Back surgeries are some of the most common operations in Florida, but also the most risky and often unnecessary. New research proves why anyone suffering from back pain should approach surgery cautiously and choose a surgeon selectively. Classic back surgery has one of the highest failure rates of any operation (36%), and in a newly released analysis of Medicare data, Florida ranks the highest in the country for the number of low-value and unnecessary back and spine surgeries performed on seniors. Spine surgeons say too many Florida doctors are operating without expertise and outcomes are predictably poor, leaving patients in as much pain or more.