The evaluation of the surgical management of nerve root compression in patients with low back pain: Part 2: patient expectations and satisfaction.

Study Design: This was a prospective study investigating patient expectations of and satisfaction with the outcome of decompression surgery.

Objectives: To investigate patient expectations of surgery and short- and long-term satisfaction with the outcome of decompression surgery in terms of pain, function, disability, and general health.

Summary Of Background Data: Information is scarce regarding patient-rated expectations of surgery and measures of satisfaction with surgery in terms of specific outcome measures such as pain.

Methods: Eighty-four patients undergoing spinal stenosis surgery were recruited into this study. Before surgery, patients were also asked to rate their expectations in terms of improvement in pain, general health, function, and other such characteristics. In addition, at each postoperative review stage, patients were asked to rate their satisfaction with their improvement in these key outcome measures.

Results: The results demonstrated that patients had very high expectations of recovery, particularly in terms of pain and function, and that patients were confident of achieving this recovery (76.8%). Levels of satisfaction, however, varied considerably: 41% of patients were 50% satisfied with the outcome, and 30% were dissatisfied. Most patients felt that they had made the right decision to have surgery, although the surgery had achieved only 43.4% +/- 37.8 of the outcome they had expected.

Conclusions: Examination of patients' expectations of and satisfaction with surgery revealed that patients frequently had unrealistic expectations of their surgery and as a consequence tended to have lower levels of satisfaction.