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Options for Spine Treatments
Back Surgery: When is it Appropriate?
Sometimes it is necessary to perform a spinal fusion on one or more vertebral levels during a discectomy procedure in order to prevent post-operative mechanical instability. This can occur secondary to removal of too much supportive tissue during surgery.
The Purpose of Back Surgery
The primary purpose of spine surgery is to correct a structural lesion in individuals who fail to show adequate improvement with conservative or non-surgical intervention. Surgery is done in order to alter structural relationships within the spine to reduce pain and/or to protect vital structures such as blood vessels and nerves. Surgery is also performed to remove tissues that should not be present such as tumor. There are very few reasons to undergo exploratory back surgery with the widespread availability of advanced imaging technology and techniques.
Spine surgeries are customarily performed surgeons trained in orthopedic spine surgery or neurosurgery. The field of spine surgery has become increasingly specialized due to advances in surgical approaches and materials utilized during surgery. This increasing level of specialization in spine surgery contributes to enhancement of surgical techniques, greater application of minimally invasive procedures and generally better post-operative outcome.
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Back Surgery: When is it Appropriate?
When is Surgical Fusion Necessary?
Lumbar spine surgery with fusion is performed to reduce mechanical induced low back pain. This type of surgery is rarely indicated unless there is definitive instability of the spine. Instability is defined as excessive vertebral movement or slippage between adjacent segments. Pain resulting from instability will intensify following physical activity and is often associated with degenerative changes in the discs (such as degenerative disc disease). Slippage of vertebrae is referred to as spondylolisthesis. The confirmation of mechanically induced pain from slippage of vertebral segments is a strong indicator of the need for spinal fusion.
The most common reason for considering low back surgery is low back pain that lasts for more than six months.
The indications for fusing the low back include the following:
Lumbar spine surgery with fusion is performed to reduce mechanical induced low back pain. This type of surgery is rarely indicated unless there is definitive instability of the spine. Instability is defined as excessive vertebral movement or slippage between adjacent segments. Pain resulting from instability will intensify following physical activity and is often associated with degenerative changes in the discs (such as degenerative disc disease). Slippage of vertebrae is referred to as spondylolisthesis. The confirmation of mechanically induced pain from slippage of vertebral segments is a strong indicator of the need for spinal fusion.
The most common reason for considering low back surgery is low back pain that lasts for more than six months.
The indications for fusing the low back include the following:
- Mechanical back pain (usually attributed to disc degeneration)
- Spinal stenosis (where there is an associated deformity)
- Fractures
- Tumors
- Scoliosis (deformity)
Sometimes it is necessary to perform a spinal fusion on one or more vertebral levels during a discectomy procedure in order to prevent post-operative mechanical instability. This can occur secondary to removal of too much supportive tissue during surgery.
The Purpose of Back Surgery
The primary purpose of spine surgery is to correct a structural lesion in individuals who fail to show adequate improvement with conservative or non-surgical intervention. Surgery is done in order to alter structural relationships within the spine to reduce pain and/or to protect vital structures such as blood vessels and nerves. Surgery is also performed to remove tissues that should not be present such as tumor. There are very few reasons to undergo exploratory back surgery with the widespread availability of advanced imaging technology and techniques.
Spine surgeries are customarily performed surgeons trained in orthopedic spine surgery or neurosurgery. The field of spine surgery has become increasingly specialized due to advances in surgical approaches and materials utilized during surgery. This increasing level of specialization in spine surgery contributes to enhancement of surgical techniques, greater application of minimally invasive procedures and generally better post-operative outcome.
1 2 3 4 5 6
