Does Baseline Mental Health Influence Outcomes among Workers’ Compensation Claimants Undergoing Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion?

Study Design This was a retrospective cohort study. Purpose This study investigated the influence of preoperative mental health on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and minimal clinically important difference (MCID) among workers’ compensation (WC) recipients undergoing minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS TLIF). Overview of Literature No studies have evaluated the impact of preoperative mental functioning on outcomes following MIS TLIF among WC claimants. Methods WC recipients undergoing single-level MIS TLIF were identified. PROMs of Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for back and leg pain, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), 12-item Short Form Physical and Mental Composite Scale (SF-12 PCS/MCS), and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function evaluated subjects preoperatively/postoperatively. Subjects were grouped according to preoperative SF-12 MCS: