One of our major concerns after surgery is the prevention of serious blood clots. With that in mind, let’s consider two serious conditions related to post-operative recovery and wellness: deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

About Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Deep vein thrombosis refers to blood clots that form in the deep veins of the legs. While many kinds of medical conditions can cause of contribute to deep vein thrombosis, it’s a common complication following many surgeries. Deep vein thrombosis is commonly caused by a prolonged lack of movement, which is common after surgery or as a result of a prolonged stay in a hospital.

Pulmonary Embolisms from Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

One of the major dangers of deep vein thrombosis is a pulmonary embolism. This occurs when a blood clot in the deep veins breaks loose, traveling in the bloodstream to the lungs and lodging there, blocking blood flow if the pulmonary arteries in the process. This can be potentially life-threatening if not addresses as soon as possible.

Since deep vein thrombosis is often linked to pulmonary embolism, many doctors refer to the conditions as one with the term “thromboembolism.”

Signs of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism

Common signs and symptoms of deep vein thrombosis include swelling of a leg and acute feelings of pain. In rare cases, both legs may be affected. Patients should also note that symptoms of DVT may not occur even though a clot has formed in the deep veins.

The urgent warning signs of a pulmonary embolism include:

• Sudden shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Coughing up blood
• Fainting spells
• Dizziness
• Rapid pulse

Risk Factors for Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Some risk factors for deep vein thrombosis include:

• Advanced age
• Genetic blood-clotting disorders
• Pregnancy
• Use of birth control pills
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Being obese
• Smoking
• Inflammatory bowel disease

Treating Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

There are a few options for treating deep vein thrombosis:

• Blood Thinners – The use of blood thinning medication helps reduce your body’s ability to form blood clots.

• Clotbusters – These kinds of medications are administered by IV and break up blood clots.

• Filters – A filter may be surgically placed into a large vein to prevent a clot from getting lodged in the lungs.

• Compression Stockings – Wearing a leg stocking after surgery helps prevent swelling and may help address the formation of clots in the process.

Preventing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

The best way to prevent deep vein thrombosis after your spinal surgery is to avoid sitting still for too long. Patients are advised to try walking and moving as soon as they are able. This improves circulation and prevents the formation of harmful clots in the process.

Follow Your Pre-Op and Post-Op Instructions Closely

Your pre-op and post-op instructions before spinal surgery help prepare your body for the healing process. Be sure to follow these instructions very closely. Not only will they help you avoid DVT, but they can also prevent many other complications and reduce the severity of the side effects you experience after surgery.

Learn More About Advanced Surgery at Frisco Spine

To learn more about the side effects of spinal surgery and what you can do to ensure proper recovery, be sure to contact our team of experienced brain and spine surgeons today. The team at Frisco Spine will work with you to ensure restored health and mobility with as few complications as possible.

Schedule a Consultation

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We are also extremely careful to evaluate patients prior to surgery to ensure their candidacy for a given procedure. In most cases, we recommend non-surgical treatments before recommending surgery; however, this is particularly true when patients have conditions that put them at higher risk of complications if they undergo a surgical procedure. For example, diabetics are inherently more likely to suffer post-surgical complications by nature of their disease, and even more so if their blood glucose levels are not well controlled. We explain the connection between spine surgery and diabetes during consultations at our Frisco, TX spine center so that diabetic patients understand the risks of surgery.

If you have diabetes and want to discuss your spine surgery options, please schedule your initial consultation at Frisco Spine today.

What Risks Do Diabetic Patients Face When Undergoing Spine Surgery?

In general, diabetic patients tend to have greater difficulty healing than non-diabetic patients, which can make the recovery period more difficult. However, they also face a number of specific risks, which can vary from patient to patient and are generally higher among patients with poorly controlled blood glucose levels:

• Cardiac complications, including heart attack and cardiac arrest
• Stroke
• Heel pressure sores
• Infection at the incision sites
• Infections in other parts of the body
• Tuberculosis
• Lengthier hospital stays
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Post-operative shock
• Death

Patients whose blood glucose levels are well controlled prior to surgery are at far less risk of these complications than patients whose blood glucose levels are uncontrolled. If your blood glucose levels are not well controlled, then our surgeons may advise you to improve your levels through weight loss, exercise, and medication before you can be considered a good candidate for surgery. Certain diabetic patients may be permitted to undergo spine surgery as long as they understand the risks associated with their procedure; however, others may be limited to non-surgical treatments for the sake of their safety.

Ultimately, it is the goal of our doctors to provide not only the most effective, but also the safest treatments possible. For patients who are not good candidates for spine surgery, we will do our best to find non-surgical alternatives that will provide the best possible results.

Learn More about Spine Surgery and Diabetes

If you would like further information about spine surgery and diabetes, please contact Frisco Spine today. We would be pleased to help you in any way that we can.

