The extended post spinal surgery syndrome (EPSS): A narrative review

Abstract

Pain can occur after any spinal surgery. Despite this, there are other many signs and symptoms of neurological deficits that can occur in patients with varying severity. Our aim is to find some of the main neurological deficits that can occur after any spinal surgery. We searched the literature based on some of the important keywords like neurological deficits after spine surgery, foot drops, cauda equina syndrome, epidural hematoma, and nerve and dural injury. Based on this we analyzed the most important and widely read articles. The problems associated with spine surgery have been published in the literature but are much more than the failed back surgery syndrome and cause more discomfort to patients with varying degrees of neurological deficits. We have coined a new term “Extended Post-spinal Surgery Syndrome (EPSS)” for these conditions. We propose this to include the other complications after lumbar surgery including nerve injury, dural injury, cauda equina syndrome and epidural haematoma.