Tough questions you should ask before undergoing surgery

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Rick Greenwood thought surgery would relieve his back pain. Instead, it left him paralyzed.

Each year, 600,000 Americans undergo spinal surgery. According to a Duke University study, however, one in every 100 spinal stimulator patients experiences some spinal nerve damage.

Greenwood, 67, developed a blood clot after having a battery-powered stimulator implanted next to his spinal cord. He admits he did not do the amount of research he should have before his surgery.

"My whole focus was getting off pain meds because it was ruining my life," Greenwood recalled as he sat in his wheelchair.

"Did we check it maybe as thorough as we needed to on the side effects? No," he said.

Now, he and his wife Debbie have made it their mission to inform patients of the risks of surgery, and encourage them to ask tough questions before going under the knife.

"I think that patients need to be mindful of physicians and surgeons who are well-trained, and to investigate their training," said Dr. Stephen Tolhurst, an orthopedic spine surgeon at the Texas Back Institute.

The Texas Back Institute, which had nothing to do with Greenwood's surgery, routinely offers patient advocates for surgery candidates.

"If you don't have a good understanding of your risks and rewards of surgery, then you haven't done enough research," said patient advocate Cheryl Zapata.

Some questions to ask before undergoing surgery:

• Is my surgeon board-certified and fellowship-trained?
• How long has my surgeon been performing this procedure?
• What is the success rate?
• Will anyone assist my surgeon and if so, how are they trained?
• What are the risks?
• What happens if something goes wrong?
• Are there other non-surgical options?

Other risks of back surgery to keep in mind include negative reactions to anesthesia, bleeding, infection, blood clots, nerve damage, heart attack and stroke.

"I'm hoping that this will help people feel more comfortable in researching and asking the questions," Greenwood said.