An 11-Year-Long Analysis of the Risks Associated With Age in Patients Undergoing Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion in a Large, Urban Academic Hospital

Abstract

Study Design A retrospective database study of patients at an urban academic medical center undergoing an Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) surgery between 2008 and 2019. Objective ACDF is one of the most common spinal procedures. Old age has been found to be a common risk factor for postoperative complications across a plethora of spine procedures. Little is known about how this risk changes among elderly cohorts such as the difference between elderly (60+) and octogenarian (80+) patients. This study seeks to analyze the disparate rates of complications following elective ACDF between patients aged 60-69 or 70-79 and 80+ at an urban academic medical center. Methods We identified patients who had undergone ACDF procedures using CPT codes 22,551, 22,552, and 22,554. Emergent procedures were excluded, and patients were subdivided on the basis of age. Then each cohort was propensity matched for univariate and univariate logistic regression analysis. Results The propensity matching resulted in 25 pairs in both the 70-79 and 80+ y.o. cohort comparison and 60-69 and 80+ y.o. cohort comparison. None of the cohorts differed significantly in demographic variables. Differences between elderly cohorts were less pronounced: the 80+ y.o. cohort experienced only significantly higher total direct cost ( P = .03) compared to the 70-79 y.o. cohort and significantly longer operative time ( P = .04) compared to the 60-69 y.o. cohort. Conclusions Octogenarian patients do not face much riskier outcomes following elective ACDF procedures than do younger elderly patients. Age alone should not be used to screen patients for ACDF.