Twenty years ago, the doctor said to the patient, “You need surgery,” and the surgery was decided. In other words, in those days the decision to have surgery or not was entirely in the hands of the doctor. Now, with the development of society, patients are playing an increasingly important role in deciding their own fate. The first situation is urgent or life-saving surgery, when the physician still plays a leading role, but the patient and family have the choice. Examples include malignant tumors, spinal fractures and dislocations, severe nerve damage (foot drop, cauda equina nerve damage – difficulty with urination and defecation, muscle atrophy). The second type is functional surgery (e.g., general cervical radiculopathy, lumbar disc herniation). The patient’s problem is somatic distress, which does not affect life, but affects work and life. This is often referred to as “quality of life decline”. In this case, from the medical point of view, “if it seriously affects work and life, conservative treatment is not effective, then surgery”. From the patient’s point of view, the most important conservative treatment method is bed rest, which can be supplemented by traction, physiotherapy and medication when the indications are clear. If it is really uncomfortable, then surgery is an option. The third type is cosmetic surgery (less severe deformities). It is entirely a patient decision. The second most common type of surgery is called “elective surgery” in medical practice. What you need to do before surgery: The decision to have surgery or not is entirely in your hands, and all you have to do is make the final choice. Therefore, it is very important for you to consider as thoroughly as possible the pros and cons of having the surgery and the risks and benefits you will face, as well as the probability of success. You should learn and understand everything about your current medical condition (diagnosis) and the recommended procedure (procedure) before surgery. Ask your physician as many questions as possible about the situation to ensure that you know in your own mind why the procedure needs to be done, how it will be done, the post-operative recovery process, and the expected results. You can ask your doctor if he or she can give you any written information or direct you to information about the procedure, such as books, pamphlets, websites, videos, etc., to help you better understand your condition and the procedure you are about to have. Most spine surgeries are considered safe today, but you still need to carefully discuss with your surgeon some of the risks associated with the procedure. Any surgery is accompanied by a certain percentage of complications (such as wound infections, anesthesia accidents, etc.). Many spine surgeries also carry additional risks, such as numbness due to nerve root injury, paralysis due to spinal cord injury, or difficulty with urination and defecation.
Before you agree to any surgery, it is important to understand all the possible complications associated with the procedure. You need to “weigh the risks versus the benefits”. While you may be deterred by the risks of surgery, you must also consider the risks you may face if you do not have surgery, such as persistent pain, further nerve damage, or even permanent disability. It is important for you to understand what is affecting your quality of life and how it will affect your life if you do not have surgery. If you decide to have surgery, you need to prepare: you should adjust your physical and mental state before surgery, such as diabetes, hypertension and other comorbidities should be well controlled, and drugs such as reserpine and aspirin should be stopped for a period of time.