Study procedures
arthrosis, discopathy, pain
ARTHROSIS
The study duration was from the screening and randomization visit (day 0) to 12 months after (End of Trial [EoT] visit). Individual face-to-face visits were conducted separately by a physiatrist, psychologist, and a social worker at the beginning and at 6 months. Likewise, all patients were asked to answer the study questionnaires at the beginning and at 6 months (the only exception was the Short-Form 36 [SF-36] questionnaire, which patients were also required to answer at two months —once the MGVA sessions finished).CNSLBP patients irresponsive to conservative treatment were screened while attending their scheduled outpatient clinic visits with any study team member, regardless of being candidates for low back surgery or not. Patients eligible for surgery primarily had conditions such as discopathy or facet joint arthrosis of varying degrees, causing severe pain irresponsive to conservative treatment.Subsequently, all patients were reviewed in order from the most recently visited to the latest. The first 20 patients who met all the inclusion criteria and none of the exclusion criteria, and who accepted to participate were selected. Patients were provided full and adequate verbal and written information regarding the objective and procedures of the study and the possible risks involved. Patients were informed that their participation in the trial was voluntary and unpaid and that they could refuse to participate or withdraw from the study at any time without any penalty or loss of benefits to which they were otherwise entitled if not participating.At the EoT visit (12 months), the patients' eligibility for surgery was reassessed. Those still eligible for surgery continued their standard follow-up with the responsible surgeon. Those who changed their status to "non-candidates" were scheduled for outpatient clinic control visits. Withdrawn patients had all study-related procedures halted and remained only with the medical procedures, tests, and clinical visits scheduled before enrollment.All study procedures were covered by the Catalan Institute of Health and did not incur in any additional costs neither for the patients nor for the healthcare system.