Complications of Surgery

Lumbar spine surgeries are associated with a considerable risk of complications affecting the outcome of the surgery and adding to the morbidity and mortality of the patient. The complications can be major or minor depending on the symptoms’ transient or permanent nature. Some complications may manifest early in the perioperative period, while others may appear over time due to the degenerative involvement of the adjacent levels or pseudarthrosis. Neurovascular injuries, postoperative infections, or problems with the instrumentation may affect the postoperative functional outcome of the patient. Still, when repaired, accidental dural tears have no significant impact on the patient’s surgical outcome. The surgeon’s experience, patient selection, meticulous planning, and proper execution can curtail the complication rate if not avoided. Surgical management in these cases often involves complex surgical procedures, further putting patients at risk and reducing the surgeon’s and patient’s satisfaction rate. Deep vein thrombosis, embolism, paralytic ileus, and pulmonary complications are rarely seen in spine surgery but have a significant impact on the patient morbidity and functional outcome.