Jenkins NW, Parrish JM, Mayo BC, et al. - In order to find out specific demographic and perioperative variables associated with higher inpatient pain scores following minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS TLIF) researchers examined a sum of 255 individuals who underwent a single-level, primary MIS TLIF. Researchers applied both bivariate and stepwise multivariate Poisson regressions with robust error variance to evaluate risk factors for average inpatient pain score ≥ 5.0. It was noted that age less than 50 years, workers’ compensation insurance, preoperative VAS pain score ≥ 7, and operative duration ≥ 110 min were correlated with greater postoperative pain. Surgeons can utilize this information to better evaluate which individuals may need further pain control following TLIF. It was demonstrated that individual expectations of postoperative outcomes in regard to pain and recovery may also be better managed.