Patients with Hip Osteoarthritis Have a Higher Rate of Spinal Reoperation Following Lumbar Spinal Fusion

Abstract

Background: Lumbar spinal pathology is known to affect outcomes following total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, the effect of hip osteoarthritis (OA) on outcomes following lumbar fusion has not been well studied. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between hip OA and spinal reoperation following lumbar spinal fusion. Methods: The 5% Medicare Part B claims database was queried for all patients who underwent primary elective lumbar fusion from 2005 to 2019. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those who underwent elective THA within 1 year after primary lumbar fusion, indicating that they had severe hip OA at the time of lumbar fusion, and those who underwent lumbar fusion with no diagnosed hip OA and no THA during the study period. Exclusion criteria included THA as a result of trauma, revision THA or primary THA in the 5-year period before primary lumbar fusion, <65 years of age, and no enrollment in the database for 5 years before and 1 year after primary lumbar fusion. The primary outcome was spinal reoperation within 1, 3, and 5 years. Multivariable Cox regression was performed with age, sex, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, smoking status, osteoporosis, number of levels fused, use of posterior instrumentation, use of an interbody device, use of bone graft, and surgical approach as covariates. Results: Overall, 1,123 patients (63.4% female; 91.3% White; mean age, 76.8 ± 4.1 years) were included in the hip OA group and 8,893 patients (56.2% female; 91.3% White; mean age, 74.8 ± 4.9 years) were included in the control group. After multivariable analysis, patients with severe hip OA had significantly greater rates of revision surgery at 3 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.61; p < 0.001) and 5 years (OR, 1.87; p < 0.001) after the index lumbar fusion. Conclusions: Patients with severe hip OA at the time of primary lumbar fusion had a significantly increased risk of spinal reoperation at 3 and 5 years postoperatively. These data provide further evidence to support performing THA prior to lumbar fusion in the unsettled debate regarding which surgery should be prioritized for patients with simultaneous degenerative diseases of the hip and lumbar spine. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.