Patients plan for spine surgery with the expectation of relief. When pain continues after treatment, many patients may feel discouraged and overwhelmed. Fortunately, failed cervical fusion can be repaired. NU-Spine: The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Institute, with locations throughout New Jersey, offers spinal revision surgery to help patients get back to pain-free living.
Key Takeaways
- Cervical spinal fusion may fail due to smoking, infection, scarring at the surgical site, broken implants, nonunion, or additional spine conditions.
- The main indicator that a spinal fusion has failed is pain that continues or returns after surgery.
- Cervical spinal revision surgery is a personalized procedure to correct a failed spinal fusion and help patients find long-term relief.
Why Do Cervical Fusions Fail?
Cervical spinal fusion is a well-established procedure with excellent success rates. Decades of medical innovation have improved its outcomes while reducing the likelihood of complications. Like any surgery, however, success is not 100% guaranteed. There are many reasons why a fusion may fail, including:
- Infection: The operation site may become infected after treatment.
- Smoking: If the patient smokes tobacco during recovery, then they may not heal properly.
- Scarring: Excessive scar tissue may form after surgery, pinching the spinal cord.
- Nonunion: The bone graft material is rejected or does not fuse correctly.
- Implant failure: The implanted hardware loosens or breaks down after placement.
- Alignment issues: The spine was not correctly aligned, causing the union to fail.
- Complex pain: The patient has multiple conditions, only one of which is treated with fusion.
- New pain: A new back condition has developed near the surgical site.
- Degeneration: The original condition has continued to progress after treatment.
It can be discouraging to discover that a back surgery has failed. Avoiding further treatment, however, will only lead to more pain. Many spinal fusion failures can be repaired to provide long-term relief.
What Are the Signs of a Failed Cervical Fusion?
The main sign of failed back syndrome is pain after surgery. In some cases, the original pain persists or even gets worse. In others, the pain may go away for a time before new pain develops at the same site. Depending on what caused the failure, patients may also experience:
- Weakness, tingling, or numbness
- Loss of movement in the arms or hands
- Spasms in the arms or hands
- Instability or abnormal neck movement
Though patients may hesitate to pursue further treatment, they should discuss signs of fusion failure with their physician. Doctors employ computed tomography (CT) scans, motion studies, and nerve testing to evaluate the surgical site and identify the cause of failure. Once the problem is diagnosed, the surgeon can implement a solution that provides the relief that patients hoped for from the start.
Revision Surgery Options for Failed Cervical Fusion
Cervical spinal revision surgery can be used to correct the results of a failed cervical spinal fusion. This procedure is personalized to the patient. Surgeons may use many different approaches depending on the cause of failure, ensuring that the patient’s unique pain is effectively addressed.
- Extending fusion: New conditions or continued degeneration may be treated by extending the fusion. The surgeon performs additional fusions above and below the first.
- Replacing hardware: Loose or damaged hardware may be replaced. This is also an opportunity to adjust hardware placement or add new hardware for better results.
- Correcting alignment: If nerves have become compressed, then the surgeon may correct the spinal alignment to relieve impingement and eliminate symptoms.
Dr. Branko Skovrlj at NU-Spine discusses procedures with his patients, helping them understand his treatment plan and how it will help them. Patients should not hesitate to ask questions if they feel confused or uncertain about their treatment.
Cervical Spine Revision Recovery and Outcomes
Because spinal revision surgery is a personalized procedure, the recovery period may differ between patients. Dr. Skovrlj helps each patient understand what to expect from their recovery. He also provides instructions to maximize the chances of successful surgery. The following steps help to reduce the likelihood of a second failure:
- Caring for incision sites correctly
- Quitting smoking
- Maximizing bone health
- Avoiding strenuous physical activity
- Walking to promote blood flow
- Participating in physical therapy
- Scheduling follow-up appointments
With skilled treatment and a careful recovery, revision surgeries are often successful at eliminating pain. The patient can get back to a fulfilling lifestyle with less pain and improved function without worrying about another failure.
Find Spinal Revision Surgery Near You in New Jersey
When planning for spinal revision surgery, it is important to work with a skilled surgeon. NU-Spine: The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Institute is led by Dr. Skovrlj, who has mastered complex surgical techniques to help patients find relief after failed cervical fusion. Transform your life with a touch of care. Contact us at one of our New Jersey locations near you.
Frequently Asked Questions about Spine Revision Surgery
What is spine revision surgery?
It’s an additional spine operation done after a previous spine surgery, usually to fix a problem from the first procedure or address an issue that wasn’t fully treated.
Why would someone need a spine revision surgery?
Common reasons include pain returning over time, the original procedure not being the best match for the problem, or the first surgery not going far enough to resolve it.
What can cause pain to come back after spine surgery?
Causes of returning pain can include things like scar tissue, infection, nerve irritation/injury, a fusion not healing correctly, or implants loosening/breaking down.
What does revision spine surgery do?
It depends on the situation. Surgeons may remove problematic scar tissue, replace or adjust hardware, add new graft material, or perform a different procedure to fully treat the underlying issue.
How do doctors decide if revision surgery is the right next step?
Spine revision surgery usually is considered when symptoms are affecting quality of life, non-surgical care hasn’t helped enough, and imaging shows a clear cause (like instability or hardware problems) that surgery can address.