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The Duke Spine Center's world class
surgeons offer the most advanced
surgical techniques
that deliver less pain, and
a faster recovery to our patients.
You're scheduled for
an outpatient spine surgery with
the same day discharge.
This offers the advantage of
a quicker stay compared to having
an overnight stay in the hospital.
Please note, however, some same day
patients may require an overnight
stay if medically necessary.
Before discharge, you and
your caregiver will be taught how
to manage your care at home.
We'll make sure that you have
instructions to ensure your safety
and ideal recovery.
Your surgeon's team will choose
from several types of medicine
to manage your pain.
We'll develop what we call a pain
plan just for you.
Medicines called
anti-inflammatories reduce soreness
and infection.
Muscle relaxants can help to
decrease tension in the muscles.
Some patients may have stronger
pain medicines, opioids,
available as needed.
At Duke Health, we work with state
and national guidelines to manage
your pain on an outpatient basis.
Based on North Carolina guidelines,
we limit prescriptions of opioids
for your safety.
In order to make sure you're
comfortable, we're recommending
you call your surgeon's office or
send a message via MyChart within
a few days after discharge.
Update your surgeon on your
recovery and
discuss any refills needed.
Prescriptions for
opioids can now be sent
electronically to most pharmacies.
Once you're home,
you should only take your opioid
medicine as needed for pain.
This means if you're not having any
pain or
only small amounts of pain, then
you should not be taking any opioid
medicine.
You should decrease your opioid use
as your body heals and
your pain level decreases.
You should aim to be off all opioid
pain medicine in 2 or 3 weeks.
For small back and neck surgeries,
this time might be shorter.
Your opioid pain medicine should
never be taken more often than what
is written on the bottle.
If your pain increases,
please call your surgeon's office.
Continue your non-opioid pain
medicine such as acetaminophen,
Tylenol, or muscle relaxants until
your surgeon tells you to stop.
Your body will continue to heal and
your pain should decrease over the
next few days, weeks, and months.
The amount of time that it takes
depends on the surgery you had and
your own ability to heal.
It's important to remember that
after spine surgery, you may have
movement restrictions for
six to eight weeks.
The exact amount of time and
restrictions will depend on your
recovery and
your surgeon's preference.
If you have any additional
questions or concerns regarding
your recovery following surgery,
please send your surgeon a message
through Duke MyChart or
call their office.
The Duke Spine Center team is with
you every step of the way.
>> Without the Duke Spine Center,
without that surgery,
I have no doubt that I will be in
a wheelchair in the year.
And now, I'm gonna go to Europe.
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It's made a big difference.
I have complete confidence in
saying to you,
use the Duke Spine Center.
>> You start noticing things
don't feel like they did before.
And in fact, when you go back to
visit with a surgeon, he asks you,
did you feel differently than
you did before the surgery, and
in my case, I did.
I didn't have the pain in the hip,
or the thigh, or the feet.
As I was sitting today,
I haven't really had any pain in
several days, because I continue to
do physical therapy stretches.
It's nice to be pain-free.
>> I did feel supported at
the Duke Spine Center, from contact
and communication prior to
the procedure, the procedure
itself, and then after.
If I had any advice for
the recovery period would be to
have a plan.
My restrictions were no BLT, or
no bending, lifting, twisting.
After the six weeks, I was able to
leave some of my restrictions.
Once I go back from a follow-up
visit, I'm hoping to be lifted on
more restrictions,
like maybe playing golf.
Looking forward to it.
>> As a result of the surgery,
I'm moving around in a way that I
never thought I would do again.
They have changed my life, given
me my life back when I thought
that there was no chance,
they're wonderful.
I'm so pleased and proud to have
been a recipient of their care.
>> What I've learned is that can
trust and, [LAUGH] I get emotional,
because I watch how it changed
him and changed me as well.
That level of trust that I have
with the Duke Spine Center is,
there's no substitute for it.
We have been on this journey that
has been a very positive,
uplifting, powerful journey that
will change your life, go for it.