Lumbar spine surgery in patients 80 years of age or older: morbidity and mortality.

Introduction: The life expectancy increased significantly during last four decades and is associated with an increasing quality of life. The purpose of this study was to determine morbidity and mortality of degenerative lumbar spine surgery in patients 80 years of age or older.

Methods: A consecutive retrospective review evaluated 121 consecutive patients, who had undergone posterior decompression associated or not with lumbar instrumentation.