How Serious is Spinal Surgery?

As far as Dr. Payam Toobian is concerned, Many people who have back pain think that spinal surgery is the only way to relieve their pain. However, spinal surgery can be a serious procedure and does not always relieve pain. Most people with back pain get relief through nonsurgical interventions such as heat, ice, and exercise. This is because most back pain is caused by muscle and ligament strains. Spinal surgery can also be a good option for people with structural spine problems that cannot be fixed with these types of measures.

There are several minimally invasive spine surgeries available today that can help reduce recovery time and post-surgical pain. These techniques involve smaller incisions and less scarring than traditional procedures.

Another new approach to spine surgery is using a local anaesthetic called liposomal bupivacaine that can be injected into a muscle before an incision is made and provides pain relief for up to 72 hours. The anaesthetic has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to provide long-lasting relief from pain, especially for patients with severe lower back pain.

Fusing two or more vertebrae can add stability to the spine and decrease the chances of back pain. It can also help patients with fractured bones or severe deformities in the spine. Bone grafts are used in this type of surgery to strengthen and stabilize the spine. 

They can be from a bone bank or the patient's body having the procedure, usually from the pelvis. Some patients with spine surgery may experience various health issues after the operation, although most problems are rare. Some of these health conditions include:

If you have general anaesthesia for your surgery, it is common that your lungs may not function as well after the procedure. This is because the drugs you take for anaesthesia block your lungs from functioning normally and fully. Even with the use of antibiotics, infections can still occur. These can develop in the incision area or around the hardware used in spinal surgery to hold the vertebrae in place until they heal.

During the healing process, the hardware can move out of place or break, causing a spine problem requiring additional surgery. This is an uncommon complication of spinal fusion, but it can happen and can cause serious health problems. This is why having your spine examined and tested before the surgery is important.

Inflammation and infection are common and can be painful if not treated quickly. If you experience these symptoms after surgery, call your doctor immediately so that the appropriate treatment can be provided. Herniated discs and spinal stenosis are other conditions that can be corrected with surgery. If these conditions are not treated, they can become chronic and cause further damage to the spinal column and nerves.