I received this story in response to a request on my website to patients who had undergone failed spine surgery. When Surgery Makes Pain Worse My fusion surgery (L5/S1) was going to be scheduled in the fall of 2015 after two prior laminectomies had eventually lost their effectiveness. My surgery … Read More
I’m sharing a story submitted through my website about an unsuccessful spine surgery, which is, sadly, all too common. This issue even has a name: “failed back surgery syndrome” (FBSS). Most of these surgeries start with operating on normally aging spines that don’t actually cause pain. The data shows this … Read More
I received this short email after I posted my blog on stories of surgical despair. Hi David, I’m grateful you’re collecting these stories. My dad passed away on January 27 due to his last cervical fusion. It’s tragic, and I’m devastated. I asked him to reconsider before the surgery last … Read More
For many years, I thought that for many patients there was a point of no return because the sheer magnitude of both physical and emotional trauma. I particularly felt this way with people who had undergone many failed surgeries. I was wrong and continue to hear stories of healing in … Read More
Please do not let this happen to you, your family, or friends. The downside of failed spine surgery can be catastrophic, and it is impossible for you, as a patient, to comprehend how bad it can be. Complications happen with every surgeon, including me. That is not the issue. The … Read More
There was a front-page story in the NY Times about the shooting of the CEO of United Healthcare. The suspect came from privilege and had a bright future. Unfortunately, he suffered from chronic LBP and did not improve with a surgical fusion of his lower back for a purported spondylolisthesis. … Read More
A person’s stress level has a marked effect on both your central and peripheral nervous systems. The central nervous system (CNS) consists of your brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system (PNS) includes all other nervous system tissue—the nerves exiting your spinal cord, all sensory receptors, and sensory and … Read More
Preston Phillips, the spine surgeon shot this week in Tulsa, was a colleague of mine in Seattle. I did not know him well but interacted with him in conferences and some patient care. He was as well-intentioned a surgeon and nice person as I have worked with. It is easy … Read More