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When Is It Safe to Return to Driving After Spinal Surgery?
Trevor P Scott1, William Pannel2, David Savin3
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States.
Global Spine Journal
|July 31, 2015
Summary
Patients undergoing spinal surgery can safely return to driving after 2 weeks if they had a single-level lumbar fusion and are not taking opioids. This study measured driver reaction time (DRT) to establish safe return-to-driving guidelines.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Surgeons' advice on returning to driving after spinal surgery lacks objective data.
- Driver reaction time (DRT) is a key metric for safe driving ability.
- Limited research exists on how cervical and lumbar surgery impact DRT.
Purpose of the Study:
- To objectively assess the impact of cervical and lumbar spinal surgery on driver reaction time (DRT).
- To establish evidence-based guidelines for patients' safe return to driving post-spinal surgery.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 37 spinal surgery patients (23 lumbar, 14 cervical) and 14 healthy controls.
- Driver reaction time (DRT) was measured using computer software preoperatively and at 2-3, 6, and 12 weeks post-surgery.
- Patient subgroups included surgical approach, myelopathy status, and fusion levels; opioid use was recorded.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in DRT was observed between pre- and post-operative measurements for overall cervical and lumbar surgery groups.
- Patients undergoing single-level lumbar procedures showed a significant improvement in DRT at 2-3 weeks post-surgery (p=0.012).
- No significant DRT differences were found in other surgical subgroups or at later time points.
Conclusions:
- Patients with single-level lumbar fusion, not using opioids, may be cleared to drive as early as 2 weeks post-surgery.
- Objective DRT measurements support earlier return-to-driving recommendations for specific patient groups.
- Further research can refine return-to-driving protocols based on objective functional metrics.
