Scar tissue after back surgery

Effects scar tissue on back pain and leg pain
The formation of scar tissue near the nerve root (also called epidural fibrosis) is a common occurrence after back surgery. so common, in fact, that it often occurs for patients with successful surgical outcomes as well as for patients with continued or recurrent leg pain and back pain. For this reason, the importance of scar tissue (epidural fibrosis) as a potential cause of postoperative pain, commonly called failed back surgery syndrome, is controversial.

Scar tissue formation is part of the normal healing process after a spine surgery. While scar tissue can be a cause of back pain or leg pain, in and of itself the scar tissue is rarely painful since the tissue contains no nerve endings. Rather, the principal mechanism of back pain or leg pain is thought to be the binding of the lumbar nerve root by fibrous adhesions.