Claus CF, Tong D, Lytle E, et al. - A retrospective review of a multi-institutional data registry was intended to ascertain the relationship between age and complications & patient-reported outcomes (PRO) in patients undergoing multilevel transforaminal interbody lumbar fusion (MTLIF). Researchers examined patients ≥ 50-year-old who had undergone MTLIF for degenerative lumbar spine conditions. The MSSIC database was applied to investigate ninety-day complications and PROs (baseline, 90-d, 1-y, 2-y). They examined a sum of 3,120 patients with 961 (31%) ≥ 70-y-o and 2159 (69%) between 50–69. The results indicated that age was not correlated with complications nor predictive of functional outcomes in patients who had undergone MTLIF. Therefore, age alone may not be an appropriate surrogate for risk. Moreover, baseline preoperative independent ambulation was correlated with better clinical outcomes and should be considered during preoperative surgical counseling.