(NewsUSA) - Open spine surgery and spinal fusion surgery are the only kinds of surgery that have a clinical term for failure -- Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS). FBSS is a term used to describe the condition of patients who do not experience relief of pain from open spine and spinal fusion surgeries. Despite its name, FBSS is not really a syndrome at all, but a post-surgical state that occurs often enough to have acquired an acronym.

What causes FBSS? Sometimes the bony "window" through which spinal nerves pass narrows. This condition, foraminal stenosis, proves the leading cause of post-surgical spinal pain. Discs can also cause the condition.

Patients should know FBSS can be treated. Doctors generally suggest methods like rehabilitation and pain management before considering more surgery. Other measures may include exercise, manual therapy, spinal cord stimulators or implanted pumps to deliver pain medication.

Why don't doctors prescribe corrective surgery? In the past, repeated surgeries rarely relieved FBSS pain.

But recent developments now allow FBSS patients to lead pain-free lives. Advanced surgical spine procedures, known as the Bonati Procedures, use the smallest incisions possible to correct FBSS. Compared to older methods, smaller cuts can cause far less trauma to muscles and tissues, resulting in minimal blood loss and faster recovery.

The patient, under local anesthesia, feels alert and can communicate with the surgeon throughout the procedure. Patients who have had "open" surgeries that did not relieve their pain now have renewed hope with these gentle, carefully controlled outpatient procedures.

Before considering any back surgery, get a second opinion from a qualified specialist. Back pain can be a complex issue that may possibly require a team of health professionals to diagnose and treat. It is important to choose your spine team wisely.