If the pain in the spine is too much after a major accident, then patients can agree to spinal fusion surgery. It is important to understand that there will be permanent restrictions after spinal fusion and they can be severe.
Things About Spinal Fusion Surgery That You Need To Know About
1. Failed Fusion
This is one of the most common reasons why workers comp law firms get hired. Now you would wonder why a spinal fusion would fail. Some of the common reasons for this to happen are as follows:
2. Non-Union
This is what happens when the spinal bones that were supposed to have been bolted and screwed do not fuse together or do not function properly. Non-union rates can vary depending on the exact area where the fusion happens. For example, if it is a posterior fusion, then the chances of non-union happening are high (about 25-26%).
3. Hardware Is Breaking
Another thing that workers’ comp law firms often deal with is patients whose hardware after the surgery is breaking. This kind of surgery requires the use of bolts and screws and other tools that are used to fuse the spinal bones together. Quite a bit of force is put on the screws as well as the back for this to happen.
The sad thing is that the hardware may not be able to deal with this kind of force and may start breaking. This can cause spinal pain as well as spinal instability. It is important to know before going for such surgery that the chances of spinal instability after this kind of surgery are quite high (about 36%).
So what happens if this happens? The hardware gets taken out with another surgery and gets replaced. This can also cause major stress and fears.
4. Loose Hardware
Another thing to know about permanent restrictions about spinal fusion surgery is that the hardware may become loose. This is because, in such a surgery, screws are used to bolt the spinal bones together and also to stabilize them.
It is funny that the same forces that may cause the hardware to break (as explained in the previous point), may also cause the screws to get loose.
This again may cause spinal pain and instability. It is another reason why workers comp law firms try to get the maximum compensation for their clients.
5. Spinal Muscle Injury
Another of the long-term effects of such surgery is this. The spinal cord is an extremely vital part of the body and it gives the body stability, balance, shape, and support. Spinal fusion surgery can be detrimental to the integrity and health of the spinal muscles. This can again lead to spinal injuries and even arthritis and degeneration.
Spinal injuries can become common after spinal fusion surgery so the patient needs to restrict many things in daily functions.
You have regenerative options if your low back pain persists despite conservative treatment. Schedule a Telemedicine consultation to discover your options from a board-certified, fellowship-trained physician. It‘s time to relieve your pain and limitations.
A spinal fusion is a major procedure in which one or more of the spinal bones are fused together with screws, bolts, and plates. Long-term spinal fusion complications include non-union, hardware failure, adjacent segment disease, and spinal muscle injury.ou can schedule a Telemedicine consult and learn what options are available.
If your low back pain persists despite conservative care know that you have regenerative options. Schedule a Telemedicine consult and learn from a board-certified, fellowship-trained physician what options are available. It’s time to free yourself from the pain and limitation.
6. Loss of Income
Another thing that workers’ compensation law firms often have to deal with after a worker gets spinal fusion surgery is a loss of income. With workplace injuries, it can often come down to an employee losing his source of income. It may even be a case of reduced income because of his inability to perform all sorts of jobs.
This is a serious side effect of spinal fusion surgery and the reason why victims of workplace accidents should ask for the highest compensation from the insurer and the organization they were working for. This way, the loss of income can be compensated with and the victim can get the best treatment to move on in life.
Getting Follow-Up Treatment
A person who has undergone spinal fusion surgery must go for follow-up treatment and consultation with a specialist. Exams should be conducted to make sure that spinal stability is being maintained and the hardware is working fine. This way, future complications can be avoided and the patient is hopefully better than he was before the surgery.
To sum up, the long-term effects of spinal fusion surgery can be avoided if care and attention are given to the patient and there is no need for financial stress to be put on him.