Discharge Disposition Following Vertebroplasty

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A variety of factors, such as pain level at rest and with activity, have been used to assess outcome of the VP procedure. However, few studies have assessed discharge disposition as a reflection of VP efficacy in the inpatient population. The purpose of this study was to compare patient disposition status before and after VP and determine what relationship exists between the treatment and patient discharge status.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of inpatients who underwent consultation for consideration of spinal augmentation for treatment of painful vertebral compression fractures. We gathered data concerning patients' demographics, living arrangements before hospitalization, discharge disposition, quantitative and qualitative pain levels, and length of hospital stay before and following VP.

RESULTS: Ninety inpatients underwent VP, 73 (81%) of whom lived independently at home before hospitalization. Of these 73 patients, 31 (42%) returned home after discharge, 9 (12%) returned home with home health care assistance, and 32 (44%) were sent to skilled nursing facilities. Six (7%) of the 90 patients resided in assisted-living centers before hospitalization; all of these patients were discharged to assisted-living or skilled nursing facilities. Eight (9%) of the 90 patients resided at skilled nursing centers before hospitalization, and all returned to nursing centers after their hospital stay. Discharge disposition was not significantly associated with preoperative pain levels at rest or with activity (P = .76 and P = .23, respectively) or with postoperative pain levels at rest or with activity (P = .08 and P = .25, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that patients undergoing VP as inpatients are often discharged to rehabilitation centers rather than home, irrespective of their status before hospitalization or their pre- and postoperative pain levels.