This study confirms the intuitive impression that patients with sciatica have prolonged DBRT compared to normal population. This represents an extra absolute increase in traveling distance of 2.4 meters in a 70 mph speed zone. Left and Right sided sciatica patients should not drive immediately after SNRB. Right sided sciatica patients suffer from a prolonged increase in their reaction time post SNRB.
HES data for all 2496 records was analysed by type of admissions and speciality. 4.2% of trauma patients were incorrectly classified as elective or day cases. 2.9% of trauma patients admitted to hospital were not recorded in the HES data as orthopaedics admission. The accuracy of HES diagnosis coding was tested on 300 records randomly selected by a statistical package. HES recorded the wrong diagnosis in 29.3% of cases.
HES data does not accurately record diagnoses and therefore can not be used as a research tool for specific injuries. Data recording practice should be changed to improve HES data accuracy.
In the cases studied, neither the operative delay nor the age of the patient had a significant effect on the length of stay post operation. There was an increase in the in-hospital mortality rate associated with the operative delay, although this was not significant statistically. There was a statistically significant increase in the inhospital mortality rate with an increase in the patients age (5 % if less than 80 years old, 11% if between 80 and 89 years old, 19% if 90 years or older, p is less or equal to 0.05). In all three age groups the mortality rate did not statistically significantly decrease if the surgery was performed within two calendar days from admission.