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Patient preferences in surgery for scoliosis
Summary
Scoliosis surgery preferences reveal patient and professional priorities. Risk of nerve damage and reoperation are most important, followed by curve correction and aftercare for spinal fusion outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Orthopaedic Surgery
- Patient-Reported Outcomes
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Scoliosis surgery aims to correct spinal curvature and prevent progression.
- Understanding patient and stakeholder preferences is crucial for shared decision-making.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated the relative importance of different surgical outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess and compare individual preferences for scoliosis surgery outcomes among patients, parents, and healthcare professionals.
- To determine the relative importance assigned to curve correction, nerve damage risk, reoperation risk, and aftercare.
Main Methods:
- Conjoint analysis, a preference measurement technique, was employed.
- 224 teen-age patients, parents, orthopaedic surgeons, and health professionals participated.
- Respondents explicitly traded off different aspects of surgical outcomes.
Main Results:
- Risk of nerve damage was the most important outcome for all respondent groups.
- Risk of reoperation was the second most important factor.
- Curve correction and aftercare were ranked lower in importance compared to risks.
Conclusions:
- Nerve damage risk and reoperation risk are paramount considerations in scoliosis surgery decision-making.
- This highlights the need to prioritize safety and minimize complications in surgical planning.
- Findings are consistent across patients, parents, and healthcare providers, supporting shared understanding.