Causes of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

• Epidural fibrosis, or scarring of the nerve roots, is a common cause of FBSS and it involves no technical errors on the part of the surgeon. It is simply an unfortunate response of the body to the trauma of surgery can also be know as Adhesive Arachnoiditis.
• Inadequate decompression which results in untreated lateral recess and foraminal stenosis.
• Residual foraminal stenosis
• Residual spinal stenosis
• Painful disc disease due to residual pain eminating from the discs which still retain motion after fusion.
• Spinal inastability due to removal of too much of the central disc or supporting ligaments.
• Incomplete or inadequate operations
• Recurrent or persistent disc herniation
• Adhesive arachnoiditis
• Nerve Injury
• Pathologic location