The Effects of Marijuana Use on Lumbar Spinal Fusion

Area of Science:

• Spine surgery outcomes
• Patient-reported outcomes
• Surgical fusion techniques

Background:

• Increasing marijuana legalization necessitates understanding its impact on surgical interventions.
• Limited guidance exists on marijuana's effects on short-term and long-term surgical outcomes.
• The influence of marijuana use on lumbar spinal fusion success remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of marijuana usage on clinical and patient-reported outcomes following transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 102 patients undergoing TLIF.
• Patients self-reported marijuana usage (n=36).
• Outcomes assessed included Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), length of stay (LOS), complications, and fusion rates at 12 months.

Main Results:

• Marijuana users were younger but had similar preoperative and postoperative ODI scores compared to non-users.
• No significant differences in complications or revision surgery rates were observed.
• Fusion rates at 12 months were comparable (96% vs. 92.3%), and marijuana users had a shorter LOS.

Conclusions:

• Perioperative outcomes following TLIF are similar for patients regardless of marijuana usage.
• Marijuana use does not negatively affect fusion rates or patient-reported disability after TLIF.
• Further research may explore long-term effects and optimal patient management.