Pain in the rib area after spine surgery

Dear Ask The Doctor: Surgery was done on the L4-L5 bulging disk, surgery was done for the same vertebrae for a compressed L4-L5 as well as L1 cyphoplasty. Ther is now achy pressure in the region, and pain under the rib cage on the mid left side from the breast to the hip. Is there any correlation with the excuciating pain on the left side?

Dear Lori: Unfortunately, due to the formation of scar tissue near the nerve root that was decompressed and also due to the previous compression damage of the nerve, many patients continue to have pain after spine surgery. This may be a common occurrence after back surgery, so common, that it often occurs for patients with successful surgical outcomes as well as for patients with continued or recurrent leg pain and back pain. Scar tissue formation is part of the normal healing process after a spine surgery. In your particular case possibly the pain that you described is a referred pain maybe due to the manipulation in the area of the decompression during the surgery or post surgery inadequate posture that is producing a muscle imbalance and of course pain.