|  | Surgeries Operations | Surgeries

Recovery From Cancer Spine Surgery

Surgery on the spine to remove a tumor is the treatment of last resort. A complex surgery, it can be a risky procedure with incidence of complications higher than many other surgeries, according to University of Washington School of Medicine's Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine department. Your operation may involve the scraping and removal of the tumor, injection of surgical cement into fractured vertebrae, removal of tissues affecting nerves, and insertion of rods and screws to fuse the spine. Some procedures may even require several surgeries.

  1. Managing Risk

    • Because risk is so high, part of the recovery process for tumor spinal surgery is managing risk. Some major complications your doctors will monitor you for include paralysis (partial or full), stroke, blindness and heart attack. Infection, loss of sensation and nerve damage is also a concern. Less likely risks include dislodgement or the breaking of the rod or screws, and bone healing problems. Tumor recurrence is always a concern.

    Pain Management

    • You can expect moderate to even some severe pain following surgery. You just had a very serious, invasive surgery that cut through muscle and tissues that touch and put pressure on the spinal column and nerves. Depending on your level of pain, your doctor can prescribe an analgesic like morphine or Vicodin. You can also take non-narcotic pain medications, but they may not manage your pain as well as an opioid. These medications are used to control post-operative and break-through pain. However, Dr. David Bradford, a professor and orthopedic surgeon at the University of San Francisco, indicates that pain from your cancer (known as breakthrough pain), can be very difficult to treat and eliminate. Dr. Bradford recommends finding a pain-management specialist who can work with you to eliminate as much of your pain as possible. Your doctors will be able to recommend a specialist in this field.

    Physical Therapy

    • Recovering from spinal surgery will take from three months to a year. During that time, your doctor will prescribe a physical therapy regiment. Before leaving the hospital you will most likely work with a therapist to regain some of your strength and show that you can walk a few steps before being discharged. Depending on your performance, you may be transferred to a physical rehabilitation hospital until your treatment team decides it is safe for you to go home. During the next several months, you can go to a physical therapy center, or have a therapist come to your home. You will do mild exercises that aim to strengthen your core muscles, regain movement and mobility, and eliminate or reduce pain.

Surgeries - Related Articles