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Radiculopathy with motor deficit: a cross-sectional study of the impact of the surgeon’s experience on the indication and timing of surgical treatment

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European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The optimal management of patients with compressive radiculopathy with motor deficit (CRMD) is controversial. Our goal was to provide evidence on the impact of the spine surgeons’ experience on surgical planning and timing.

Methods

Spine surgeons were invited to participate in a 5-item online survey. A literature review was carried out.

Results

Of the 94 spine surgeons who responded to the survey, 70% would operate early on a patient with acute CRMD, but only 48% would do so if the radicular pain had resolved. Surgeons with more than 15 years of experience chose more conservative options. Twenty published studies were selected in the literature review.

Conclusion

The optimal management of patients with compressive radiculopathy associated with a non-progressive motor loss remains unknown. The results of our survey show that surgeons with extensive surgical experience take a more conservative and cautious approach.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all respondent surgeons for their voluntary participation in our survey. We would also like to thank the Bellvitge University Hospital Clinical Research Support Unit, IDIBELL and CERCA Program/Generalitat de Catalunya for institutional support.

Funding

No funding was received for conducting this study.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Joint senior authors: Sebastián Videla, Joan M. Nolla, Jose-Luis Agullo-Ferre.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

    Iago Garreta-Catala, Moises Suarez-Perez, Lluis Gonzalez-Cañas, Augusto Covaro & Jose-Luis Agullo-Ferre

  2. Pharmacology Unit, Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, IDIBELL, Barcelona University, Barcelona, Spain

    Sebastián Videla

  3. Clinical Research Support Unit, Clinical Pharmacology Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

    Sebastián Videla

  4. Rheumatology Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

    Joan M. Nolla

Authors
  1. Iago Garreta-Catala
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  2. Moises Suarez-Perez
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  3. Lluis Gonzalez-Cañas
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  4. Augusto Covaro
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  5. Sebastián Videla
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  6. Joan M. Nolla
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  7. Jose-Luis Agullo-Ferre
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Iago Garreta-Catala.

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The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Garreta-Catala, I., Suarez-Perez, M., Gonzalez-Cañas, L. et al. Radiculopathy with motor deficit: a cross-sectional study of the impact of the surgeon’s experience on the indication and timing of surgical treatment. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 34, 191–199 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-023-03632-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-023-03632-9

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