Failed back syndrome

Syndrome of back (sometimes with leg) pain following lumbar spine surgery.

Causes / contributors to the syndrome include:

Adhesive arachnoiditis and Epidural fibrosis

Failed back - pathophysiology

Decompressive lumbar laminectomy - risks and complications

Lumbar microdiscectomy - risks and complications

Unfortunately there is no procedure to eliminate scar tissue. Operating on scar tissue around or near a nerve root is risky  (difficult to distinguish scar and root, too easy to cut into nerve thinking it's scar -- possible permanent complete nerve injury with paralysis and numbness).

Spine surgery Specialty Center

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