Patient lumbar discectomy journey (DiscJourn) in the UK: a qualitative study
Objectives To gain insight into patients’ views, perceptions, experiences and expectations postlumbar discectomy.Methods A qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) purposively recruited patients undergoing lumbar discectomy at one UK spinal centre. Purposive criteria in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2025-07-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e101259.full |
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| author | Alison B Rushton Nicola R Heneghan Louise White Navin Furtado Annabel Masson Karl Baraks Zeeshan Parvez |
| author_facet | Alison B Rushton Nicola R Heneghan Louise White Navin Furtado Annabel Masson Karl Baraks Zeeshan Parvez |
| author_sort | Alison B Rushton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives To gain insight into patients’ views, perceptions, experiences and expectations postlumbar discectomy.Methods A qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) purposively recruited patients undergoing lumbar discectomy at one UK spinal centre. Purposive criteria included age, sex, ethnicity, symptom duration, work/sick leave, education level and co-existing psychological issues. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using a patient co-constructed topic guide. Interview transcriptions were analysed in accordance with IPA. Strategies enhancing trustworthiness included suspension of judgements and presuppositions, reflexivity, iterative coding process and critique from co-investigators.Results Data from 14 participants (eight elective, 6 emergency surgery) informed four themes. The theme ready to move forwards was characterised by high satisfaction with post-operative improvement, positivity and optimism, with readiness to work towards personal goals. The theme post-operative fear and uncertainty was characterised by reflections on pre-operative difficulties fuelling fear about potential recurrence and long-term impacts. The theme of advice and guidance considered important was characterised by the expectation and value of support provided (verbal, written); instances of negative influences from healthcare interactions and access to unregulated patient information sources suggest scope for future improvement. The final theme, heterogeneity in peri-operative needs, was characterised by variation in depth/access to patient information, perceived post-operative support and wide-ranging preoperative activity/fitness.Conclusions Surgery offers physical and psychosocial changes which could be better harnessed to positively influence recovery through high quality verbal/written communication. Peri-operative advice and guidance was valued; while this was sufficient for some, personalised rehabilitation should be available owing to the identified heterogeneity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c67f171f147b4eb6aceee1864ec180d1 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-c67f171f147b4eb6aceee1864ec180d12025-08-20T03:14:02ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-07-0115710.1136/bmjopen-2025-101259Patient lumbar discectomy journey (DiscJourn) in the UK: a qualitative studyAlison B Rushton0Nicola R Heneghan1Louise White2Navin Furtado3Annabel Masson4Karl Baraks5Zeeshan Parvez6School of Physical Therapy, Western University Faculty of Health Sciences, London, Ontario, CanadaCentre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain, School of Sport Exercise and Rehabilitation, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UKPhysiotherapy Department, Level 1, North Suite, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UKQueen Elizabeth Neurosciences Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UKCentre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain, School of Sport Exercise and Rehabilitation, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UKDepartment of Physiotherapy, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Birmingham, UKCentre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain, School of Sport Exercise and Rehabilitation, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UKObjectives To gain insight into patients’ views, perceptions, experiences and expectations postlumbar discectomy.Methods A qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) purposively recruited patients undergoing lumbar discectomy at one UK spinal centre. Purposive criteria included age, sex, ethnicity, symptom duration, work/sick leave, education level and co-existing psychological issues. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using a patient co-constructed topic guide. Interview transcriptions were analysed in accordance with IPA. Strategies enhancing trustworthiness included suspension of judgements and presuppositions, reflexivity, iterative coding process and critique from co-investigators.Results Data from 14 participants (eight elective, 6 emergency surgery) informed four themes. The theme ready to move forwards was characterised by high satisfaction with post-operative improvement, positivity and optimism, with readiness to work towards personal goals. The theme post-operative fear and uncertainty was characterised by reflections on pre-operative difficulties fuelling fear about potential recurrence and long-term impacts. The theme of advice and guidance considered important was characterised by the expectation and value of support provided (verbal, written); instances of negative influences from healthcare interactions and access to unregulated patient information sources suggest scope for future improvement. The final theme, heterogeneity in peri-operative needs, was characterised by variation in depth/access to patient information, perceived post-operative support and wide-ranging preoperative activity/fitness.Conclusions Surgery offers physical and psychosocial changes which could be better harnessed to positively influence recovery through high quality verbal/written communication. Peri-operative advice and guidance was valued; while this was sufficient for some, personalised rehabilitation should be available owing to the identified heterogeneity.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e101259.full |
| spellingShingle | Alison B Rushton Nicola R Heneghan Louise White Navin Furtado Annabel Masson Karl Baraks Zeeshan Parvez Patient lumbar discectomy journey (DiscJourn) in the UK: a qualitative study BMJ Open |
| title | Patient lumbar discectomy journey (DiscJourn) in the UK: a qualitative study |
| title_full | Patient lumbar discectomy journey (DiscJourn) in the UK: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Patient lumbar discectomy journey (DiscJourn) in the UK: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Patient lumbar discectomy journey (DiscJourn) in the UK: a qualitative study |
| title_short | Patient lumbar discectomy journey (DiscJourn) in the UK: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | patient lumbar discectomy journey discjourn in the uk a qualitative study |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e101259.full |
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