This represents a risk of infection and meningitis and further surgery might be required to correct the situation. Sometimes despite precautions spinal fluid will leak through the wound. Usually the leak of fluid dries up within a few days and there is no long term effect. Sometimes the surgeon will insert a drain to divert the fluid. Sometimes it is safer to leave it to heal. Sometimes the hole in the spinal lining (the dura) can be repaired with stitches or a patch. Repeat or revision operations have a higher risk of complications than first time operations. If there has been a previous spinal operation it is even more common because of scarring. In decompression surgery it is more common, happening in 8% of cases. In primary sciatica surgery it occurs in 3% of cases. It may occur as a result of the disc or bone being very stuck to the lining of the spinal canal.

It may occur deliberately if the surgeon intends to do it as part of the operation. The spinal fluid within the spinal canal will drain out of the hole. This is where an opening occurs in the dura which is the lining of the spinal canal. If a deep infection occurs it can require repeat operations to washout the spine and a prolonged and extensive course of antibiotics. To reduce the risks of infection antibiotics are often given and the surgery is often performed in ultra clean air flow theatres. A deep spinal infection occurs in less than 1% of cases. Risks of infection are increased in diabetic patients, patients on steroids or those with lowered resistance to infection.ĭeep spinal infections are much more serious but less common. Superficial wound infections are not rare and may occur in between 2% and 4% of spinal operations. Sometimes paralysis can occur as a result of damage to the blood supply of the nerves or spinal cord, and this is not reversible. If an adverse event of this nature was to occur every effort would be made to reverse the situation. The risk of paralysis is higher if patients are taking blood thinning medication (warfarin) or if there is an incidental durotomy (leak of spinal fluid). It could occur through bleeding into the spinal canal after surgery (an extradural spinal haematoma). Probably occurring less than one per 300 operations. The risk of paralysis, which means loss of use of the legs, loss of sensation and loss of control of bowels and bladder is low. The risk of death from decompression surgery for stenosis is higher (possibly one per 350) than for disc surgery as the patients are usually older and less fit. The risk will vary according to patient factors such as heart disease, high blood pressure, smoking, and specific age related risks. It would be from unexpected events such as blood clots in the legs passing to the lungs (pulmonary embolus), or catastrophic blood loss from major blood vessels. The risk of death is low, it is difficult to quantify and is probably less than one death per 700 operations for sciatica. Home // Patient Portal // Risks of Surgery Risks of Surgery Death

Spinal fluid leak during back surgery