203-patient analysis at DISC Surgery Centers shows 100% discharge within 23 hours with up to 60% lower total episode-of-care costs compared with hospital-based fusion procedures
A new study led by orthopaedic spine surgeon Steven J. Girdler, MD of DISC Surgery Center, shows that even the most complex spinal fusions—anterior-posterior lumbar interbody fusions (ALIF + PSF, also known as 360° fusions)—can be performed safely and effectively in an outpatient setting, achieving substantial cost savings for payers and improved recovery for patients.
The retrospective analysis evaluated 203 consecutive outpatient 360° fusions performed between 2018 and 2024 at a single ambulatory surgery center. All 203 patients were discharged within 23 hours, meeting the definition of same-day surgery. No hospital transfers, blood transfusions, or readmissions occurred in the immediate perioperative period. The average operating time was 167 minutes, and all patients began recovery at home within a day of surgery. Read the abstract HERE.
“These are highly complex procedures that once required three or four days in the hospital,” said Dr. Girdler. “To safely complete a 360° fusion as a single, minimally invasive episode of care and discharge patients within 23 hours is a major step forward for both patient outcomes and the healthcare system.”
Hospital‑based lumbar fusion surgeries have long ranked among the most costly surgical procedures in spine care. National data show more than 455,000 inpatient spinal‑fusion admissions in 2018 with total hospital costs exceeding $14.1 billion. Among these, roughly 40,000 represent circumferential (360°) fusions. Previous research has shown that outpatient same-day fusion (ALIF) can