Spine Surgery Education

Personalized, minimally invasive procedures

At Mississippi Valley Surgery Center, we recognize the importance of education in empowering our patients facing spine surgery. We firmly believe that being well-informed is not just beneficial but essential for a successful and a positive surgical experience.

We are committed to being a reliable source of information and support for our patients preparing for spine surgery. We encourage you to explore our resources, ask questions, and embrace the power of education as you embark on this transformative healthcare journey. Together, let’s make informed choices that lead to a future of improved mobility, reduced pain, and enhanced overall quality of life.

Symptoms/When to call your surgeon

How to manage pain

Recovery Journey Surveys

Joint/Spine Programs

Pre-Surgery Preparation Instructions

Find a Care Partner

Your care partner should plan to be actively involved in your joint replacement journey and read through all the enclosed information with you prior to surgery.

Your care partner should be able to provide support and will need to stay with you during the first three days of your recovery. Your partner should be involved in your physical therapy and keep you focused on healing. He or she will also be a valuable extra set of eyes and ears to help keep you on track with all the information you will be receiving over the next several weeks.

Please note this person should be 18 years or older.

Register for Surgery

Very Important: You should have received a registration guide from the doctor’s office to complete your registration online. If you have not registered and/or completed your health history with our nurse navigators, please do so today. “Register”
The software application is very mobile friendly and should only take 10-15 minutes to complete.

Pre-op Appointments

You may need to have other doctor appointments prior to your joint replacement surgery if you are under the care of any other specialists. (Cardiologist, Pulmonologist, etc.) The number and type of appointments you have will depend on your medical history. Your surgeon and his team will guide you in completing many of these details that are needed before your surgery.

Home Recovery Preparation

Prepare your home

Put food and other supplies you may need in a cupboard that is between your waist and shoulder level for easier reach.
Plan and prepare meals before surgery to ensure a well-balanced diet. This is important for the healing process.
Have clean sheets on the bed the day before surgery and clean pajamas ready at home to reduce the risk for infection.

Avoiding Falls

Pick up throw rugs.
Move cords out of high traffic areas.
Declutter the house.
Have night lights placed in hallways and rooms that can be dark.
Pets that are small or move around quickly may cause you to trip. While recovering at home, consider having your pet stay with a friend or at a kennel.

Manage Your Medications

Medications That May Increase Bleeding

Your doctor should tell you when to stop any medications before surgery. Check with your surgeon for when to stop any anti-inflammatory medications such as Ibuprofen, Motrin, Naproxen, Vitamin E, fish oil, etc. These medications may increase bleeding. In some cases, patients might keep taking Aspirin. If you are taking a blood thinner, you will need instructions from the ordering physician for stopping the medication. Your surgeon will instruct you when to restart your blood thinner after surgery.

Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicines and supplements can interfere and interact with other medicines. Check with your doctor to see if you need to stop taking your herbal medicines before surgery.

Pre-Surgery Checklist

🗹 Pick up your post-op prescription medications ordered by your surgeon from your pharmacy when they are ready. (usually 1-2 days before surgery)

🗹 Stay away from anyone who is sick.

🗹 Remove any polish from toenails and fingernails.

Start Healthy Eating for Healing

How you treat your body the weeks before and after surgery can have a direct effect on how well and how quickly you will heal. Now is the time to take a proactive approach and give your body the building blocks it needs for the best possible recovery. A little preparation now can make a big difference in your recovery later. Rather than waiting until after your surgery, start the healing now! Simple steps you can take include:

Begin your healthy eating plan as soon as you are scheduled for surgery.
Eat a well-balanced diet rich in iron, Vitamin C and calcium.
Avoid alcohol especially in the 48 hours prior to surgery.
Avoid smoking before and after surgery.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are diabetic or on any type of restricted diet, you should consult your doctor prior to starting any new diet.

Importance of Food Enriched with Calcium

Calcium is an important mineral needed for building new bone as well as maintain existing bone strength. During joint replacement surgery, bone is removed, and an implant is put in its place. Eventually, new bone will grow around parts of the implant and help make it more stable. A diet rich in calcium can help with this process.

