Chronic neck and back pain: a reassessment of usual surgical treatment

One hundred seventeen patients with chronic (noncancerous) back or neck pain had multidisciplinary evaluation in the Medical College of Virginia Pain Center and were followed up for one year. They ranged in age from 26 to 57 years. The 57 patients who had surgery had an average of 2.5 procedures (either laminectomies or back fusion) and only five of them returned to work. By contrast, 16 of 60 patients who had not had operation were able to secure employment after evaluation and treatment in the Pain Center.