Surgical Treatment of Spine Cancer
Last updated Tuesday, October 28, 2008
RehabilitationPhysical therapy After spinal cancer surgery, cardiovascular conditioning is
recommended, as well as physical therapy assistance to enable patients to use
proper posture, bending and lifting techniques and gait (walking) training.
Physical therapy may also be beneficial to assist patients with leg
strengthening and for assistance with pain management using electrical
stimulation, massage therapy, or tissue mobilization for patients with
especially thick scars.Rehabilitation options See above.
Rehabilitation options for patients having spinal cancer
surgery include:
- General
cardiovascular condition
- Focused
strengthening
- Short
recuperative stay at a spinal rehabilitation facility
Can rehabilitation be done at home? Yes, rehabilitation following spinal cancer surgery is
usually done, at least in part, at home.Usual response With rehabilitation, patients usually see gradual
improvement after spinal cancer surgery and can slowly resume their normal
activities. The pace of their recovery depends on the procedure performed and
the patient’s overall health.Risks Yes, there are some risks to rehabilitation after spinal
cancer surgery.
Some exercises may exacerbate pain and impede bone healing
in spinal surgery patients, such as push ups, sit ups and pelvic tilts.
Therefore, it is recommended that patients choose physical therapists familiar
with the procedure performed and the appropriate exercises needed after spinal
surgery. Patients are advised to delay physical therapy until bones are healed
(approximately three months). Duration of rehabilitation After the initial bone healing time of three months,
rehabilitation usually takes four to six weeks, but may continue for up to two
years. The duration of rehabilitation depends on the procedure done and
patient’s overall health.Returning to ordinary daily activities After spinal cancer surgery, when patients may return to
daily activities will vary depending on the procedure, as well as his or her
condition.
For percutaneous procedures, it may only take a few days,
but for patients who had open procedures, it may take six weeks to three months
before he or she can return to normal activities.Long-term patient limitations The overall goal of spinal cancer surgery is to reduce the
patient’s limitations so that he or she can be active sooner and longer in
order to regain the quality of life desired as soon as possible.
With surgery, patients should receive pain relief and should
able to be active with few restrictions. Costs The surgeon’s office should provide a reasonable estimate
of:
- The
rehabilitation cost and
- The
degree to which these costs should be covered by the patient’s insurance.
Surgery for Spine tumors; neoplasms of the spine; spine cancer; pathological fractions of the spine at the University of Washington If you are interested in making an appointment to discuss this procedure, you can request an appointment using our online referrals website. To request a referral online, please click here. You can also call 206-598-4288 (outside the Seattle area: 800-440-3280) to make an appointment.
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