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Some residual pain is normal after a lumbar fusion. If you have a lot
of pain, however, you need to be re-evaluated. Most pain can be treated
effectively.
Leg pain, or sciatica, which occurs after a fusion, usually indicates a
nerve problem. A nerve may be pinched by a remaining disc herniation or a
misplaced screw. Plain X-rays and an MRI are used to diagnose this in most
cases. Occasionally, an EMG or a
myelogram will be needed. Nerve pain
after fusion can be treated with medications, injections, therapy or tens
units. At times, it is necessary to revise the fusion to remove the bone
or disc which is still pinching a nerve.
The most common causes of low-back pain after fusion are "non-union"
and adjacent disc deterioration. A "non-union" is a failure of the bones
to properly knit or heal together. Adjacent disc problems refer to disease
above or below the fusion. The pain can be treated with medications,
therapy, massage, or chiropractic. X-rays taken when bending and extending
will sometimes show whether a fusion is solid or if adjacent levels have
gone bad. Sometimes a discogram is required. Occasionally it may be
necessary to do surgery to inspect a fusion which has failed. If a fusion
has failed to heal, it can be fixed as part of the inspection surgery.
If one has continued problems after fusion surgery, it is necessary to
determine their cause. Additional surgery is not always needed, and there
are many conservative treatments that can be helpful
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