Scar Tissue

Pain Management for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

Ben Parr — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 08:10:03 -0800

A physician answers patient questions about chronic pain management after a spinal fusion.

Pinched Nerve, Scar Tissue, and Accurate Back Pain Diagnosis

Ben Parr — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:40:46 -0800

A physician answers patient questions about scar tissue and a pinched nerve after a laminectomy.

Question:

I had a laminectomy to fix a herniated disk located at L4/L5. The fix only lasted about 4 days before significant pain occurred. I had a second laminectomy surgery two months later where the doctor cleaned up some fragments and increased the amount of the prior surgery. That also did not work.

Leg Pain and Scar Tissue After Herniated Disk Surgery

Ben Parr — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:35:50 -0800

A physician answers patient questions about causes of leg pain after herniated disc surgery.

Surgical Considerations for Herniated Discs and Scar Tissue

Ben Parr — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:58:24 -0800

A physician answers patient questions about considering surgery for herniated discs, scar tissue, and continued pain.

Scar Tissue

spine-health — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 07:53:45 -0800

Definition

See Peridural fibrosis

Synonyms and relevant terms

Epidural fibrosis
Extradural fibrosis
Fibrosis
Adhesive arachnoiditis

Scar Tissue and Pain After Back Surgery

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:03:17 -0800

Effects of scar tissue on back pain and leg pain

The formation of scar tissue near the nerve root (also called epidural fibrosis) is a common occurrence after back surgery—so common, in fact, that it often occurs for patients with successful surgical outcomes as well as for patients with continued or recurrent leg pain and back pain. For this reason, the importance of scar tissue (epidural fibrosis) as a potential cause of postoperative pain—commonly called failed back surgery syndrome—is controversial.

Other Considerations for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:03:17 -0800

When scar tissue is not the cause of pain

If the recurrent pain appears years after spine surgery, it is unlikely that the pain is due solely to scar tissue. Scar tissue does not continue to form years after spine surgery, so it is generally not considered a cause of late recurrent pain. Rather, the nerve may be compressed, or “tethered”, by a small disc herniation or by new bone growing near the nerve (stenosis).

Scar Tissue and Continued Pain After Back Surgery

spine-health — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:03:13 -0800

Top Back Surgery Topics:

Back/Neck Surgery Intro

Microdiscectomy

Lumbar Laminectomy

Lumbar Spinal Fusion