Is Spine Surgery Really Dangerous?

There are few common notions in general public about spine surgeries like -

1. Spine Surgery is dangerous with a high risk of complications and a very low success rate.

2. The long period of Bed rest is required after spine surgery.

3. You can delay surgery for a long period and surgery should be done only when patient is completely bedridden or paralyzed 

Because of baseless misconceptions and myths about spine surgery, people are scared and do not seek surgical treatment early. By the time they are willing for it, it's too late as nerves get irreversibly damaged. 95 % of patients with slip disc problem get better with non-operative measures like medicines, rest, Physiotherapy, Excercise and sometimes Epidural injections. Only 5 % of patients need surgery. Best results of surgery are usually is seen in those patients who get operated within 6 to 9 months of the start of symptoms before any permanent numbness or weakness develops. If nerves are compressed for a long time some irreversible changes develop in them. These changes do not revert back even after decompression. In these patients even after surgery, there is residual numbness or weakness seen after surgery. By doing surgery a Surgeon is just decompressing the nerves. So if a nerve is already damaged the symptoms may not improve. That's why patients have advised surgery before the development of permanent deficit.

 In Majority of cases of Spine surgery, the patient is mobilised out of bed as soon as possible and long bed rest is not required. After Microdiscectomy patient starts sitting, standing and walking from the very next day of surgery and is discharged. For six weeks patients are advised to avoid forward bedding. After 6 weeks exercises are started and after 3 months normal activities are resumed.

 Spine surgery is not Dangerous. When done properly in the right patient at the right time, results are excellent.