Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

The vast majority of spine surgeries go exactly as planned and produce fantastic results, but every surgery carries risks and sometimes the unexpected occurs. Your surgeon will work to control any and all threats as best they can before, during and after your procedure, but what are the biggest threats to the success of your spine surgery? In today’s blog, we explore some of the biggest threats to your spine surgery so that you can work to minimize the aspects you can control ahead of surgery.

Threats To Successful Spine Surgery

Let’s explore some of the most common threats to a successful spine surgery and rehabilitation program:

• Delayed Care – As we’ve talked about at length on this blog, one of the most overlooked threats to the success of your spinal procedure is how long the patient waits to seek out care. We’re not saying you should head in for surgery at the first sign of back pain, but pushing on and ignoring symptoms isn’t going to treat the issue. Symptoms almost always get worse without proactive treatment, and the worse a condition gets, the less likely it is to respond optimally to surgical care. Studies have found that patients who waited more than a year to seek out a recommended surgery were roughly twice as likely to need a revisional procedure than those who had surgery within six weeks to one year of diagnosis. Putting off timely care is one of the largest threats to an optimal treatment outcome.
• Your Health – Similarly, your overall health plays a pivotal role in your surgical outcomes. An ideal patient will be fit, have a healthy body mass index and have good marks for other vital signs like blood pressure and glucose levels. A patient with worse health or more comorbidities that need to be accounted for is at a higher risk for complications. While you can’t erase decades of aging, you can strive to live a healthier life in the weeks and months that lead up to surgery so that you are a more physically fit version of yourself when it’s time to operate. Getting regular exercise, consuming a healthy diet, minding your weight and performing pre-hab physical therapy exercises can all lower your risk of surgical complications.
• Your Surgeon – Many people assume that if something goes wrong during surgery or while the patient is recovering that the surgeon is to blame. It’s certainly possible that a surgical error or poor hygiene in the operating room led to your surgical complication, but it’s incredibly rare. Your surgeon and their care team will have decades of experience between them, and they understand how everything needs to take place to give the patient the best chance at an optimal outcome. Yes, it’s possible that fault lies with your care team, but it’s rare that they are the true cause of the issue with your procedure or recovery.
• Infections – Surgical site infections can cause issues for your health and erase the progress you’ve achieved with surgery. Bacteria can enter the wound site during the procedure, but it’s more likely that they enter the site during your recovery at home. It is essential that you understand how to best care for your incision prior to your discharge from the care facility. It’s also imperative that you reach out to your surgeon in the event you notice any potential signs of an infection, which include severe redness, discolored or foul-smelling discharge and warmth around the site. If you need help caring for an incision in a hard to reach location on your back or neck, have a friend or family member assist.
• Post-Op Rehab Efforts – You’re not in the clear just because your surgeon tells you the operation was a success once you’ve woken up in a recovery room. You’ll still need to follow their advice for weeks or months during the rehabilitation period to avoid a setback with your surgically-addressed spine. First and foremost, be sure to follow through on all your physical therapy requirements and give maximum effort at these sessions. Skipping sessions or partaking with little effort will make it hard for you to achieve optimal recovery. Also, be sure to follow your surgeon’s advice in regards to activity restrictions. Being too physically active or returning to work prior to receiving clearance can put you at risk of suffering a major setback with your recovery. Many people are their own worst enemies during their recovery after surgery, so follow your doctor’s orders until given different instructions.

Let us help you navigate all of these threats to your spine health. For more information on how we can help with your back pain issues, connect with Dr. Sinicropi and the team at Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.

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