Spinal Fusion Abdominal Complications

Spinal fusion is a form of surgery that fuses two or more of the vertebrae in your back together with metal rods and screws and bone grafts. It is used to treat a herniated disk, an injury to the vertebrae or abnormal curvature of the spine. If your surgeon accesses your spine through your abdomen, then you may later experience abdominal complications.

Spinal Fusion Surgery

• Spinal fusion surgeries are performed in hospital operating rooms. You will be given general anesthesia before your procedure begins. The surgeon can access your spine through an incision in your back, neck or abdomen. If she chooses your abdomen, she will make the incision on one side of your lower belly, then use retractors to separate your tissue so she can reach your spine. During spinal fusion surgery, there is a risk of abdominal complications such as adhesions and infections.

Abdominal Adhesions

• Adhesions are lengths of tissue that are much like scar tissue. They bind organs to other body tissues, connecting them tightly. Abdominal adhesions can be caused by abdominal surgery like spinal fusion. They can cause complications like interfering with organ function and pain. Surgeons try to reduce the chance that adhesions will form by making as few incisions through tissue as possible and keeping tissues moist during surgery. If you develop abdominal adhesions, they can sometimes be treated by cutting the adhesions apart, freeing the bound tissue.

Infection

• With spinal fusion surgery performed through an incision in the abdomen, another potential complication is infection. You could develop an infection within your abdomen either during the surgery or during the healing process. If this happens, you might experience redness and swelling around the incision. The wound could become tender to the touch and it might seep. To avoid this, keep the wound clean and dry. Report any symptoms like tenderness, inflammation or fever to your doctor right away.

Organ Damage

• Complications of spinal fusion include the risk that one of the organs or nerves in your abdomen could be damaged during the procedure. Your surgeon will take precautions to avoid this, but organs like your spleen or kidney could be lacerated accidentally. If this happens, you might experience symptoms of infection, including pain and a fever. You might also notice reduced organ function. A second surgery to fix the damage will be necessary.

Other Complications

• Other potential abdominal complications caused by spinal fusion include uncontrolled bleeding at the incision site, either during surgery or afterwards during recovery. If your surgeon does not place sufficient sutures while stitching you up after surgery, you could develop an abdominal hernia. A hernia will require another surgery to fix as well as to avoid more complications like gangrene.