Failed back syndrome, also known as failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), is a general term that refers to persistent post-surgical low-back/leg pain and discomfort with no relief of initial symptoms. The condition may also occur, but less common in the cervical (neck) and thoracic (mid-back) areas. The pathophysiology is complex and a number of different risk factors, including the type of surgery, can contribute to this condition.

In general, spine surgeries and minimally invasive surgeries in particular when correctly executed are highly effective at permanently relieving all symptoms. Possible causes of incomplete surgical results and thus FBSS include: scar tissue formation, postoperative instability, low-success procedures, instrumentation-related, e.g. root irritation from pedicle screws, wrong-level surgery, misidentification of problems misdiagnosis of the origin of your pain, intraoperative injury complications, incomplete/ineffective surgery, failure to fully remove pressure off involved nerve, unproven procedure or a procedure known to have a limited track record of success, lateral recess or central canal stenosis, synovial cyst, epidural abscess, epidural hematoma, infection, excessive adhesions at operative bed,smoking, excess weight, and arachnoiditis.

The most obvious symptom of FBSS is continuous back pain after spinal surgery that does not lessen throughout a patient’s recovery process. This pain can be acute and is sometimes equal to or worse than the pain experienced prior to the surgery. Additional symptoms include: Newfound, noticeable pain that develops post-surgery, limited mobility and difficulty standing, bending or walking, dull/aching pain radiating through the neck, back or legs, and muscle spasms/fatigue.

In early and mild cases, conservative measures such as physical therapy and medical treatment should be attempted. If the symptoms are not meaningfully relieved, become debilitating, or there is a threat of future complications to develop, an individual may choose to undergo corrective surgery.

At ECC, in order to achieve relief, it is important to obtain an accurate and comprehensive understanding of the source of your spine problem from the start. We utilize most advanced minimally invasive and endoscopic procedure avoiding some most common causes of Failed back surgery syndrome. Minimally invasive surgeries generally avoid well known drawbacks of wide open surgeries that are associated with massive scarring, potential instability and extensive soft tissue injury. We specialize in performing minimally invasive procedures  that are tailored to individual patient needs.