Presenting Mental Health Influences Postoperative Clinical Trajectory and Long-Term Patient Satisfaction After Lumbar Decompression

Objective: To compare patient-reported outcomes (PROMs), postoperative patient-reported satisfaction, and minimum clinically important difference (MCID) achievement after minimally invasive surgery lumbar decompression (MIS-LD) in patients stratified by their preoperative 12-Item Short-Form Mental Component Score (SF-12 MCS).

Methods: Patients who underwent single-level/multilevel MIS-LD were included. PROMs were administered preoperatively and 6 weeks/12 weeks/6 months/1 year postoperatively. Patients were grouped by preoperative SF-12 MCS. Demographic/perioperative characteristics were compared among groups using a χ² and Student t test for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Mean PROM and postoperative satisfaction scores were compared using an unpaired Student t test. PROM improvement within cohorts was assessed with paired-samples t test. MCID achievement rates were compared using χ² analysis.

Results: A total of 297 patients were included: 111 patients in SF-12 MCS <48.9 and 186 patients in the SF-12 MCS ≥48.9 cohort. Cohorts showed mean postoperative differences for visual analog scale (VAS) back score at 12 weeks, VAS leg score at 6 weeks/12 weeks, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) at 6 weeks/12 weeks, SF-12 MCS at all postoperative time points, and 12-Item Short-Form Physical Component Score at 6 weeks/12 weeks (P < 0.022, all). Of patients in the SF-12 MCS <48.9 cohort, more achieved MCID for SF-12 MCS at all postoperative time points and ODI at 1 year (P < 0.023, all). More patients in the SF-12 MCS ≥48.9 cohort achieved MCID for VAS leg score at 12 weeks and 12-Item Short-Form Physical Component Score at 6 weeks (P < 0.038). Patients in the SF-12 MCS <48.9 cohort showed inferior postoperative satisfaction for VAS leg score at 6 weeks/12 weeks/1 year, VAS back score at 12 weeks, and ODI at all postoperative time points.

Conclusions: Patients with inferior mental health preoperatively showed worse mean short-term postoperative clinical outcome for leg/back pain, physical function and disability, short-term and long-term postoperative satisfaction for leg pain and disability, and long-term satisfaction for sleeping/lifting/walking/standing/sex/travel.