Spinal surgery too risky?

If you’re considering spinal surgery to treat conditions such as degenerative-disk disease, you might want to reconsider.

American Academy of Ortho­paedic Surgeons (AAOS) last fall studied the data of 3,475 patients who had the surgery between 2005 and 2008. AAOS found that people who had a history of heart failure, a history of spinal wound infection, a long surgical time or neurological problems before surgery all had a higher risk of post-surgery complications, such as blood clots, sepsis and follow-up surgery.

AAOS encourages patients to consult with their doctor about their medical history and weigh the risks before they choose surgery instead of medicine and therapy to manage pain.