title: The failed back syndrome.
abstract: In vertebral surgery we frequently observe patients who complain of lumbar pain at intervals of time which vary after surgery. The causes that may involve the persistence or the recurrence of these symptoms are many, after both decompression surgery, and spinal fusion. In order to favor a more rapid and accurate diagnosis, in our clinical we use a diagnostic algorithm based on the time at which the symptoms occurred. The most modern radiodiagnostic methods allow for a more accurate preoperative diagnosis and a more accurate diagnosis of the pathologies capable of perpetuating or re-accentuating lumbar pain postsurgery.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Ortopedica e Traumatologica, II Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Ospedale F. del Ponte, Varese.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cherubino
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prestamburgo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cattaneo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andrini
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D012008:Recurrence; D012585:Sciatica / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013577:Syndrome; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure