Lumbar Surgery Patients More Likely to Develop Serious Complications

A recent study compiling seven years of data from back pain patients who undergo lumbar surgery finds they have a high risk of developing post-surgical pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis. Pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis are serious, potentially life threatening complications following orthopedic procedures including back surgeries. The study, conducted by the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, analyzed the medical records of over a half million patients who underwent lumbar fusion or lumbar decompression procedures between 2002 and 2009. Deep vein thrombosis, also called deep venous thrombosis, is the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein, predominantly in the legs. Signs of a thrombosis may include pain, swelling, redness, warmness, and engorged superficial veins. Pulmonary embolism, a potentially life-threatening complication, is caused by the detachment (embolization) of a clot that travels to the lungs. The researchers pointed out that increased risk factors for developing post-surgical pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis include pulmonary circulation disorders, coagulopathy, fluid/electrolyte disorders, anemia, and obesity.