Understanding Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS)

Choosing whether or not to have back surgery is a big decision. Patients must determine whether they are good candidates for surgery, what type of procedure would be best for them and which surgeon is best suited to perform it. In reality, back surgery is usually suggested only after all other treatments have failed. The pain that brings a patient to this decision is usually so severe they feel they have no other choice.


There are a number of surgical procedures from which to choose, but the choices are dependent on the patient's specific problem. Usually, tests are performed to determine the type and severity of pain. Patients may be checked for loss of sensation in the limbs or loss of muscle strength. Once surgery has been decided upon, some Spine surgeon Beverly hills and patients opt for a laminectomy where a surgeon removes parts of bone, bone spurs and ligaments in the back in the hope of reducing pressure on the spine. Other patients require spinal fusion, which is the most common form of back surgery. Here doctors join the vertebrae together, restricting movement between the bones of the spine.

All surgeries have risks and back and neck surgery is no different. In fact, not all back surgeries are successful. It is believed that up to twenty percent of patients who have had back or neck surgery have some type of pain following surgery. Some patients develop Failed Back Surgery Syndrome or FBSS, a term used to describe patients who have had unsuccessful results following surgery. Symptoms of FBSS include:

• Continued chronic pain
• Anxiety or depression
• Limited mobility
• Increased dependence on prescription drugs

The good news is that treatment is available for FBSS and there are many options from which to choose. Among them:

• Physical therapy
• Nerve blocks
• Spinal cord stimulation
• Chiropractic care
• Pain management programs

There are different types of pain management. In some cases, a catheter can be inserted to deliver pain medication directly to the affected area, often reducing the need for excess medication. With spinal cord stimulation, a small device similar to a pacemaker is inserted under the skin which provides mild stimulation to the affected area.

With some patients, scar tissue is a problem following surgery. Some doctors believe if the nerve stays mobile, the scar tissue cannot adhere to it and cause leg pain. So stretching the nerve root while the body is healing is thought to help.

There is no reason to suffer from pain when there are so many effective options available to patients today. Talk to your doctor and he or she will help determine what would work best for you.