Patient characteristics (n = 2960).
| Characteristic | Mean ± SD or % (n) |
| Age, y, mean ± SD | 73.13 ± 10.10 |
| Sex | |
| Male | 84.5% (2500) |
| Female | 15.5% (460) |
| Race | |
| White | 76.0% (2250) |
| African American | 4.6% (135) |
| Hispanic | 8.3% (245) |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.0% (60) |
| Native Americans | 0.5% (15) |
| Others | 2.4% (70) |
| Unknown | 6.2% (185) |
| Patient Location | |
| “Central” counties of metro areas of ≥1 million population | 29.5% (875) |
| “Fringe” counties of metro areas of ≥1 million population | 24.2% (720) |
| Counties in metro areas of 250,000–999,999 population | 20.0% (590) |
| Counties in metro areas of 50,000–249,999 population | 7.1% (205) |
| Micropolitan counties | 11.3% (335) |
| Not metropolitan or micropolitan counties | 7.4% (220) |
| Unknown | 0.5% (15) |
| Median Household Income | |
| 0–25th percentile | 21.8% (645) |
| 26th–50th percentile | 26.9% (795) |
| 51st–75th percentile | 26.2% (775) |
| 76th–100th percentile | 22.8% (675) |
| Unknown | 2.4% (70) |
| Days From Admission to Procedure | 2.36 ± 2.68 |
| Primary Payer | |
| Medicare | 71.7% (2125) |
| Medicaid | 2.3% (65) |
| Primary insurance | 20.6% (610) |
| Self-pay | 0.3% (10) |
| No charge | 0.0% (0) |
| Other | 4.7% (140) |
| Unknown | 0.3% (10) |
| Comorbidities | |
| Alcoholism | 7.8% (230) |
| Diabetes complicated | 23.0% (680) |
| Drug abuse | 1.4% (40) |
| Hypertension complicated | 25.0% (740) |
| Chronic lung condition | 16.9% (500) |
| Obese | 26.2% (775) |
| Perivascular disease | 8.3% (245) |
| Fracture Level | |
| Cervical | 31.9% (945) |
| Thoracic | 57.2% (1695) |
| Lumbar | 10.8% (320) |
| Surgical Procedure | |
| Fusion | |
| Cervical fusion | 21.5% (635) |
| Cervicothoracic fusion | 3.2% (95) |
| Thoracic fusion | 44.6% (1320) |
| Thoracolumbar fusion | 9.0% (265) |
| Lumbar fusion | 3.7% (110) |
| Lumbosacral fusion | 0.8% (25) |
| >2 levels | 54.7% (1620) |
| Corpectomy | |
| Cervical corpectomy | 3.7% (110) |
| Thoracic corpectomy | 10.8% (320) |
| Lumbar corpectomy | 2.2% (65) |
| >2 levels | 0.2% (5) |
| Spinal cord injury | 13.3% (395) |
| Ankylosing Spondylitis | |
| Cervical | 13.3% (395) |
| Cervicothoracic | 1.2% (35) |
| Thoracic | 24.8% (735) |
| Thoracolumbar | 2.9% (85) |
| Lumbar | 5.2% (155) |
| Multiple sites | 4.2% (125) |
| Unspecified region | 19.9% (590) |
| Ankylosing Hyperostosis (DISH) | |
| Cervical | 7.8% (230) |
| Cervicothoracic | 0.8% (25) |
| Thoracic | 13.2% (390) |
| Thoracolumbar | 1.7% (50) |
| Lumbar | 2.0% (60) |
| Multiple sites | 2.9% (85) |
| Unspecified region | 6.1% (180) |
| Mixed (AS + DISH) | 6.1% (180) |
| In-hospital deaths | 5.4% (160) |
Abbreviations: AS, ankylosing spondylitis; DISH, diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.