Back surgery is done for a range of reasons. Often there are significant pain issues preoperatively. Sometimes this is new pain, although often people have had back or neck symptoms for a long period of time.
The procedures can be variable but are usually at least 2 hours from the start of the anaesthetic to waking up. Fusion and cancer operations take a lot longer. Patients will have a catheter placed for their bladder once asleep. There may be a requirement for blood transfusion (if acceptable to the patient).
Most back operations involve turning the patient on to their stomach once asleep to get surgical access of the back. This becomes more challenging in those who are bigger built. Major fusions and cancer operations often need to go to the intensive care unit afterwards for close monitoring in the early period after the operation.
Neurosurgery for brain lesions is a very specialised area of work. This is done by specialist teams and is done for reasons such as cancer, epilepsy, raised pressures or bleeding. Often very long operations, the patient is normally kept asleep and comfortable whilst the exact location of the lesion is identified and treated. The patient is likely to have a number of lines (arterial and central venous lines) for monitoring and giving medications, and other drains, catheters etc. After the operation they will be monitored in the intensive care unit prior to being transferred to the ward.