Many of the risks associated with spine surgery are the same as those involved with other procedures:
-Bleeding
-Infection
-The risks of general anesthesia
However, there are additional risks associated with spinal surgery. For example, an anterior approach to the spine via the anterior neck could harm tissues such as the esophagus, trachea, and carotid arteries.
Spinal surgery also poses hazards to the spinal cord and nerve roots, and damage to those structures could result in weakness, numbness, and bowel and bladder difficulties