Will use of nicotine products affect my care?
It may, nicotine has a negative effect on multiple functions in the body, some of which may impair recovery from your surgery. Most significantly, nicotine impairs bone healing, so patient’s will often be required to quit all nicotine products prior to spine fusion surgery.
Will excess weight affect my care?
In some cases yes, most significantly for certain types of spine surgery. Excess weight can have a negative impact on surgery including wound healing, surgical site infection, and surgical failure. For some elective spine surgeries, excessive weight will need to be managed prior to scheduling surgery. We will coordinate with your primary care physician to help find the care you need.
Will soft bone quality affect my care?
It may, as soft bone is a risk factor for spine fusion surgery. There are many ways to improve bone quality, our office does help with prescribing anabolic medications that help build bone. We also order labs and imaging studies to establish a diagnosis. We will coordinate with your primary care physician if this type of care is needed.