Burning sensation in left foot sole after having surgery in L5/S1

My husband two surgeries in his spine, 1st one in L5 and second one is L5/S1 within 15 days of time. He has the second operation on 15 July. But now he has a burning sensation in his left foot sole with a numbness in left footsole as well in back of the knee. Is that normal? Is it curable? What it is the treatment for that? the numbness is affecting his movement as well. He is very depressed now a days. Any suggestion?

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there. Are these new symptoms or did they exist before the two surgeries? If they existed prior to the surgery and still present, it could indicate irreversible nerve damage due to long standing nerve compression from prolapsed disc that cannot be reversed by the decompressive surgery undergone. Otherwise, if these are new symptoms, this could be postoperative edema causing nerve compression and neurological symptoms. You need to check with your neurosurgeon for assessment and Nerve Conduction Velocity NCV study would be required. Hope this helps. Take care.