Spinal arthritis surgery is almost always the last resort for relief of symptoms associated with osteoarthritis in the spine, which is the deterioration of the cartilage between vertebral joints. In most cases, the stiffness, pain, limited range of motion, tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness produced by spinal arthritis can be managed using conservative, non-surgical treatment methods. Surgery usually becomes an option only when symptoms persist after several weeks of pain medication, exercises, corticosteroid injections, or other conservative treatment methods.
Ask the Right Questions
Once you've reached the decision to undergo spinal arthritis surgery, you'll need to begin your research. A good place to start is by asking your primary care physician about the different options available for your particular condition. The choices will depend on several factors, including the location of the source of your symptoms. For example, if your symptoms are being caused by an arthritis-related bone spur (osteophyte) impinging a nerve root in your lower back, you'll want to know how much of your spinal anatomy will need to be removed in order to remove the impingement. It may be that a laminectomy with spinal fusion is your best option. Or perhaps a minimally invasive, laser-assisted procedure that targets only the bone spur itself is more appropriate.
No matter what type of spinal arthritis surgery you need, you'll want to find the best surgeon available. You can start your search by asking your doctor, friends, or family members for recommendations. Before making a final decision, flesh out your research by asking your prospective surgeon the following questions:
How much experience do you have with this kind of surgery?
How many procedures are performed at your practice's orthopedic clinic each year?
Are you board certified?
Can you tell me about your spinal surgery fellowship?
What professional associations are you affiliated with?
Have you received any professional awards? If so, what were they and how recently were they received?
It Comes Down to Trust
If you're satisfied with the credentials of your prospective surgeon, take the time to get to know him or her on an interpersonal level. Bedside manner is extremely important. You don't necessarily have to be friends with your surgeon, but you do need to establish a level of comfort and trust.
Elective Surgery Versus Emergency Surgery
The vast majority of the time, spinal surgery for degenerative conditions like bulging discs, herniated discs, spinal arthritis, and bone spurs is referred to as "elective surgery." Elective surgery means that there is no medical emergency present that requires the surgery to be performed right away. Instead, elective surgery can be scheduled for a date that the patient and surgeon deem convenient for them. As a matter of fact, almost all surgeries - on any part of the body - are elective surgeries.
On the other hand, emergency surgery must be performed without delay. Failing to perform emergency surgery exposes the patient to great risk of permanent disability or death. There are rare occasions when emergency surgery is required for a degenerative spinal condition; for example, such is the case when a herniated disc or other spinal abnormality is pressing on an important nerve bundle in the lower back called the cauda equina. If you experience severe lower back pain accompanied by urinary incontinence, bowel incontinence, numbness in the groin, and/or weakness in the legs, go to the emergency room immediately. You could have cauda equina syndrome, which is often treated with emergency surgery.
