Dialogue Support for Lumbar Spine Surgery Decisions
Official title: MORESP, MOre REalistic Spine Patients: Assessing the Effect of a Predictive Tool ("Dialogue Support") in Relation to Expectations, Post-surgical Outcomes and Surgery Cancellations in Patients With Lumbar Degenerative Spinal Disorders, as Well as Inter-rater Reliability Between Surgeons.
Run by University Hospital, Akershus · NCT07788872 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A preoperative visit using a Dialogue Support tool is tested to see if it helps adults planning lumbar spine surgery understand their options and improve outcomes.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 440 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University Hospital, Akershus Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Oslo, Nordbyhagen and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 1, 2026 |
| Main results expected | September 1, 2029 |
| Study ends | September 1, 2031 |
| Registry record updated | October 5, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07788872 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults scheduled for lumbar spine surgery due to disc herniation, spinal stenosis, or degenerative disc disease who understand Norwegian.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who do not engage with the DS content or who have limited benefit from prognostic discussions may see no improvement in outcomes.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This multicenter randomized trial tests whether an extra preoperative visit that presents the Dialogue Support (DS) tool’s outcome estimates improves patient information, expectations, and postoperative results for adults undergoing lumbar spine surgery for degenerative disorders. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either the additional DS-informed visit or a standard visit without DS. The study also externally validates the DS tool with NORspine data and examines how consistently surgeons interpret DS assessments. Outcomes include postoperative results, changes in expectations, surgery cancellations, and cost-effectiveness in a real-world Norwegian setting.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, DS-informed preoperative discussions could lead to better-aligned patient expectations and potentially better or more cost-effective spine surgery outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research suggests that prognostic tools and enhanced communication can influence expectations and decision-making, but real-world effectiveness of DS-like tools remains under evaluation.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Patients scheduled to undergo lumbar spinal surgery for: * Disc herniation * Spinal stenosis * Degenerative disc disease. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who do not understand spoken or written Norwegian will be excluded, as language barriers may interfere with the intervention consultation, comprehension of the information provided, and completion of study questionnaires. * Patients with spondylolysis or lytic spondylolisthesis * Patients already participating in other clinical studies.
Where it's running
-
Akershus University Hospital
Oslo, Nordbyhagen, Norway Recruiting -
Innlandet Hospital Trust.
Gjøvik, Norway Not yet recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Per-Henrik Randsborg, MD, PhD — University Hospital, Akershus
- Study coordinator: João Reis, MD
- Email: jorore@ahus.no
- Phone: +47 67 96 00 00
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.