Do you still experience persistent back pain even after your back surgery? If so, you’re may be suffering from post-laminectomy syndrome. Back pain can bring your life to a halt, leading to the loss of work, social engagements and quality of life. If your recent back surgery hasn’t delivered the results you were hoping for, it’s time to seek another opinion from Dr. Branko Skovrlj. A world-renowned neurosurgeon at NU-Spine: The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Institute, he can offer more than solace: he may be able to set it right. Don’t take chances with your back; call the best doctor in the Northeast today to find a lasting solution for your back pain.
Is Post-Laminectomy Syndrome a Chronic Condition?
A laminectomy is a preferred surgical procedure to relieve back pain and other spinal problems caused by compression. The surgery involves removing part of a vertebra to give more room to the nerves in your spinal cord. In many cases, the surgery goes as planned, and you return to your normal life. But some people suffer persistent back pain after the surgery. This chronic condition is known as post-laminectomy syndrome or failed back syndrome.
Post-laminectomy syndrome is characterized by continuous pain after undergoing a correctional, minimally invasive laminectomy or another form of back surgery. The spinal problem can take several different forms, such as:
- After the surgery, you develop a new spinal problem, unrelated to one you had treated.
- After your surgery, the original back pain returns or doesn’t go away.
- After back surgery, you develop complications, such as a nerve injury, infection or failure to heal.
In all three variations, failed back syndrome risks turning your life upside down. Check in with the neurosurgeon at NU-Spine in Edison, NJ. Dr. Branko Skovrlj has the expertise to diagnose and effectively treat post-laminectomy syndrome and other lower spinal problems, including:
Why Did My Back Surgery Fail?
One of the most common causes of back pain from your spine is a pinched nerve, which can occur in your neck, mid-back or lower back. While there are many reasons a nerve gets pinched or compressed, it almost always causes pain. When your spinal cord or a nerve root becomes compromised, your spine surgeon may recommend relieving the pain by increasing the space for the nerves through a:
In some cases, however, back surgery fails to alleviate your back pain, or it results in new spinal complications. Some reasons for failed back syndrome include:
- The surgery damaged the spinal nerve root.
- Scar tissue built up during your post-op recovery.
- You experienced an adverse reaction to the structural changes in your spine.
- The surgery resulted in joint hypermobility, spinal instability or facet joint problems.
- Some new or returning disc herniation or nerve root compression occurred after the surgery.
- A further degenerative spinal condition set in or worsened.
- Systemic problems became evident, such as autoimmune disorders, peripheral vascular disease or diabetes.
- You smoked during your recovery period, which reduces your body’s ability to heal itself.
- You actually had spinal stenosis, either in your neck or lower back.
- You developed a post-operative infection, which impeded your healing and caused additional pain.
Is Post-Laminectomy Syndrome Serious?
After back surgery, you expect to go back to a satisfying, pain-free life. If you’ve lived with back pain for any length of time, you appreciate how devastating it can be to your daily life. The pain is always on your mind, which doesn’t allow you to enjoy anything you do. So if the pain returns unexpectedly after your surgery, it’s a depressing outcome. Post-laminectomy syndrome can lead to:
- A decreased quality of life
- Disability
- Difficulty sleeping
- Psychological disorders, including depression and anxiety
- Debilitating pain that affects your day-to-day life
Dr. Skovrlj, the spine specialist at NU-Spine in Edison, NJ, uses advanced equipment and the latest medical practices for effective spinal treatment. Once he’s diagnosed your spinal problem, he understands what needs to be done. His goal is for long-lasting relief from recurring back pain to help you regain a better quality of life.
Can Post-Laminectomy Syndrome Be Cured?
If your pain doesn’t go away after your first surgery, come in to NU-Spine. Advances in spinal treatment allow doctors to correctly diagnose the causes of persistent back pain and administer more effective treatment. Laminectomy syndrome treatment options may involve another surgery, but Dr. Skovrlj specializes in minimally invasive spine surgical approaches, which are faster and safer. These surgical procedures are better, compared to traditional open surgery, because:
- The incisions are smaller.
- Blood loss is minimized.
- There’s a reduced risk of muscle damage.
- Your risk of infection is also reduced due to smaller incisions.
- The surgery itself is faster.
- It’s often an outpatient procedure, meaning you go home that same day.
- You recover more quickly.
- You experience less post-operative pain.
- There’s a reduced need for post-surgical pain medication.
At NU-Spine in Edison, NJ, post-laminectomy syndrome treatment starts with a proper evaluation. The spine center has the latest diagnostic equipment, when needed. Once your doctor has identified the cause of your back pain, even if it’s post-laminectomy syndrome, he can develop a treatment plan for you. If you have back pain for any reason, don’t wait. Contact Dr. Branko Skovrlj for an appointment.
Page Updated on Jul 9, 2021 by Dr. Branko Skovrlj (Neurosurgeon / Spine surgeon) of NU-Spine: The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Institute in New Jersey
