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Spinal fusion surgery: From relief to insecurity
Janne B Damsgaard1, Lene B Jørgensen2, Annelise Norlyk3
1Section for Nursing Science, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Interdisciplinary Research Unit, Elective Surgery Centre, Silkeborg Regional Hospital, Regional Hospital Central Jutland, Denmark.
International Journal of Orthopaedic and Trauma Nursing
|September 11, 2016
Summary
Spinal fusion surgery offers hope for reduced pain but can lead to existential insecurity and a weakened self-image. Understanding patients' lived experiences is crucial for their self-definition and healthcare communication.
Area of Science:
- Spinal surgery outcomes
- Patient experience and psychology
- Qualitative research in healthcare
Background:
- Patients view spinal fusion surgery as a necessary choice, balancing hope for pain relief with existential insecurity.
- The decision-making process involves fear, isolation, and uncertainty regarding the surgical outcome and its impact on life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore patients' lived experiences from the decision to undergo spinal fusion surgery through to their post-operative daily life.
- Investigate the psychological and existential impact of spinal fusion surgery on patients' self-perception and life meaning.
Main Methods:
- Phenomenological-hermeneutic study design, informed by Paul Ricoeur's theory of interpretation.
- Data collection through direct patient observations and semi-structured interviews.
Main Results:
- Spinal fusion surgery decision brought hope for pain relief and life restoration, creating initial relief.
- However, some patients experienced postoperative existential insecurity, a weakened self-image, and challenges in finding meaning due to altered self-understanding from chronic back pain.
Conclusions:
- Spinal fusion surgery paradoxically induces hope and existential insecurity, highlighting the need to address patients' subjective experiences.
- Healthcare professionals must recognize how patients derive meaning from their illness to support their self-definition and improve patient-provider communication.
