Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) affects many patients who have undergone traditional open neck and back surgeries. FBSS is not actually a syndrome. Instead, it is a general term encompassing many conditions resulting from unsuccessful spine surgeries. Failed back surgery syndrome is defined as a neck or back surgery that fails to alleviate the patient’s original problem, increases the pain and discomfort of an existing condition or creates new problems and accompanying pain. To learn about the cause, symptoms and treatments for failed back surgery syndrome, read the following article.

Reasons why failed back surgery syndrome occurs

Possible causes of failed back surgery syndrome include:

• An incorrect initial diagnosis of a patient’s original condition
• Administering improper or incorrect surgical treatments for the condition
• Performing surgery at an incorrect level or location on the spine
• Failure of spinal fusion surgery, which treats the bones, or vertebrae, of the spine by fusing two or more vertebrae with bone grafts, metal rods and screws
• Fusion surgery that has transferred problems to another level of the spine, causing a new source of degeneration and pain
• Fragment of disc or bone still pinching a nerve
• Hardware insertion
• Scar tissue formation that compresses a nerve root
• Inadequate decompression of a nerve root
• Preoperative nerve damage that does not heal after surgery, or nerve damage occurring during surgery

Unfortunately, a highly invasive traditional open back surgery does come with a higher risk of developing failed back surgery syndrome. Many of our patients at USA Spine Care have suffered ineffective traditional open back surgeries in the past, and have turned to us for a safer and effective alternative to traditional open back surgery.^

Symptoms of failed back surgery syndrome

If you have undergone traditional open back surgery, and you are concerned that you may have developed failed back surgery syndrome, take a moment to review the wide-ranging symptoms associated with this condition, which can include:

• Continued chronic pain
• Pain above or below the treated level of the spine
• Inability to recuperate quickly or at all
• Restricted mobility and flexibility
• A sharp or stabbing back pain
• Pain radiating from the back to the legs
• Back spasms
• Anxiety and depression
• Potential dependence on drugs prescribed for pain treatment

In the event that you are experiencing these symptoms of failed back surgery syndrome, you may find pain relief with the minimally invasive procedures at USA Spine Care. For more information about our procedures and how we might be able to help you, please contact our team today.

Learn more about how USA Spine Care can reclaim your life from FBSS

At USA Spine Care, our commitment to patient-centered care has earned us the title as the leader in minimally invasive surgery. Since 2005, we have helped thousands of patients find relief from chronic neck and back pain each year and we are confident that we can help treat your failed back surgery syndrome. To find out if you are a potential candidate for our outpatient surgery, reach out to us today and ask for a free MRI review.*

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