Spinal fusion surgery is no different from other types of surgery because it could result in complications. The dangers of your procedure are probably one of your first inquiries if you have planned spine surgery. While your doctor will go over the potential risks of your particular back or neck procedure, the following consequences from spine surgery are conceivable in general: anesthesia, bleeding, blood clots, infection, dural tear, lung issues, and persistent pain.
You must provide complete answers to inquiries about your medical history, allergies, lifestyle choices, and medical history during pre-surgery consultations with your medical team. Doing so will help your doctor better understand the procedure’s potential risks. Your risk for a surgical complication can be influenced by various factors, including your general health, age, past surgical experience, concurrent medical disorders, smoking habits, and osteoporosis.
Any general surgery complications described below are unlikely to happen before, during, or after the lumbar spine surgery in Newport Beach.
- Anesthesia Risks: Most spine operations are carried out under general anesthesia. To make sure you are asleep during the surgery and don’t experience any pain, an intravenous (IV) line will be used to administer sedative drugs to you. Anesthesia risks are uncommon but dangerous. Some of these hazards are heart attack, stroke, brain injury, and death. Drug interactions or issues resulting from other medical disorders could be to blame for these consequences. If you use smoke or alcohol, or if you or a family member has experienced a negative reaction to anesthesia, let your surgeon and the anesthesiologist know.
- Blood Clots: Patients who undergo surgery, particularly operations on the pelvic or lower extremities, run the risk of getting blood clots in the veins of their legs. The body’s clotting system is particularly active after surgery because it attempts to halt the bleeding brought on by the procedure. Clotting may also result from damage to the blood vessels at the surgical site. It is possible for clots to develop in the major veins of the calf and to grow until they reach the veins of the thigh. They occasionally can go to the pelvic veins.
- Infections: In most people, the risk of infection after spine surgery is minimal. Before surgery, you will start receiving IV antibiotics to lower your risk of infection. If an infection arises, it may be superficial (limited to the skin incision) or extend more deeply to the vertebral and spinal cord regions. Infections frequently manifest as:
- A red, hot, and swollen wound
- Increased pain
- A fever, occasionally with chills,
- A bad stench at the wound site
- Clear liquid or yellow pus pouring from the incision.
- Bleeding: Your spine surgeon will carefully execute the techniques from the initial surgical incision to the final surgical wound closure in order to limit and reduce blood loss. However, major blood vessels may sustain damage, resulting in bleeding. Your neurosurgeon Newport Beach may collect a sample of your blood before surgery so they know your blood type in case you require additional blood during the procedure. This is most frequently a blood transfusion from a donor. To prevent donor blood products, some patients may donate their own blood before their surgery. The blood is collected, filtered, and washed using specialized equipment, commonly referred to as a “cell-saver device,” before being returned to your body via a different IV.
Concluding Thoughts
Although the dangers associated with general spine surgery are uncommon, you must be aware of any potential side effects that can develop during or after your treatment. A seasoned neurosurgeon Newport Beach discusses the risks involved in your particular back or neck surgery before you have it done and how you can help prevent potential consequences. By being aware of the risks, you can measure them against the potential advantages and make an informed choice about whether the operation is best for you.