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While the vertebrae and nerves of the spine can cause serious problems, there is a lot to be said about the muscles of the back as well. Let’s take a moment to consider muscle injuries and when surgical treatment may be necessary.

Muscle Issues Affecting the Spine

Many types of serious back pain and back problems are related to strained muscles. This is common in the lower back, which is the part of the body that bears the majority of a person’s weight. Most issues with muscle pain in the back or neck occur when a sudden movement or impact places major stress on the back.

With regard to muscle problems in the back, the most common kind of problem is a pulled muscle or strained muscle. This happens when a muscle in the back is stretched too far, resulting in damage and potential tears in the muscle fibers of the back.

Though not related to muscles, it’s also possible for a person to suffer from pulled ligaments. (Ligaments are the fibrous tissue that connects bones together.)

How Serious Can Muscle Injuries Be?

Muscle strains can result in severe pain and inflammation in the back. The injury can lead to muscle spasms that can be very uncomfortable and that can make movement difficult. Many people who experience a pulled back muscle visit the emergency room due to the amount of pain experienced.

Is Surgery Necessary for Back and Neck Muscle Injuries?

In most cases, surgery is not necessary from a back muscle injury unless the muscle fibers themselves have been torn or severely damaged in some way.

Most cases of muscle strain in the back and neck can be address through a combination of pain mediation, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscles relaxants, cold compresses, heat therapy, and massage therapy. Stretch and core exercises can then be recommended to strength the muscles that have been affected.

During a consultation, we can determine if conservative approached to muscle pain are a good option, or if surgery may be ideal for your needs given the circumstances.

What to Expect During Surgery

The exact nature of your surgery for a pulled back or neck muscle can vary. Surgeons will work carefully to repair the damaged muscle tissue and leave minimal scars whenever possible. Recovery from the surgery can take some time depending on its extent and the muscle or muscles affected.

Following recovery from the surgery, patients are often given advice on avoiding future muscle injuries as well as tips on exercises that can prevent any back injuries in the future.

We will be sure to provide you with full pre-op and post-op instructions for your muscle surgery as part of the consultation process. We’ll also answer any questions you may have about the process so you have realistic expectations about what to expect.

Contact the Team at Frisco Spine

To learn more about surgical treatments for serious issues that affect the structures of the back, neck, and spinal cord, we encourage you to contact our neck and back pain center today. The entire team at Frisco Spine looks forward to your visit and helping you achieve total wellness.

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We feel that patients should be made aware of all potential surgical risks in order for them to receive the best care possible, and to help ensure that they can make informed decisions about their surgical options. With that in mind, let’s discuss some risks and complications of spinal cord surgery.

Issues with Anesthesia

Anesthetic errors are a potential risk in all major surgeries. This could mean improper administration of the anesthesia or a patient experiencing an allergic reaction to the anesthesia. All precautions are taken to ensure that the right amount of anesthetic will be used and that patients are not allergic to any items that may be used as part of the surgical procedure.

Post-Surgical Infection

Infection is also a potential risk in all types of surgery. Thankfully the risk of surgery is very low these days thanks to modern techniques and the latest in sterilization practices. In addition, patients are given detailed instructions on post-surgical care so they can keep surgical sites clean as they heal.

Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)

Deep venous thrombosis refers to blood clots forming in a patient’s legs. It’s a major point of concern following many different kinds of surgery and is the result of your body responding to surgery and attempting to heal. If a blood clot forms in the legs, it can lead to serious swelling and discomfort. More serious issues may occur if the blood clot is dislodged and travels through your circulatory system.

Pulmonary Embolism and Issues with Your Lungs

One example of a major issue caused by blood clots is a pulmonary embolism. This refers to cases in which a blood clot winds up in the lungs. The clot can potentially clog the blood vessels of the lung, cutting off the blood supply and increasing the risk of a collapsed lung. Numerous respiratory issues may occur as a result.

To prevent DVT, pulmonary embolism, and other issues related to blood clots, patients are often instructed to walk in small or moderate amounts as part of healing in order to promote blood circulation and prevent clots from forming.

General Surgical Failure

Sometimes a spinal fusion procedure or a treatment to address spinal pressure winds up being unsuccessful. In other words, the surgery fails to achieve its aim and a patient’s wellness and mobility is not improved. Back pain may persist and the patient will require additional or corrective surgery to address these matters.

Spinal Cord Damage

Perhaps the most serious risk of surgery is an error during the procedure that results in further damage or harm to the vertebrae and/or spinal cord. Thankfully these kinds of complications are very rare, and our experienced team of specialists are not prone to these dire kinds of issues.

Contact the Team at Frisco Spine

For more information about spinal cord surgery and what you can do to have a healthy back and proper mobility, be sure to contact our team of brain and spine surgeons today. The team at Frisco Spine looks forward to your visit and helping you achieve total wellness.

