for back surgery; by 2003, lumbar fusion accounted for 47% of spending."

Source:

  • Weinstein JN, Lurie JD, Olson PR, Bronner KK, Fisher ES. United States' trends and regional variations in lumbar spine surgery: 1992-2003. Spine;31(23):2707-14.
September 2007
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