Failed Back Surgery Syndrome: An Updated Review

Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS) is a known condition with severe morbidity. Usually described as pain that either does not improve or worsen after back surgery. Although many possible causes leading back pain to persist after surgery were described, the exact pathology remains not elucidated and the management could be very challenging.

This review aims to discuss different causes of this syndrome besides the different current therapeutic approaches.

A good assessment of the clinical presentation based on the history of pain and physical examination in addition to the MRI input, help to detect the cause of the persistent pain. The therapeutic options are wide, from pharmacological to interventional methods. Nevertheless, a multidisciplinary approach is frequently needed to treat FBSS patients.