How long will my surgery take? How long will I be in hospital ? Tack on 30 minutes to times below for anesthesia
- Lumbar/cervical microdiscectomy- 45 minutes, home the same day
- Anterior cervical discectomy fusion- 1 disc, 1 hr 15 min./same day discharge from hospital 2 discs, 2 hrs. 15 min/ may need to stay overnight in hospital
- multi level Lumbar/cervical spinal decompression - 1-2 hours/ 1-5 days hospital stay
- Jannetta procedure- 2 hours / 1 night in ICU, home in 1-3 days
- Glycerol rhizotomy- 5 minutes -1 hour / home same day
- Brain Tumor or other cranial case- 2 -12 hours/ ICU overnight, MRI the AM after surgery to see how much tumor is removed/2-5 days in hospital
- Shunt Surgery- 1 hour/ home the next day
- Brain tumor Biopsy- about 1 hour/ home the next day
- Stereotactic Radiosurgery- plan on spending most of the day with us/ home the same day
Will I need rehab or physical therapy after surgery? That depends on how you do after surgery. If you need it, you'll get it.
What restrictions do I have after surgery ? None really EXCEPT....If it hurts, don't do it. Keep the dressing on for 3 days;change it if needed. After 3 days, it can stay off. It's OK to shower, no soaking baths though until wound healed and sutures/staples removed. After brain surgery, it's OK to shampoo after 3 days. Call my office for a follow up appointment.
How long will I be out of work ? That depends on you, how you feel. It's totally up to you. Plan on taking 2-4 weeks off. If you are ready to go back sooner, go back.
How much can I lift/do after surgery? Whatever you feel comfortable lifting/doing.
