Patient journey following lumbar spinal fusion surgery (LSFS): protocol for a multicentre qualitative analysis of the patient rehabilitation experience (FuJourn).

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

There has been a 65% increase in lumbar spinal fusion surgery (LSFS) worldwide over the last 13 years, with costs of £26 million to the UK National Health Service annually. Patient dissatisfaction with outcome and persistent pain and disability incurs further costs. Three trials provide low-quality evidence for the role of physiotherapy. Our UK surveys investigating physiotherapy/surgeon practice concluded rehabilitation should be tailored to the individual patient owing to considerable clinical heterogeneity. This study will explore the perceptions of patients who undergo LSFS to inform precision rehabilitation.

Methods and analysis

A qualitative study, using interpretive phenomenological analysis, will recruit a purposive sample (n=40) to ensure patterns of si

SUBMITTER: Rushton A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5988069 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature