Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42434192›Full record

ArticleNeurosurgery practice2026

Unsolicited Patient Complaints in Spine Surgery: An In-Depth Study of How and Why They Occur.

Harsh Jain, Hani Chanbour, Iyan Younus, Omar Zakieh, Soren Jonzzon, Campbell Liles, William O Cooper, Julian G Lugo-Pico, Raymond J Gardocki, Richard Berkman and 3 more

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Article in Neurosurgery practice, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Harsh JainDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Hani ChanbourDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Iyan YounusDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Omar ZakiehDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Soren JonzzonDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Campbell LilesDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
William O CooperDepartments of Pediatrics and Health Policy and the Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Julian G Lugo-PicoDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Raymond J GardockiDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Richard BerkmanDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Amir M AbtahiDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Byron F StephensDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Scott L ZuckermanDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2951-2942

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesThe high-risk yet elective nature of spine surgery can often lead to patient complaints. Examining these complaints can improve care quality and experience. This multi-institutional study analyzed unsolicited patient complaints (UPCs) in spine surgery to: (1) compare mean complaints among spine surgeons, other surgeons, and nonsurgeon physicians; (2) categorize patient complaints; and (3) assess whether complaints were linked to surgeon-patient interactions.

methodsA multi-institutional cross-sectional study across 200 hospitals (2014-2017) analyzed deidentified UPCs regarding neurosurgery/orthopedic spine teams, categorizing complaints as surgeon- or nonsurgeon-related, focusing on communication, professionalism, complications, and hospital infrastructure. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were performed.

resultsOf 42 380 physicians, 525 were spine surgeons, averaging 7.2 ± 8.3 UPCs, significantly higher (

conclusionAmong spine surgeons, 42% of complaints were unrelated to direct surgeon-patient interactions, and 58% occurred before any surgery was performed. Communication (64%) was the most common issue, with 70% being surgeon-related. Nonsurgeon-related complaints involved hospital infrastructure, not offering surgery, seeing advanced practice providers, and clinic inefficiencies. A collaborative effort of the healthcare team is crucial to address systemic issues and enhance care quality.

Indexed as

CollaborationCommunicationInfrastructurePatient complaintsSpine surgery

Identifiers

PMID42434192
PMCPMC13354345

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