Costs of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Abstract

It is well known that the US healthcare system devotes significant resources to the evaluation and treatment of patients with spinal disorders. Back pain continues to be one of the leading causes of disability in the USA and has been reported to be the most common reason for seeking evaluation by a physician, second only to the common cold [1–4]. It is estimated that over 33 million US adults suffered from spine-related disorders in 2005 [4]. In addition, it has been shown that the average expenditure for medical care by US adults with spinal disorders is 73 % higher than adults without back and neck problems [4]. This corresponded to a national total expenditure of over 89 billion dollars in 2005 on spine-related care [4].