As far as hazards of surgery, there are some risks. Many of them can be mitigated but some cannot depending upon patient age and health. The problem with discussing risks is that they are not common, but the time necessary for their discussion can overemphasize them. If the risk of complications from surgery was 2%, you would have to spend 98 minutes discussing the surgery, rehabilitation and benefits and 2 minutes discussing the risks. Obviously, that would be too time consuming. None the less, knowledge of the risks is important before you consent to surgery.
- Overview of Spine Surgery Complications
- General Complications of Spine Surgery
- Nerve and/or Spinal Cord Complications