Five years Review of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS) at Dept of Neurosurgery Unit-I, Lahore General Hospital Lahore

Objective:  To report our data of cases of failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) and surgical and non surgical etiologies. Materials and Methods:  A review of cases of Failed back surgery Syndrome (FBSS), from 2003 to 2008 man-aged at The Neurosurgery Department Lahore General Hospital Lahore/PGMI, was conducted. The inclusion criterion was Re-admission within one year of their previous lumbar disk surgery at our department or other teaching institutes. 39 patients were found and included in the review. Two groups of patients were created on the basis of whether patient managed conservatively or re-explored. Important Data was recorded, analyzed and is presented. Results:  Out of the total 39 patients 15 (38.46%), were managed conservatively and included in group A. Twenty four 61.5% patients who were managed surgically with re-exploration and were grouped as B. 26 patients were male and 13 were female. Group A:  In this group 15 (38.46%), were included. These patients did not have a radicular element in their history of recurrent backache, and symptoms were vague.  Group B:  In group B, 24 (61.5%) patients were included. All these patients presented at re-admission with backache and radiculopathy. The time since previous surgery was not more than One year in all these patients.  Conclusion:  The failure of back surgery remains a challenge for the surgeons. There is a constant search for the causes and the pathogenesis of this syndrome and the best method of treatment. Recurrent disc is the commonest cause of failed back syndrome which responded well with reexporotive