Category: Back Pain | Author: Stefano Sinicropi
If you are dealing with persistent tailbone pain that is not responding well to standard conservative treatment, more hands-on care may be required. One of the last lines of treatment for unresponsive tailbone pain is known as a coccygectomy. Using open or minimally invasive techniques, the surgeon removes the tailbone, also known as the coccyx. For the right patient, it can provide an immense amount of pain relief, but you’ll also need to follow a specific post-op care plan if you want to make the strongest recovery possible. Below, we take a closer look at why the procedure may be needed and how a coccygectomy is performed.
Who Needs A Coccygectomy?
As we mentioned in the introduction, a coccygectomy is typically only pursued if conservative treatments fail to provide relief. Fortunately, conservative care or less invasive treatments tend to yield great results for most tailbone issues. Whether you’re dealing with a tailbone fracture, dislocation or arthritic degeneration, there’s a very good chance that simple options like rest, anti-inflammatories, physical therapy, lifestyle modifications and the eventual passage of time can help these issues heal or become less bothersome so that you don’t need to pursue more drastic options.
However, for patients with chronic tailbone pain that is the result of severe or multiple fractures, or for those with a genetic predisposition to painful tailbone arthritis, a coccygectomy may be exactly what you need to get back moving and sitting without discomfort. Some providers will consider recommending a coccygectomy after 8-12 weeks of failed conservative treatments, but because it is viewed as a last line of defense, other doctors may want the patient to pursue at least six months of non-operative treatments before the coccygectomy procedure is considered.
The Coccygectomy Procedure And Post-Op Care
Prior to your procedure, you and your surgeon will determine which type of coccygectomy procedure will be performed, an open or a minimally invasive operation. The open coccygectomy involves making a large incision over the tailbone in order to fully expose the affected bones. This is the rarer of the two procedures, and it’s typically reserved for patients with severe tailbone infections or those with very poor bone density who may not be able to have the tailbone effectively removed using non-invasive methods.
A minimally invasive or laparoscopic coccygectomy involves inserting a special instrument into the abdomen to remove the tailbone through a small incision in the skin. It is the more common procedure since it carries a reduced risk of infection and other complications, and it leads to a faster recovery time.
During either procedure, the patient is given anesthesia and will be in a sleeplike state for the duration of the operation. The operation can be performed in as little as 30 minutes, but you’ll find that it’s the recovery period, not the surgery itself, that is uncomfortable. You’ll likely have some mild to moderate discomfort in your tailbone area in the days after your procedure, but this can be managed with the help of medications. Your doctor will want you up and moving in the days that follow your procedure, and you’ll likely find some comfort in being upright given the trauma to your backside. Early movement can help limit swelling and decrease your risk of blood clot formations.
Depending on your specific need for surgery and your work duties, it’s possible to return to work and daily activities around 2-6 weeks, but total recovery will take much longer. It’s not uncommon for total recovery to take anywhere from 3-12 months following a coccygectomy, with open coccygectomy patients skewing towards the latter half of that timeline.
If you are dealing with persistent tailbone pain, connect with a spine specialist like Dr. Sinicropi. We’re confident that we can find a conservative care plan that can help manage or alleviate your tailbone pain, but we have other options at our disposal if they fail to provide the relief you seek. For more information about tailbone pain or tailbone surgery, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
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