Spine surgery in Denmark 2009-2024: A 15-year overview from the DaneSpine registry

The DaneSpine registry is Denmark's national clinical quality and research database for spine surgery, established in 2009 under the Danish Spine Surgical Society (DRKS). It currently holds more than 115,000 cases and represents the largest patient-reported outcome (PRO)-based surgical registry in the country.

To describe surgical trends and outcomes in degenerative spine surgery in Denmark using aggregated data from the DaneSpine registry's annual reports (2010-2024).

Aggregated descriptive data from DaneSpine annual reports were reviewed. Key variables included patient demographics, diagnostic categories, procedure counts, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), and temporal trends. PROMs were collected preoperatively and at 1, 2, 5, and 10 years postoperatively.

From 2009 to 2024, approximately 115,000 surgical cases were registered across 16 participating clinics (9 public and 7 private). The most common diagnoses were lumbar spinal stenosis (38%) and lumbar disc herniation (32%). There was a statistically significant and meaningful mean improvement in EQ-5D, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scores at 1-year follow-up. Satisfaction with treatment outcome was reported in more than 75% of patients. Over time, registry completeness and PROM compliance remained high, with gradual improvements in outcome measures across several diagnostic groups.

Over its 15-year history, DaneSpine has emerged as a cornerstone of spinal surgical quality assessment in Denmark. It provides reliable outcome benchmarks, supports clinical decision-making, and offers a model for integrating PROMs into surgical registries. Continued development of the registry will enable even more precise patient selection and support value-based spine care.