Surgery — What You Need to Know

Key References

Conflict of Interest Disclosure: This website provides information about spinal cord stimulation (SCS). SCS is a different treatment from spinal fusion. We strive to present the evidence honestly for all treatment options so that patients can make informed decisions about what is right for them.

  1. Fritzell P et al. "Lumbar Fusion vs. Non-Surgical Treatment for Chronic Low Back Pain." Spine. 2001;26(23):2521-2532.
  2. Brox JI et al. "Lumbar instrumented fusion compared with cognitive intervention and exercises." Pain. 2003;106(1-2):145-154.
  3. Fairbank J et al. "Randomised controlled trial to compare surgical stabilisation of the lumbar spine with an intensive rehabilitation programme." BMJ. 2005;330(7502):1233.
  4. Mannion AF et al. "Outcome after fusion, rehabilitation, or no treatment for patients with chronic low back pain: a prospective 11-year follow-up." Spine J. 2013;13(11):1438-1448.
  5. Carragee EJ et al. "Discographic, MRI, and psychosocial determinants of low back pain disability and remission." Spine J. 2006;6(6):692-703.
  6. Willems P. "Decision making in surgical treatment of chronic low back pain." World J Orthop. 2013;4(4):167-178.
  7. Brinjikji W et al. "Systematic Literature Review of Imaging Features of Spinal Degeneration in Asymptomatic Populations." AJNR. 2015;36(4):811-816.
  8. Cannizzaro D et al. "Adjacent segment disease after lumbar fusion: a systematic review." World Neurosurg. 2022.
  9. Xu J et al. "Failed back surgery syndrome." Spine J. 2022.

Next Steps