Risks of Surgery

RISKS OF ANTERIOR CERVICAL DISKECTOMY & FUSION

These would include but are not limited to failure to relieve symptoms; spinal cord or nerve injury; quadriplegia; vessel injury; stroke secondary to carotid artery injury; esophageal, tracheal or laryngeal injury (hoarseness) that may include temporary or permanent hoarseness and/ or temporary or permanent difficulty swallowing; potential unsightly scar; infection; thyroid dysfunction; spinal fluid leak; meningitis (spinal fluid infection); risks of anesthesia; Horner's Syndrome of the Eye; respiratory arrest; and death.

Risks of Cervical Arthrodesis (fusion)

These would include but are not limited to infection, failure to fuse, collapsed fusion, diskitis. Additionally, bone bank acquired bone (allograft) may have a slightly different fusion rate and may collapse at a different rate than a PEEK spacer.

Additional Risks of Cervical Plating:

These would include but are not limited to, slightly increased rate of esophageal injury, vocal cord paralysis, plate failure, screw misplacement, swallowing difficulties, and screw back-out.

Risks of Removal of Cervical Bony Spurs

Total removal of all bony spurring comes with increased risks, however, every attempt will be made to remove bony spurs and/or disc material during the surgery. The cervical surgery will typically address the issue of compression of the nerve and/ or spinal cord, regardless of the degree of bony spurring. Postoperative bony spurs, therefore, may be seen on x rays, CT scans, and/or MRI scans. With successful fusion, these will often resorb over a 12-month period. They are rarely a cause of continued symptoms either involving the nerve root or spinal cord, as the nerve and/or spinal cord compression has been addressed by distraction, stabilization, and fusion.

Risks of Redo Cervical Surgery and Three Level Fusions

The risks of a redo cervical surgery (any redo intervention into the neck) are increased over the primary procedure because of scar tissue. These risks include but are not limited to the following: increased risks of esophageal injury, permanent difficulty swallowing, nerve or vessel injury, spinal cord injury with possible permanent neurologic deficit, stroke, Horner's Syndrome, and laryngeal nerve injury with permanent hoarseness. Additionally, there is an increased risk of three-level fusion that includes increased risks of breathing issues and respiratory failure, esophageal injury, carotid artery injury, stroke, plate mal-alignment or failure, graft failure, and death.

Risks of Plate Removal

The risks are increased over the primary procedure because of scar tissue. These include but are not limited to the following issues: increased risks of esophageal injury, nerve or vessel injury, stroke, laryngeal nerve injury with hoarseness, and nerve or spinal cord injury. Also mechanical concerns, such as breakage of plate or screws, inability to remove the plate, and retained hardware issues.

If you have any questions regarding risks of your surgery, benefits, or alternatives, please speak with medical or clinical staff. You may contact them at 703-560-1146.

RISK OF LUMBAR SURGERY

These would include but are not limited to failure to relieve symptoms; spinal cord, nerve or vascular injury; paraplegia; spinal fluid leak; meningitis (spinal fluid infection); pain; recurrence; potential unsightly scar; infection; thrombophlebitis (blood clot); pulmonary embolism; risks of anesthesia; and death.

Risks of Redo Lumbar Surgery

These include but are not limited to the following issues. The risks of a redo lumbar "diskectomy" type of procedure additionally include the increased risks of nerve root injury possibly leading to permanent neurologic deficit, CSF leak possibly requiring recurrent operation, infection, meningitis, and failure to improve over and above the risk of the standard procedure, largely because of scar tissue and the increased difficulties of a second surgical procedure at the same site.

If you have any questions regarding the risks of your surgery, benefits, or alternatives, please call our office at 703-560-1146.

RISKS OF CARPAL TUNNEL (MEDIAN RELEASE)

These would include but are not limited to failure to relieve symptoms, nerve or vascular injury, or permanent loss of normal thumb strength due to nerve loss injury, pain, recurrence, infection, or thrombophlebitis (blood clot).

If you have any questions regarding risks of your surgery, benefits, or alternatives, please be sure to speak with the medical or clinical staff. You may contact them at 703-560-1146.