What are the risks of a lumbar fusion?
Potential risks and complications of a spine fusion surgery are the same as with any major surgical operation. Basically they including four types of problems: • bleeding • infection • damage to the tissue where we work and, • medical problems usually associated with the anesthesia • Bleeding is now uncommon. Only about three or four shot glasses of blood are lost in most fusions. Transfusion is rarely needed and can almost always be avoided. If a person wants, they may set aside some of their own blood in advance. • Infection occurs about one percent of the time. It is a very serious problem when it does occur. It can take months to treat. Ask your surgeon about his infection rate. If it is more than two or three percent, go elsewhere. Note that infection can occur any time the skin is opened. It is one of the risks common to all surgical operations. • Damage to the structures worked on is the most common risk of any of the spine fusion surgery. There are several types of possible dam
