Potential Risks of Spinal Surgery

Possible Spine Surgery Complications

Advances in technology have made many common spine procedures designed to relieve nerve pressure or stabilize the backbone safer. Of course, everything possible will be done to make your experience smooth and safe, but any type of spine-related surgery, even a minimally invasive operation, presents certain risks you should know about ahead of time. Here are the potential risks typically associated with spinal surgery.

Anesthesia Risks

General anesthesia is used for most spine procedures. The medication is delivered through IV, so you'll be asleep during surgery. Potential anesthesia risks include heart attack, stroke, brain damage, and death. Complications of this nature are usually caused by drug interactions. Minimize anesthesia-related risks by:

• Letting your surgeon and anesthesiologist know about any previous issues with anesthesia involving yourself or members of your immediate family
• Avoiding smoking or drinking alcohol prior to your procedure and letting your anesthesiologist know if you’re a smoker
• Discussing all medications you’re taking, including over-the-counter drugs and herbal supplements

Bleeding and Blood Clots

Bleeding is normally minimized by avoiding major blood vessels while performing spine surgery. However, there are instances when such vessels are sometimes unintentionally damaged. Other types of bleeding complications may be reduced by:

• Stopping the use of blood thinners prior to surgery 
• Donating blood in advance in case a transfusion is needed—or at least confirming your blood type in case donor blood is needed 
• Performing an autotransfusion to recover your own blood during surgery (intraoperative blood salvage) 

If spine surgery involves the lower back, there’s a slight risk of developing blood clots in the legs (deep venous thrombosis). In rare instances, part of a blood clot may break off and get into the lungs, which is called a pulmonary embolism, and it's potentially life-threatening.

Post-surgery clotting issues can be reduced by moving as much as possible when it's safe to do so, moving your feet up and down to increase circulation in your legs during the early days after surgery when you'll likely be in bed, and using special inflatable or compression stockings. Blood-thinning medications such as warfarin or aspirin may also be recommended.

Dural Tears

A protective coating that covers the spinal cord and nerves (dura mater) is sometimes torn during surgery. These tears may be immediately corrected if detected during the procedure. Other times, they'll heal on their own. The main symptom of a dural tear is a headache that develops shortly after spinal surgery. Let your doctor know if this happens. In some cases, surgery is necessary to fix the tear.

Infections

IV antibiotics are administered before and after most spine-related procedures to reduce the risk of infection. Superficial infections around the wound area are usually easily treatable. However, untreated infections can spread and become serious. For this reason, it's important to let your doctor know right away if you notice any of the following signs of an infection:

• Wound sites that are hot, red, or swollen
• Increased pain within the surgical area
• Fever and/or chills
• Yellow pus or a clear liquid coming from the incision site
• A foul-smelling odor coming from the surgical wound

Respiratory Issues

Anesthesia, pain medications, and lack of activity immediately following spinal surgery are just some of the things that can affect post-surgery lung function, which is why patients are often urged to cough and frequently take deep breaths after surgery. Respiratory risk may also be minimized by:

• Using a device called a spirometer that measures breathing efforts
• Practicing deep-breathing techniques
• Working with a respiratory therapist

Pain After Surgery

Experiencing some pain after spinal surgery is perfectly normal, and it's usually manageable with the temporary use of over-the-counter or prescription pain medications. In rare instances, pain and related symptoms will continue or get worse after a reasonable healing period, and this is termed "failed back surgery syndrome" (FBSS). You can reduce your risk of experiencing persistent or recurring post-surgery pain by:

• Following your surgeon's instructions
• Reporting any unusual instances of pain immediately 
• Avoiding pushing yourself beyond what's recommended by your surgeon or physical therapist
• Setting up your home in advance so you don't have to go up stairs too much or worry about possible falling hazards

Before surgery is scheduled, it's important to be honest with your surgeon when discussing your lifestyle habits and medical history. Results from spinal surgery will also be affected by factors such as your age, overall health and wellbeing, and mental state as well as previous experiences with spine-related surgery and whether you have an underlying condition such as osteoporosis or uncontrolled diabetes. Lastly, keep in mind that most of the possible surgical complications discussed here are rare.

With today’s state-of-the-art tools and advanced techniques, spine surgeons can now perform procedures more safely than ever before, but patients do need to understand the risks of spinal surgery ahead of time. If you think you may need spinal surgery, call on an experienced Los Angeles spine surgeon. You can trust the spine surgery experts at The Spine Institute to keep you well informed ahead of your procedure and to make your recovery as safe and comfortable as possible. Call us today at 310-828-7757 to schedule a consultation.