Neurosurgery
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It is important to delineate the relationship between opioid use and spine surgery outcomes. ⋯ In lumbar fusion patients and when compared to opioid-naïve patients, new opioid users were more likely and chronic opioid users less likely to have improved ODI scores 2 yr after surgery. Chronic opioid users are less likely to be satisfied with their procedure 2 yr after surgery and less likely to return to work at 90 d. Preoperative opioid counseling is advised.
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Incontrovertible predictors of shunt malfunction remain elusive. ⋯ This study demonstrates that only 3 variables are predictive of 30-day shunt failure when following established variable selection procedures, 2 of which are potentially under direct control of the surgeon.