What to Expect After Spine Surgery

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Here’s what to expect and what to prepare for immediately after spine surgery.

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What to Expect

You may have several items attached to you when you wake up from surgery:

  • IV (medications and fluids are administered through the IV)
  • Pulse oximeter (monitors your oxygen level)
  • Leg/foot pumps (help with blood circulation in the legs)
  • Bladder catheter (drains urine from your bladder)
  • Drain (removes excess blood from your surgery site)
  • Dressing (keeps your incision covered)

Other Things to Remember

  • Be sure to take deep breaths, cough and use your incentive spirometer every hour while you are awake.
  • You will begin a liquid diet following your operation and begin regular eating as soon as you can tolerate food.
  • Make sure you drink lots of liquids.
  • When you have pain, be sure to tell your nurse. Ask for pain medicine and muscle relaxers when you start hurting. Don’t wait until it becomes unbearable.
  • The night of surgery, your physician may ask the nursing staff to help you sit on the side of the bed or get in a chair. The sooner you start moving, the sooner you will get better.
  • You may have blood drawn (usually at night or early in the morning) so that your doctor can see the results when making rounds.
  • A care manager/social worker will visit you and discuss your plans to leave the hospital. Arrangements will be made, and by the time you are ready to leave, you will know all about your home instructions.

Spine Care From World-renowned Specialists

Norton Leatherman Spine is a world-renowned program delivering groundbreaking care and treatment for back, neck and spine conditions and procedures.

  • Nationally recognized spine surgery fellowship program with over 150 trained fellows
  • First in the world to perform robotic spine surgery using the Medtronic Mazor X Stealth Edition, demonstrating leadership in surgical innovations
  • First health system in the nation to be recognized as an Advanced Orthopedic & Spine Center of Excellence by DNV
  • First in the state of Kentucky to use the EOS Imaging system, a high-resolution image system with 50% to 85% less radiation exposure than traditional X-rays and CT scans
  • More than 4,000 surgeries performed each year
  • Recognized as a national benchmark for patient-reported outcome measures against spine surgeons across the nation, ensuring high-quality, data-driven care
  • A team of 45 highly regarded specialists, including orthopedic spine surgeons, neurosurgeons and pain management specialists
  • Internationally recognized leaders in clinical research of spinal disease, injury and deformity, opioid management, spine surgical innovations, scoliosis and more
  • Specialists who have served in senior positions in the Scoliosis Research Society, the prestigious organization for scoliosis surgeons around the world
  • Kenton D. Leatherman, M.D., the program namesake, was the first doctor in Kentucky to repair scoliosis surgically

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