What is failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS)?
Back spine surgery is a very common procedure for treatment of lower back pain. Surgical operations typically are for spinal decompression and spinal fusions using cages, bone graft, bars, and screws. After a surgical operation, if a patient continues to have symptoms of back and leg pain, it is called failed back surgery syndrome. Unfortunately, the pain is much worse than prior to surgery. Patients with FBSS are heavily medicated, disabled from work, and isolated from society. FBSS occurs in 20-40% of open spine surgeries. The most common cause is adjacent lumbar segment disease, non-fusion status, segmental instability, and scar formation in spinal canal with spinal nerve compression.
