There is no significant difference in the amount of time patients need to return to work following minimally invasive lumbar decompression surgery and minimally invasive lumbar spine fusion surgery, according to a new study.
The study, performed by Hospital of Special Surgery researchers in New York City, found that patients in both surgery groups were able to discontinue narcotic pain medication within a week of surgery. Patients who received MI lumbar decompression surgery resumed driving four days sooner than MI spine fusion patients.
“Our study is the first of its kind to look at the return to activities and discontinuation of narcotic pain medication after single-level lumbar decompression or single-level lumbar spine fusion performed with a minimally invasive technique,” Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi, one of the researchers and an HSS spine surgeon, said in a news release. “In our study, all the patients in both groups were able to resume driving …