Schedule a Consultation

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Anesthesia and pain management are important parts of all surgical procedures we perform. Since many patients have been curious about these matters, we’d like to take a moment to go over some of the basics when it comes to spinal surgery and anesthetic.

Anesthetic Is a Crucial Part of Surgery

Administering anesthetic ensures that patients are free from pain and discomfort during a surgical procedure, and also experience little anxiety or stress while a major or minimally invasive surgery is being performed.

Prior to your spinal surgery, you will be able to discuss anesthesia options with your surgeon, which will help you understand what the procedures will entail. Typically this comes down to a question of general anesthetic or regional anesthetic.

General Anesthetic and Spinal Surgery

General anesthesia is what most people think of when they think of anesthesia. General anesthesia renders a patient completely unconscious. This means that he or she will be completely out and unaware while a surgical procedure is performed. In many cases, general anesthesia is considered ideal for major spinal surgeries that require complicated work and/or a long time to be performed.

Regional Blocks: Spinal and Epidural Anesthetic

Regional anesthetic refers to anesthesia that is localized to the area being operated on. In this case we mean spine or epidural anesthesia. Rather than being fully unconscious, patients simply receive this regional block to prevent them from feeling pain and major discomfort.

Is Regional Anesthetic Better Than General Anesthesia?

In some cases, regional anesthesia is preferable to general anesthesia. Patients typically come out from the effects of regional anesthetic much sooner than general anesthesia, and they are also less likely to experience nausea and other side effects. Regional anesthetic may also make more sense for minimally invasive procedures.

Will I Be Conscious During Surgery If I Get Regional Anesthesia?

Not necessarily. In many cases, patients will be sedated when they receive regional anesthesia. This means that they will be in a semi-conscious state rather than fully conscious. During sedation, a patient may be able to respond to some stimulus or questions, but memory of the procedure will be hazy or non-existent.

Sedation is an important part of many procedures, and it’s a way of keeping patients calm yet responsive for such kinds of operations.

How Safe Are These Anesthetic Options?

Safety is always of the utmost concern at Frisco Spine, which is why we take great care in all phases of a surgical procedure, from pre-op planning to the surgery itself to post-op recovery and follow-up care. Rest assured that your heal will remain a paramount concern to us, and that we will take all steps necessary to minimize any risk of anesthesia errors.

Contact the Team at Frisco Spine

For more information about spinal cord surgery and how we can help you experience restored mobility and wellness, we encourage you to contact our team of brain and spine surgeons today. The team at Frisco Spine will work with your to ensure that your back is healthy again.

Schedule a Consultation

The post Knowing Your Anesthesia Options for Spine Surgery appeared first on Frisco Spine.

Whenever a patient undergoes surgery, we urge him or her not to smoke or use chewing tobacco. There’s an important reason for this, which we’d like to cover in brief right now.

Rest Is Crucial for Spinal Surgery Recovery

If you have undergone a spinal surgery of any kind, it’s important that you get a lot of rest as part of the recovery process. This takes the stress off of your back and allows your body to fully recover.

That’s why your surgeon will ask you to avoid certain kinds of activities as you are healing. Some things may make recovery less problem-free or less optimal, or it may actually increase your risk of complications.

Tobacco Products Need to Be Avoided

One of the things that can significantly increase your risk of infections and poor healing is the use of tobacco products after undergoing surgery. That means smoking cigarettes, smoking cigars, and chewing smokeless tobacco.

People who are smokers are urged to mind the habit in the early weeks after surgery, and kick it entirely if they can for their wellness in the long run,

The Effects of Smoking on the Healing Process

Smoking has been shown to increase a patient’s susceptibility to infections, which means that complications are more likely to arise if you smoke after surgery. In addition, healing times are increased if you smoke or use tobacco products while recovering from a procedure.

Just based on those two factors, you can see why it’s a good idea for you to not smoke if you’re a spinal surgery patient.

Stay Away from Tobacco Products During the Pre-Op Process

To get your body ready for the entire surgical process, patients should avoid smoking and using smokeless tobacco in the weeks leading up to surgery. This allows the system to be clean and and its healthiest before heading into surgery.

Refrain from Smoking as You Are Healing

Obviously after your surgery, be sure to stay away from cigarettes and tobacco, at least until your surgeon gives you the okay. It’s also a good idea to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages as these can also have a negative impact on your healing time and overall recovery experience.

Follow All Post-Op Instructions to the Letter

During the consultation process, you will receive ample post-op instructions which will help you heal quickly and avoid as many potential complications as possible. Be sure to follow all of those instructions to the letter, and to attend all followup visits with your surgeons to ensure proper post-operative care.

Speak with the Team at Frisco Spine

If you would like more information about spinal surgery and how it can help restore your health, wellness, and mobility, be sure to contact our neck and back pain specialists today. The entire team here at Frisco Spine looks forward to your visit and helping you look and feel your very best.

Schedule a Consultation

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