Proper incision care is a vital aspect of the healing process after spinal surgery. Following your surgeon’s instructions closely can help reduce pain levels, minimize scarring, and lower the risk of infection.
At the New Jersey Spine Institute, our world-class surgical team places a high priority on ensuring that each patient is thoroughly educated on how to clean, monitor, and care for their incision before they return home. Below, we’ve provided a general overview of incision care post-surgery as well as some background information on how spinal incisions are closed and how long they typically take to heal.
For more personalized information about spinal incision care or any other aspect of treatment at the New Jersey Spine Institute, schedule an appointment with one of our leading spine specialists today!
How Are Incisions Closed After Surgery On The Spine?
During back surgery, layers of skin and muscle are often cut through in order to gain access to the structures of the spine itself. Afterward, muscles must be expertly sutured back together before the skin is closed as the final step.
The skin closure method your surgeon uses will depend on a variety of factors, including the type of surgery performed and the size, depth, and location of the incision. At the New Jersey Spine Institute, our leading, board-certified surgeons may use one or more of the following methods, each of which has its own unique benefits:
- Sutures – Sutures are stitches that are put in with a needle and durable, sterile thread (surgical suture) in order to precisely close a wound or incision. Some types of sutures are designed to dissolve on their own over a period of time, while others have to be hand-removed by a surgeon or other qualified medical professional approximately 1 to 2 weeks post-surgery.
- Steri-Strips – Steri-Strips are specialized adhesive bandages that may be used to close a wound on their own or applied over dissolvable sutures. When applied over dissolvable sutures, Steri-Strips help support the incision healing process once the sutures are gone. They do not need to be actively removed and are typically left until they fall off on their own.
- Staples – Staples are sterile metal clips used to quickly and effectively close incision wounds. They must be removed by a surgeon approximately 1 to 2 weeks after back surgery.
How Do You Treat The Incision Site After Spinal Surgery?
Every surgical procedure is unique and patients can expect to receive in-depth, personalized instructions from the New Jersey Spine Institute team before they are discharged to go home after undergoing back surgery. The information below represents a general overview of recommended best practices for spinal incision care:
Immediately Following The Procedure
Immediately following spine surgery, keeping your incision clean and dry is critical. In many cases, patients are taught how to cleanse the area with gentle soap and pat it dry with a sterile towel, but your surgeon may also recommend using other products or techniques, depending on the circumstances.
Your surgeon will provide you with specifics about when and how you can safely shower post-surgery, but taking a bath, swimming, or soaking in a hot tub are all activities to be avoided in the period of time immediately following a spine procedure. Also to be avoided are any topical skin creams or lotions that might get into the incision and cause irritation or infection.
Movements such as twisting, bending, or lifting may cause your incision to heal poorly or even open up at this stage. To avoid complications, it is essential to wait until you are medically cleared before attempting any physical activities that are even slightly strenuous. Our leading team of spine specialists at the New Jersey Spine Institute will provide you with clear, comprehensive instructions on which movements you will need to avoid after spine surgery and for how long.
Two Weeks After
The tissue at your incision site will continue to heal and strengthen for many months following spine surgery, but the wound itself will usually be closed after a period of approximately 2 weeks or less. At this point in the healing process (if not before), non-dissolvable sutures and staples are hand-removed.
Six Weeks After
By 6 weeks post-spine surgery, most patients have been cleared to apply topical treatments, such as creams to reduce scarring. In the vast majority of cases, activities such as taking baths and swimming have also been approved, though it’s critical to consult with your surgeon before soaking your incision, as every case is different.
Monitoring Your Incision Post-Spine Surgery
As you monitor your incision at home post-spine surgery, it’s essential to be vigilant about watching for and recognizing signs of infection. Rates of surgical site infection (SSI) after spine surgery are low (estimated at around 3%) but can be extremely serious, resulting in delayed healing, sepsis, and possibly even death if not treated rapidly and with proper medical expertise.
If you suspect your spine surgery incision is infected, contact your surgeon and/or seek emergency medical assistance immediately.
Signs and symptoms of surgical site infection include:
- Increasing redness, swelling, and/or warmth at the incision site
- Fever
- Changes in wound drainage
Surgical site infections can usually be treated with antibiotics, but depending on the severity of the infection, implants placed during surgeries such as a spinal fusion may need to be removed.
How Long Does It Take For The Incision To Heal?
The length of time it takes for a spine surgery incision to heal depends on a spectrum of factors including the type of procedure performed, the location of the incision, and the overall health of the patient. On average, most incisions heal within about 2 weeks. Speak with your surgical team at the New Jersey Spine Institute for a more accurate estimate based on the specifics of your case.
Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery
Minimally invasive spine surgery procedures offer an innovative alternative to traditional open spine surgery. Performed endoscopically by inserting specialized cameras and surgical tools through multiple small incisions instead of one long one, these types of procedures are associated with reduced pain, tissue trauma, blood loss, recovery times, and scarring as well as lower rates of post-surgical infection.
Not all spine surgeries can be performed endoscopically, and at the New Jersey Spine Institute, our leading team of spine specialists will work closely with you to evaluate your situation and determine the best treatment plan moving forward. Conditions commonly treated using minimally invasive surgical techniques include disc degeneration, herniated discs, lumbar spinal stenosis, spinal deformity, and many more. Two of the most common spine surgeries we perform at the New Jersey Spine Institute using minimally invasive techniques are:
- Microscopic Discectomy
- Lumbar Spinal Fusion
Learn more here about minimally invasive spine surgery or book an appointment with one of our board-certified spine surgeons today!
Still Have Questions? Contact The Board-Certified Surgeons At The New Jersey Spine Institute
Seeking a highly skilled and experienced back surgeon in New Jersey? With decades of experience and thousands of successful surgeries completed, Dr. James Dwyer and Dr. Paul Vespa employ a unique, two-surgeon approach for unparalleled precision, speed, and patient outcomes.
With a focus on non-surgical and minimally invasive treatment solutions, the New Jersey Spine Institute team is ready to provide you with an accurate diagnosis and an individualized treatment plan that will support your return to a more active, pain-free lifestyle. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take your first step on the road to a complete and lasting recovery! We look forward to working with you.