Importance of Food Enriched with Iron and Vitamin C

Iron is needed to build healthy red blood cells. Vitamin C improves the absorption of Iron – in other words, Vitamin C makes it easier for the Iron to get into the body and work more efficiently. During surgery, some blood loss is expected. Ample levels of Iron and Vitamin C in your body prior to surgery will help in the replacement of red blood cells that are lost during your operation. Your surgeon may even prescribe iron supplements.

IMPORTANT NOTE: A sudden increase in your diet of green leafy vegetables can interact with certain blood thinning medications such as Coumadin (warfarin) and Plavix (clopidogrel). If green leafy foods such as spinach, broccoli and Brussel sprouts are a normal part of your diet, it is important to eat a consistent amount from week to week.

Day Before Surgery

Arrival Time Information

We will contact you one business day before surgery with your arrival time.

You will be informed about what time to arrive. (Usually 2-3 hours prior to your actual surgery start time)
We will instruct you on what medications to take the morning of your surgery.

Nothing to eat or drink after Midnight the day of surgery.

What to bring with you

ID and Insurance Card
Phone and phone charger
Something to do while waiting to go into surgery
Prescription home medications in ORIGINAL bottles
NEW prescription medications called in by your surgeon
Wear loose, comfortable clothing
Tennis shoes or flat rubber sole shoes
CPAP or BiPAP if you use one
Be sure to bring a vehicle that is easy to get in and out of
LEAVE valuables at home (jewelry, rings, piercings, etc.)

Notify your surgeon prior to arriving if you have any of the following symptoms:

Scrapes, scabs, rash, sores, bug bites, or any breaks in the skin anywhere on your body
Cold or flu like symptoms
COVID-19 positive (in the last 90 days)
Infections
Elevated temperature
Sore or scratchy throat
Yellow or green nasal drainage
Chest congestion
Earache
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Problems urinating

Visitors

At this time, we are only allowing one visitor on your surgery day. (Preferably your care partner)

Day of Surgery Expectations

What to expect before surgery

Arrival at your provided time.
Check in with one of our welcoming receptionists. They will ask you to provide your insurance card and ID.
One of our caring patient care techs will get your weight, height, and take you to your room.
We will trim hair around the operative site and clean the area with antimicrobial wipes.
Your pre-op nurse will have you sign the surgical consent and provide time to ask more pre-surgical questions.
You will change into a patient gown, intravenous (IV) fluids will be started, and preoperative medications will be given.
Your anesthesia provider will visit you prior to your surgery.
Your surgeon will visit with you before surgery to answer any last-minute questions.
Before you receive anesthesia, monitoring devices will be applied so that the anesthesia provider can monitor and manage your vital signs — heart rate and rhythm; blood pressure; body temperature and breathing while in surgery.

Anesthesia Information

Type of Anesthesia

General anesthesia – produces temporary unconsciousness.

You will be sleeping during your procedure but in most cases, you will not need a breathing tube.

Side Effects

Before surgery, your anesthesia provider will discuss the risks and benefits associated with anesthesia, as well as complications or side effects that can occur.

You will be given medications to treat nausea and vomiting which can sometimes occur with anesthesia. The amount of discomfort you experience will depend on several factors. Your discomfort should be tolerable, but do not expect to be totally pain free. Staff will teach you the pain scale to assess your pain level – see Understanding the Pain Scale section under Managing Pain.

After Surgery Expectations in Recovery

The amount of time in surgery varies depending on the specific procedure being performed.
You will be taken to the Post Operative area where your pain level will be assessed and vital signs monitored. You will recover for roughly 1 hour after surgery.
We have a process in place to update your family throughout the day.
Because of the general anesthesia, you may experience blurred vision, dry mouth, and/or chills.
The nurse will start you with clear liquids and may progress your diet as tolerated.
You will be encouraged to drink fluids as you will need to urinate before you go home.
Once you are able to get up, we will assist you with walking.
We have a variety of snacks and drinks that are easy to digest after surgery. You are welcome to bring in any special snacks you prefer.

