Abstract
Background: Patients' expectations are an important determinant in their decision to undergo lumbar spinal surgery-particularly their expectations of recovery after surgery. The Hospital for Special Surgery Lumbar Spine Surgery Expectations Survey (HSS-LSSES) is one tool used to assess this; however, the original version was only available in English. Objective: We sought to evaluate the reliability and validity of a translated and adapted Russian-language version of the HSS-LSSES. Methods: This was a prospective study of 91 patients with degenerative disc disease who underwent lumbar spine surgery with instrumented fixation at a single institution in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Patients were recruited between December 2019 and February 2021 and asked about their expectations of surgery with a translated and adapted Russian version of the HSS-LSSES. To analyze construct validity, participants also completed disease-specific and general quality-of-life scales (Oswestry Disability Index, European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions, and 36-item Short-Form Health Survey). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs; 2-way random effects model, absolute agreement) were used to determine test-retest reliability of the total score of the Russian HSS-LSSES. Internal consistency was evaluated through the estimation of Cronbach's alpha between the test and retest response of the questionnaire. Results: The test-retest stability of the Russian HSS-LSSES evaluated through the estimation of ICC was found to have good stability. The instrument was shown to have high internal consistency. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that a translated and adapted Russian version of HSS-LSSES had good internal consistency, reliability, construct validity, and no floor and ceiling effects. Therefore, we recommend its use as a tool for evaluating Russian-speaking patients' expectations before lumbar spine surgery.