Why spine surgery

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The information contained herein is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Factors Contributing to the Popularity of Unnecessary Spine Surgery Studies show that spine surgery is rarely ever as effective as patients are led to believe it will be. Other Reasons Other reasons why unnecessary spine surgery continues to be recommended despite what studies may show is that some surgeons genuinely feel that invasive procedures are beneficial to patients.

By rawpixel. What kind of operation is it? Depending on the location of your herniated disc , you may require a different surgical procedure. According to one study, the success rate for a herniated lumbar disc surgery was Several spinal fusion surgeries can help limit back pain that stems from specific points. A fusion surgery involves joining two vertebrae with a bone graft, so they become one solid bone. This procedure can give your spine more stability and address pain you may feel when moving.

Sciatica occurs when you feel sudden pain in your hip and lower back that radiates to the back of the leg and thigh. You may experience sciatica as a result of normal wear and tear that accompanies aging. However, sciatica surgery may be appropriate if you feel disabling leg pain even after non-surgical intervention. The answer is that most back surgeries rely on a variety of factors for success. These include patient health, the type of spine surgery a patient has and the way post-operative factors play out.

Your health may influence the rate and success at which you recover. According to one study, the following conditions could negatively affect back surgery success :. If there are any errors or complications during the operation, the surgery may have a greater risk of failure as well.

Back surgeries may not be as successful if a patient has one of the following conditions soon after surgery:. Surgery may also have decreased effectiveness if a patient experiences transition syndrome as they recover.

Before you consider back surgery, doctors typically recommend you try conservative, non-surgical options. Most physicians suggest a three-month time window for these options, as many back issues will resolve themselves after that time.

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases recommends surgery in the following situations :. Whether you fall into one of the above categories or not, there are several crucial questions to consider before pursuing surgery:. No matter your situation, treatment options range from general to specific. Talk to your doctor to determine what may be appropriate for your back pain. Before having back surgery, non-surgical treatments like the following can help mitigate or completely relieve your pain.

If you still feel severe pain after three months of non-surgical intervention, you may want to consider surgery. We have committed to taking a conservative approach for treating back and spinal issues , and we can guide you through a safe and effective treatment progression.

Our physical therapists will work with you to establish a physical therapy or injection plan before you consider surgery. If surgery is the best option after non-surgical treatment, our skilled surgeons will meticulously choose and carry out an effective surgery plan. The surgeon can then identify and remove the herniated disc that is pressing on the nerve. Traditional spinal fusions are used to treat instability of the spine, scoliosis, severe degeneration of the discs, or a combination of these issues.

Spinal instrumentation pedicle screws are placed into the vertebrae to stabilize the motion segment and assist with the fusion process. This allows the surgeon to perform a spinal fusion without disrupting the muscles of the spine. The LLIF procedure may be accompanied by another procedure that is fairly common, percutaneous instrumentation of the spine. In this procedure, the surgeon places rods and screws between the muscle fibers, often using computer navigation or intraoperative X-ray as opposed to removing the muscles from the spine as is done with traditional spinal fusion surgery.

When possible, we seek to utilize a minimally invasive approach, if it is an appropriate option. We strive to help patients by giving expert surgical opinions, and when surgery is not needed, we help them navigate other appropriate options by connecting them with the appropriate spine care provider for their unique problem.

Our doctors are publishing the papers and teaching the courses that other doctors around the country are learning from; we are often the first to perform groundbreaking spine procedures and teach other doctors how to perform them.

Patients who come to Penn benefit from a multidisciplinary team approach and gain access to the full breadth of care from our doctors and surgeons who are world leaders in quality improvement and risk mitigation reducing risks for patients. Our spine team has the ability to handle every spine issue from the very simple to the extremely complex, seamlessly, all within the same health system.

Diagnosing spinal tumors Question and Answer with Dr Burkhardt. About this Blog. Specialists Who Treat Back Pain. Rehabilitation After Spine Surgery. Orthopedic Surgeon vs. Neurosurgeon for Spine Surgery.

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