Second opinions

"I have been recommended surgery, would it be okay if I got a second opinion?"

No surgeon should be offended by being asked this.

Spine surgery is a significant undertaking and deciding whether or not to have it is a very personal matter. There will always be a balance of risk and benefit and there will be alternatives to surgery for you to weigh up.

You are likely to fit into one of the following three categories:

  • You have been strongly advised to have surgery because without it, you will come to harm. This may be the case for most tumours, some infections and other cases in which the spinal cord or a nerve is compressed and function is being lost.
  • You have been advised that surgery is the best approach for you, as your condition is unlikely to improve without surgery
  • You have been offered a number of options of which surgery as you have a conditions with greater equipoise in which surgery is just one of a number of reasonable options.
  • You have been advised against surgery, but still wish to consider it.

Before deciding what you wish to do, make sure that you have as much information as you need before finalising your decision. If this means that you want a second opinion, do not be afraid to seek one.

How Do I Get a Second Opinion?

There are 2 ways of seeking a second opinion:

  • First, ask. Mr Allibone is very happy to recommend you to one of his colleagues who has the appropriate expertise.
  • Secondly, discuss the matter with your GP, who will also be happy to refer you.

Surgeons will have different views on the relative merits of surgery and may also have different surgical techniques. Some will be more conservative in their approach. Some may favour open surgery; some use more minimally invasive approaches. There will also be nuances in the operative techniques of different surgeons.

It is important to bear in mind that you may be given opinions that conflict. This does not mean one surgeon is wrong and one is right. Spinal surgery is a discipline in which opinions can vary quite markedly and in which there are multiple variations of surgical technique.

If a second opinion leaves you more confused, do not be afraid to go back to your primary surgeon to discuss things again.

Operations