Real-Time Location System Assessment of Early Postoperative Recovery After Lumbar Decompression According to Surgical Approach.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate early postoperative mobility after lumbar decompression using real-time location system (RTLS)-derived objective metrics and to explore differences in mobility patterns between biportal endoscopic decompression and open decompression.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included 323 patients who underwent lumbar decompression for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis between March 2020 and May 2024. RTLS sensors embedded in wristbands continuously recorded patient mobility during postoperative days (PODs) 1-4. Primary RTLS-derived outcomes included total walking distance, mean walking speed, and active movement ratios (top 20% and top 50%). Between-group comparisons were performed using nonparametric tests. Propensity score matching and multivariable median quantile regression adjusting for age, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, and preoperative mobility were conducted.

RESULTS

RTLS identified differences in early postoperative activity patterns between surgical approaches. In adjusted analyses, activity-intensity-based metrics, particularly the top 20% activity ratio, remained significantly higher in the biportal endoscopic decompression group across multiple PODs. Subgroup analyses demonstrated minimal differences after single-level decompression, whereas activity-based differences were more frequently observed in multilevel procedures.

CONCLUSION

RTLS-based continuous monitoring detected differences in early postoperative activity patterns following lumbar decompression. These findings support the role of RTLS as an objective tool for assessing early functional recovery in spine surgery.