Age Limits for Spinal Surgery

There is no age limit for spine surgery. A 75-year-old with back pain may be a candidate while a 45-year-old may not be; overall health, and how well someone is likely to get through surgery and recover, matter more than age.

3 min read

Age alone does not disqualify you from spinal surgery. A 75-year-old patient with back pain may be a candidate for spinal surgery, while a 45-year-old patient with back pain may not be, depending on the situation. One of the most important things your healthcare team will look at is your overall health. They want to make sure the procedure is safe and that its risks do not outweigh its benefits.

Considerations Before Surgery

Surgery is a big deal for anyone no matter what age they are. Healthcare is multifaceted, and looking at the bigger picture is extremely important. Will this patient be able to get through a surgery? Will recovery from the surgery be too difficult for this patient? Would the patient be better off with pain management or physical therapy? These are all very important questions and this is a big reason you need to have open communication with your healthcare team.

When looking at your options, keep an open mind and ask questions. If your healthcare team decides surgery is not the best option, ask them why they think a different route is better for you. You will be surprised at how much goes into these decisions.

Too Old for Surgery?

A 2018 study looked at patients over 90 years old who had either elective or emergency spinal surgery. [1] The patients that underwent elective spinal surgery did not reduce their life expectancy and saw beneficial results. [1] The patients that underwent emergency surgery had higher rates of complications and higher mortality than other patient populations. [1] Results vary from one situation to the next. Some procedures carry bigger risks in certain populations, while others may remain safe well into later life.

Too Young for Surgery?

On the other hand, is there such a thing as being too young for spinal surgery? Not really. The patient’s condition determines whether spinal surgery is needed. Patients that are 20 years old or younger have undergone spinal surgery and returned to active lives. [2] Younger patients can have spinal cord injuries just like everyone else, and some have scoliosis severe enough to need surgical correction.

Conclusion

Age is just a number at the end of the day. Every patient is unique, and that is taken into account when deciding who needs spinal surgery and who can benefit from other treatments. There is no simple rule for who will have spinal surgery and who will not. Key questions include: How will the patient do during surgery? Will they be able to recover afterward? Does the patient have other medical complications that may make recovery more difficult? At the end of the day, you and the surgeon will decide and work together to create a treatment plan that will result in the best outcomes for you.

Sources

1. Rychen J, Stricker S, Mariani L, Schaeren S, Jost GF. Outcome of Spinal Surgery in Patients Older Than Age 90 Years. World Neurosurg. 2019 Mar;123:e457-e464. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2018.11.188. Epub 2018 Nov 27. PMID: 30500575.

2. Abbasi, H. (2020, August 18). Is 20 Years Old Too Young For Spine Surgery? Inspired Spine. Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://www.inspiredspine.com/newsblog/2016/february/is-20-years-old-too-young-for-spine-surgery-/

Frequently asked questions about age and spine surgery.

Is there an age limit for spine surgery?

No. Age alone does not rule anyone out of spine surgery. What matters is overall health: whether the procedure is safe, whether the patient can recover from it, and whether its benefits outweigh its risks. A 75-year-old with back pain may be a candidate for spine surgery while a 45-year-old may not be, depending on the situation.

Should a 75-year-old have back surgery?

A 75-year-old can have back surgery if it is the right treatment and they are healthy enough for it. The surgical team looks at how the patient will do during surgery, whether they can recover afterward, and whether other medical conditions would make recovery harder. Sometimes pain management or physical therapy is the better choice. The patient and surgeon decide together.

How old is too old for back surgery?

There is no age at which someone is automatically too old for back surgery. In a 2018 study of patients over 90 who had spinal surgery, planned (elective) surgery did not shorten life expectancy and brought good results, while emergency surgery had more complications. Results depend on the procedure and the person’s health, not on age alone.

Why might someone not be a candidate for spine surgery?

Someone may not be a candidate for spine surgery when the risks outweigh the benefits: for example, when their overall health makes surgery unsafe, when recovery would be too difficult, or when other medical conditions would complicate healing. In those cases pain management or physical therapy may be the better option. It’s worth asking the care team to explain their reasoning.

Can you be too young for spine surgery?

Not really. The condition, not age, decides whether spine surgery is needed. Patients 20 or younger have had spine surgery and gone back to active lives. Younger patients can have spinal cord injuries just like anyone else, and some have scoliosis severe enough to need surgical correction.

What is the best age to have scoliosis surgery?

There is no single best age for scoliosis surgery. Whether and when surgery is needed depends on how severe the curve is and on the patient’s overall health, not on age by itself: some young people have scoliosis severe enough to need correction, while many never do. A spine surgeon decides on timing after examining the curve.

What does a surgeon consider before recommending spine surgery?

Before recommending spine surgery, the care team weighs a few key questions. How will the patient do during surgery? Will they be able to recover afterward? Would pain management or physical therapy work better? Do other medical conditions make recovery harder? The goal is a procedure that is safe and whose benefits outweigh its risks.