Failed back surgery syndrome: whose failure? Time to discard a redundant term.

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Pain Medicine
• Psychology

Background:

• Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) describes persistent pain following spinal surgery.
• The prevalence and impact of FBSS present a significant challenge in patient care.
• Understanding the contributing factors to poor surgical outcomes is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the background and scale of failed back surgery syndrome.
• To describe medical and psychological predictors of poor outcomes after spinal surgery.
• To offer a personal perspective on managing FBSS based on extensive clinical experience.

Main Methods:

• This is an opinion piece, not a research study.
• It synthesizes 15 years of clinical experience with patients experiencing failed back syndrome.
• Literature review on predictors of poor outcomes and management strategies.

Main Results:

• The terms "failed back surgery syndrome" and "failed back syndrome" are considered redundant.
• These terms are not beneficial for patients or healthcare providers.
• A critical re-evaluation of terminology in managing post-spinal surgery pain is warranted.

Conclusions:

• The terms "failed back surgery syndrome" and "failed back syndrome" should be discarded.
• Adopting new terminology may improve patient-provider communication and care.
• Further discussion on appropriate terminology for persistent post-surgical spinal pain is needed.