Discharge Planning

You will be given a folder at the time of discharge with all your patient specific homecare instructions as well as a list of all the medications your surgeon wants you to take at home. Please have your support person read through this information as well when you get home.

You should expect to go directly home once discharged to recover in the privacy and comfort of your own surroundings.

Home Recovery Instructions

When to call your surgeon

Uncontrolled pain not relieved by medication
New, persistent, or worsening pain/numbness
Pain, heat, and tenderness in your calf
Persistent nausea and/or vomiting
Persistent or unexpected bleeding
Inability to urinate 3-5 hours after discharge
No bowel movement for 3 days
Signs of an allergic reaction: rash, itching, or hives
Signs of infection:
- Persistent fever of 100.4 or above
- Excessive swelling, heat, drainage, or redness from the incision site
Any unusual or concerning symptoms
Shortness of breath, rapid/unusual heartbeat or chest pain → CALL 911

Incision Care

Follow the instructions in your discharge folder for when you can shower.
Dressing/incision care and expectations are also located in your discharge folder.
No bathtubs, hot tubs, pools, or submerging in any body of water until your incision has completely healed and given the approval by your surgeon.

Ways to manage pain

Pain control during and after surgery is likely to be one of the most common concerns from patients. With today’s medications and pain management techniques, your pain should be tolerable.

Your doctor will choose the method right for you based upon your medical history, the amount of pain you are having and your phase of recovery.
Regardless of the pain management protocol being used, it is important for you to communicate with your surgeon if the pain medication is not sufficient, if you are feeling nauseous, or if you are not as alert as you feel you should be. Adjustments can be made to make your pain management program as effective as possible.
Call the surgeon’s office before going to an Emergency Department for pain! If it is after normal working hours, the after hours answering service will contact the on-call provider for you.
- Orthopaedic Specialists Office Phone Number: (563) 344-9292

Prevent the Pain Cycle

Pain has a cycle. It begins and increases until medication interrupts it. The aim of good pain control is to stop pain before it becomes intolerable. It is especially important to take your pain medication 30-45 minutes prior to any exercise session so that you can achieve your goals more comfortably.

Stay on a medication schedule, this will help you stay on top of your pain and keep it tolerable.
Take all medications with food.
Call the surgeon’s office for prescription refills or if there is a medication that is not working for you.

Other Methods to Decrease Pain

It is important to try to relax after your surgery and one way that may help is to listen to your favorite relaxing music, frequent position changes and applying ice or cold for 30 minutes at a time on a regular schedule to minimize your discomfort.

Daily home activities

By the end of week #1 you should be increasing your activity to include brief walks outside or on a suitable treadmill. A suitable treadmill is one that is wide enough that you do not have to alter your gait to walk straight ahead.
Limit lifting anything over 15 pounds for the first 2 weeks.
At your 2-week post-operative visit you will be given more instruction on activities with no restrictions. You will likely be feeling much better and can begin progressing activity and lifting with no restrictions after 6 weeks.
At the 6-week post-operative visit is usually the final evaluation where most patients return to regular activities without restrictions. You should continue to notice improvement each week and by week 6 you will be back to full activity with no weightlifting restrictions, with normal healing.

Constipation

Changes in daily routine, short-term reductions in appetite and mobility, as well as narcotic pain medication can contribute to an increased risk for constipation.
- Take stool softeners and/or laxatives as instructed.
- Drink plenty of water. This adds fluid to the colon and bulk to the stools, making bowel movements easier to pass.
- Eat fiber rich foods like whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables to help keep your system moving. Consider a fiber additive.
- Avoid caffeine – coffee and colas. Caffeine flushes your colon of fluids and causes dehydration making stools dryer and harder to pass.
- Avoid alcohol – it also causes dehydration.
- Keep up with your exercises – daily walks help to keep things moving.
- Wean yourself from narcotic pain medications as soon as possible.
Call your surgeon if your bowel habits do not return to normal during the first postoperative week.