The Impact of ASA Status on Cost of Care and Length of Stay Following Posterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion

Abstract: Background Increasing numbers of posterior cervical decompression and fusion (PCDF) over the past decade have raised the prospect of bundled payment plans. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Physical Status Classification system may enable accurate estimation of healthcare costs, length of stay, and other postoperative outcomes in PCDF patients. Objective To evaluate correlations between ASA and postoperative outcomes, length of stay (LOS), and healthcare costs in patients undergoing PCDF. Methods 971 patients that underwent PCDF between 2008 and 2016 at a single institution were evaluated by low (I and II) versus high (III and IV) ASA. Demographics were compared using univariate analysis. Cost of care, LOS and postoperative complications were compared using multivariable logistic and linear regression, controlling for gender, age, length of surgery and number of segments fused. Results The high ASA cohort had greater mean age (62 vs. 55, p Conclusions High ASA is strongly associated with increased costs, LOS and adverse outcomes following PCDF. Therefore, ASA could be useful for preoperative prediction of these outcomes.