<p>Outcomes following spine surgery vary widely, and a substantial proportion of patients continue to experience persistent postoperative pain, functional limitations, and reduced quality of life following surgical intervention. Psychological factors—including depression, pain catastrophizing, and baseline disability—are among the most consistent predictors of poorer postoperative outcomes and persistent spinal pain syndrome following surgery. Despite growing evidence supporting psychosocial risk assessment, systematic psychological screening remains inconsistently implemented across many spine programs. This article presents a practical psychological risk stratification framework integrating three brief and widely validated instruments: the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Together, these measures assess cognitive, emotional, and functional domains associated with surgical outcomes. The article reviews current evidence regarding psychosocial predictors of postoperative outcomes, outlines clinically informed risk thresholds, and describes behavioral health intervention pathways for low-, moderate-, and high-risk patients. Multidisciplinary implementation strategies, psychological treatment approaches, and mental health equity considerations relevant to integrated spine care are also discussed. Integrating psychosocial screening into multidisciplinary spine surgery pathways may improve patient preparation, guide behavioral health referrals, enhance postoperative rehabilitation engagement, and support more individualized perioperative care.</p>

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Psychological Risk Stratification before Spine Surgery Using PCS, PHQ-9, and ODI

  • Mirsad Serdarevic

摘要

Outcomes following spine surgery vary widely, and a substantial proportion of patients continue to experience persistent postoperative pain, functional limitations, and reduced quality of life following surgical intervention. Psychological factors—including depression, pain catastrophizing, and baseline disability—are among the most consistent predictors of poorer postoperative outcomes and persistent spinal pain syndrome following surgery. Despite growing evidence supporting psychosocial risk assessment, systematic psychological screening remains inconsistently implemented across many spine programs. This article presents a practical psychological risk stratification framework integrating three brief and widely validated instruments: the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Together, these measures assess cognitive, emotional, and functional domains associated with surgical outcomes. The article reviews current evidence regarding psychosocial predictors of postoperative outcomes, outlines clinically informed risk thresholds, and describes behavioral health intervention pathways for low-, moderate-, and high-risk patients. Multidisciplinary implementation strategies, psychological treatment approaches, and mental health equity considerations relevant to integrated spine care are also discussed. Integrating psychosocial screening into multidisciplinary spine surgery pathways may improve patient preparation, guide behavioral health referrals, enhance postoperative rehabilitation engagement, and support more individualized perioperative care.