How Common is Nerve Damage After Back Surgery?

Any surgery or medical procedure comes with risks, and pain can result from a variety of surgeries. Many of us who have had significant surgeries know that nerve pain from damage can be a typical result during healing, whether you have a negligent surgeon or a phenomenal one. This is particularly common in back and spinal surgery simply because of the proximity to so many important nerves.

The decision to get back surgery should be well-informed and seriously considered to minimize the chance of unexpected outcomes. If your back surgery has resulted in significant injury beyond what may be considered normal for your surgery, it is time to involve an experienced Philadelphia surgical error lawyer with Lopez McHugh LLP.

Understanding Nerves

Nerves cover the entire body, spreading from the spinal cord to the rest. They are foundational to our body’s functions and nervous system and can be slow to heal and recover when damaged. Comprised of five main parts, nerves provide the routes for our brain and spinal cord to communicate with the rest of our bodies and allow us to interpret sensations:

• Axon: cord-like fibers in the center of your nerve
• Dendrite: carries electrical impulses
• Endoneurium: connective tissue that surrounds the axon
• Perineurium: connective tissue layer that covers groups of axons
• Epineurium: an outer layer that covers the entire nerve

When something like surgery causes damage to a nerve, it can result in odd sensations like pins and needles, tingling, numbness, or, in extreme circumstances, pain or complete loss of function. Additional symptoms of nerve damage may present as slurred speech, vision problems, or a change in gait or walking pattern.

Nerve Damage After Back Surgery

Nerve damage is a type of injury that many things can cause. Sometimes, minor damage may be expected, given the trauma to your body during surgical procedures. Nerve endings can be found all over your body, and many may be damaged by the initial incision, which can result in pain and agitation during the healing process.

However, one study investigating nerve root injury reports that more destructive damage can occur between 2% and nearly 24% of cases, depending on the surgery. Some causes of nerve pain after back surgery may result from your surgeon’s mistake or negligence, including but not limited to:

• Prolonged retraction
• Accidental cut or severing of the nerve
• Inflammation during recovery
• Excessive stretching
• Prolonged compression
• Electrical injury
• Bruising or contusions from mishandled surgical equipment

In some cases, nerve damage can be caused by improperly or carelessly administered anesthesia. Additionally, just being unconscious from anesthesia can increase the risk of nerve damage if you have an overextended or compressed nerve. This is a problem because, while you’re awake, you are likely to feel discomfort and adjust your position but are unable to do so when you are under full anesthesia.

Rates of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

While the definitions of nerve damage are clear, the causes of nerve pain are not always evident. Research reports on instances of new or continued pain after surgery that can likely be attributed to nerve damage. One of the common syndromes that can include pain from nerve damage is Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS), which shows at rates between 10% and 40% of those who undergo back surgery.

Some of the causes attributed to this include epidural fibrosis, which is seen as a relatively normal part of healing. This condition is a buildup of scar tissue that can make the nerve root more vulnerable to injury. Experts believe that 20% to 36% of the pain from FBSS is from scar tissue like epidural fibrosis. Further, the presence of scar tissue can make revision riskier because the area becomes more vulnerable to dural tears.

Classifications of Nerve Damage

The severity of a nerve injury is classified in five degrees, much like burns, with first-degree being the least severe and fifth-degree being the most severe. The type of nerve injury is categorized by the type of functional loss. A recent study on the management of peripheral nerve injury explains the three broad categories of injury into which nerve damage is classified.

Neurapraxia

This type of nerve injury results in transient functional loss but does not affect continuity or completely inhibit the function of the nerve. This type of nerve injury is considered a first-degree injury. This National Library of Medicine reports that neurapraxia can have a recovery time of two to three months after injury.

Axonotmesis

This type of nerve injury is more severe, damaging more layers of the nerve. This includes injury to the axon and myelination but not a complete loss of function. This type of injury would generally be considered second or third-degree nerve damage, requiring a longer recovery time than a neurapraxia injury.

Neurotmesis

According to the study, neurotmesis is the most severe type of peripheral nerve injury. This level of damage results in total disruption of the axon and complete loss of function, and it typically requires surgical repair. This type of repair can mean recovery times of a year or longer.

Common Symptoms of Nerve Damage from Back Surgery

The severity of your symptoms will vary greatly depending on what type of back surgery you have and where the injured nerve is. For example, suppose you are having surgery that goes into your spinal cord. In that case, nerve damage is more likely to result in paralysis of some kind or to affect significant bodily functions. If you are having back surgery that does not require access to the spinal cord, you are more likely to experience the pins and needles sensation or pain that radiates to areas of your body, like your legs or arms.

A further determination of how your nerve injury presents is whether it is a sensory or motor nerve. Sensory nerves are responsible for perceiving sensations like touch, smell, taste, and sight. In contrast, motor nerves are responsible for muscles and glands, allowing movement and other vital bodily functions. If you have suffered nerve damage that ultimately damages the axon, Penn Medicine states this could mean loss of use of parts of your body, speech problems, or other significant deficits or pain.

If you have concerns about nerve damage following your back surgery, consult your surgeon or a nerve specialist – or get a second opinion. You may sometimes experience symptoms similar to those of damage while the nerve heals, making communicating with your care team important. They will be best able to identify expected symptoms from healing or determine if your symptoms represent a more significant issue that needs treatment or correction. You can always seek a second opinion if your symptoms are not adequately addressed.

After Back Surgery

Back surgery is a risk that must be heavily weighed. The complications that come with syndromes like failed back surgery syndrome are common. Other complications resulting in nerve root injury are not rare either. In many cases, the pain associated with these complications is worse than, or as bad as, the initial complaints. This can be due to the body’s normal response, your surgeon made an honest mistake, or they are negligent in the care they provide.

Sometimes, surgical intervention is the correct course when your daily life is disrupted by back pain. Most surgeons will only consider it when all other options are exhausted to avoid the unnecessary risks of damage after back surgery. If you or a loved one has needed additional care because of nerve damage after back surgery, you may have grounds to file e surgical malpractice claim for financial compensation. Contact Lopez McHugh to schedule a free consultation and learn more today.