For those who have undergone surgery to alleviate neck or back pain, discovering that the surgery was unsuccessful is devastating. Because there never is a guarantee that back surgery will be successful, the potential development of FBSS (failed back surgery syndrome) should always be taken into consideration before electing to undergo a procedure such as spinal fusion.
Causes of FBSS
What causes failed back surgery syndrome? There is no single correct answer. In general, though, there are two primary reasons chronic pain might persist after someone undergoes a major back operation. First, for a variety of reasons, the patient might not have been a good candidate for surgery to begin with. Second, the procedure might have been performed incorrectly. Those are the general causes. Specific causes of FBSS include:
- Surgery performed at incorrect location
- Bone graft rejection
- Fusion hardware failure
- Secondary symptoms generated in previously healthy vertebral segments
- Scar tissue impinging on a nerve root
- Inadequate decompression of affected nerve or nerves
- Post-operative infection
Fusion Alternative
Many patients treated at Laser Spine Institute have undergone previous spinal surgery and now suffer FBSS. If you had failed back surgery, contact Laser Spine Institute. Laser Spine Institute’s surgeons are experienced at diagnosing and resolving FBSS symptoms. Our orthopedic specialists may help you recover spinal health by performing a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure.
