Return to work and recovery time analysis after outpatient endoscopic lumbar transforaminal decompression surgery

Abstract

Patient RTW and RT data are "real-world" economic indicators of successful clinical outcomes with the lumbar endoscopic transforaminal decompression procedure and compare favorably to previously reported benchmarks for other types of translaminar surgeries. These median postoperative RTW and RT times with narcotic independence were on the order of 10 days or less in the vast majority of patients <i>Excellent</i> and <i>Good</i> outcomes (83.7%). The most relevant surgical predictor of delayed RTW and RT is a postoperative DRG irritation which predominantly affected patients adversely in the <i>Medium</i> and <i>Heavy</i> workgroups. These RTW and RT data may assist in the management of return-to-work expectations with the spinal endoscopy procedure.