The roommate: does double-occupancy rooming impact recovery from pediatric spinal fusion surgery?

Purpose: Single occupancy inpatient recovery rooms are perceived by health care professionals to positively influence patients' experience, while double rooms are associated with higher noise levels, sleep disturbances, and a lack of privacy. These differing physical environments may manifest in differing length of stay, pain scores, and opioid use. When bed space is scarce, identifying ideal populations for double occupancy rooming is important. This study aims to assess how inpatient room assignment impacts recovery time, opioid consumption, and patient reported pain for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients undergoing a posterior spinal fusion (PSF).

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of AIS patients who underwent PSF from 2011 to 2017 at a single center was conducted. Demographics and baseline radiographic measurements were summarized using appropriate statistics. Intraoperative and postoperative outcomes, as well as numerical ranking scale (NRS) pain scores and total daily opioid administration, were compared across room types using t tests, Wilcoxon rank sum tests, Chi-squared tests, or Fisher's exact tests, as appropriate. GEE models were constructed to examine the influence of room type and days since surgery on outcomes.

Results: The cohort included 635 patients: 448 (71%) assigned to a double room and 187 (29%) to a single room. The mean age was 15 ± 2 years and 83% of patients were female. Length of hospital stay, complication rates, 2-year outcomes, inpatient pain scores, and daily opioid usage did not significantly differ between room types (all p > 0.05). Adjusted GEE models revealed no significant associations between room type and pain scores (p = 0.9) or between room type and total opioid dosage (p = 0.95).

Conclusion: When bed space is scarce, double occupancy rooming for pediatric patients after PSF surgery for AIS can serve as a relief valve to continue elective practices without compromising post-operative outcomes.