What to Expect After Spine Surgery

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

Do you need to see a specialist?

Neck and back pain making things uncomfortable? Complete our Back and Neck Pain Assessment to see if it’s time to see a Norton Leatherman Spine provider.

Click here to take assessment

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 Surgery Class

Video seminar on demand

The Norton Leatherman Spine surgery class includes comprehensive education so you know what to expect before, during and after spine surgery. Our whole-person approach and community atmosphere help support you each step of the way. Our care team is dedicated to helping you return to an active life after surgery. Use the link below to register for the class, which is presented as an on-demand video.

About Norton Leatherman Spine

Norton Leatherman Spine is a combined team of orthopedic spine surgeons, neurosurgeons and pain management specialists who provide care for adults and children from Louisville and Southern Indiana, as well as from across the region, nation and world.

A multidisciplinary team of 45 specialists offers a comprehensive array of treatment options that include medication, pain management, rehabilitation and surgery, including minimally invasive procedures and neurosurgical therapies.
Norton Leatherman Spine physicians are widely renowned and exceptionally experienced, performing more than 4,000 surgeries a year.
Our specialists are internationally recognized leaders in clinical research of spinal disease, injury and deformity, and have served in senior positions in the Scoliosis Research Society, the most prestigious organization for scoliosis surgeons around the world.
Norton Healthcare is the first health system in the nation to be recognized as an Advanced Orthopedic & Spine Center of Excellence by DNV.
We use the EOS Imaging system, which collects high-resolution images while exposing the patient to 50% to 85% less radiation than traditional X-rays and 95% less than basic CT scans. The system is especially beneficial to scoliosis patients who often need repeated imaging to monitor their progress.
We accept Medicare, Medicaid and most major commercial insurance plans.
Use Norton MyChart to communicate with your provider, manage appointments, refill prescriptions, get alerted if an earlier appointment becomes available and more, anytime from a mobile device or computer