The truth concerning the pandemic of “Failed Back Surgery Syndrome”
I recently received my subscription to American Chiropractor, Volume 43 and found an interesting article by Eric Kaplan, DC, FIAMA regarding the issues surrounding failed back surgery. If you wish to read a copy of the whole article feel free to reach out to me.
The medical profession has recently acknowledged an issue called “Failed Back Surgery Syndrome.”
Lumbar fusion once considered the gold standard of surgical spine procedures has a 40% success rate. When you dig deeper success is being defined as pain being reduced in half the population, with most continuing to use pain killers. A second study claims one third of patients claimed pain just as severe as prior to surgery and 14% claimed being in worse shape than before the fusion procedure.
Failed back surgery has reached pandemic proportions. An example of a technique from the Laser Spine Institute resulted in higher levels of nerve root injury, dural tears, and reoperation rates. This type of procedure proved no better than a microdiscectomy. The minimally invasive group had a 38% revision rate (double the microdiscrectomy rate).
Examples of failed back surgeries are many but a few high profile names include Golden State Warriors coach Steve Nash. His microdiscectomy resulted in a tear in the lining of hid spinal cord (dural tear) further complicating his recovery. His recovery kept him on the sidelines for more than six months.
The most famous of failed back surgeries is Tiger Woods. He has had five surgeries to repair his spine. At one point neither his surgeon nor his physios were able to give him a timeline to when he would recover.
The American Journal of Medicine observed that in the US roughly 80,000 spine surgeries fail annually.
One in five patients who undergoes spinal surgery for a degenerative disorder returns for a revision procedure – a second operation.
Second back surgeries have a 30% chance for success. That means 7 out of 10 second back surgeries fail. There is a 15% success rate for a third surgery, and 5% for a fourth.
Alternatives to Back Surgery
At the end of the day having surgery for a spinal related disorder is risky. The numbers speak for themselves. If you or a loved one is suffering with a back complaint, getting good non-invasive treatment consisting of physical therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, and even pain injections is the logical approach. If this type of treatment does not yield positive results, then and only then you would consult with a surgeon. A good rule of thumb is start with the least invasive procedure then work your way up.
Here at The Center for Spine Care and Mobility our practitioners are trained to examine, diagnose, and treat injuries of the entire body but pride ourselves on our integrated approach. By having a trained professional examine and diagnose your issue gives you the best chance for recovery.
Treatment options such as Active Release Technique, Graston Technique, nerve flossing, PNF stretching, specific massage techniques, Acupuncture, trigger point injections, and even bracing can all have a positive impact on the way your body heals.
If you would like to learn more about our treatment options feel free to contact our facility.
