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Subject: Constant Knee pain following back surgery-Recurrance? Topic Area: Neurology - GeneralPosted by Deborah on June 10, 1999 at 10:36:30Dear Dr...I thank you in advance for this forum,it is a blessing!...I had spinal decompression, microdiscectomy & laminectomy in June 98...at L4-L5....I had severe nerve compression on the L5 nerve root for almost 6 mos. before surgery...the nerve root was total block to contrast on Myelogram before surgery...I continue w/loss of feeling in back of right thigh, outer right calf and right foot drop, as well as numbness in my foot...I had a 16 wk recovery followed by 3 mos. PT. I have tried to stopwearing the AFO and using the cane, unless I walk a long distance. My neurosurgeon is a compassionate & wonderfully honest Dr., and he made sure I was aware that there were no guarantees with surgery and that it could increase my back, leg & foot pain. He further stated that surgery was to STOP further damage to the nerve. He also stated that I was at increased risk for another herniation as a result of the severity of the herPosted by Deborah on July 06, 1999 at 04:48:46 Dear Doctor....Please forgive me impatience...which was fear and lack of unerstanding rearing it's ugly head...the Othro reported no damage to the knee...and the MRI report is as follows: HISTORY: Post op Recurrent low back and right leg symptoms. Rule out disc recurrence. FINDINGS: The lumbar spine was imaged in the sagittal and axial planes pre and post contrast utlizing T1 and T2 weighted sequences. Comparison is made to the prior exam of 5/11/98 The conus is normal. Bone marrow is intact and the alignment of the spine is anatomic. Disc spaces are normal down through the L3-L4 level. At L4-5, there are post operative changes observed. There is enhancing epidural fibrosis seen in the ventral and right lateral aspect of the spinal canal. This extends to and involves the origin of the right L5 nerve root. There is no evidence of disc recurrence. Defect within the posterior disc annulus is seen and etends into the central aspect of the L4-5 disc space. There is no MR evidence of frank discitis. The L5-S1 disc is unremarkable. There are some reactive changes in the marrow of the L4 and L5 vertebral bodies adjacent to the L4-5 disc space. IMPRESSION: POST OPERATIVE CHANGES AT L4-5 WITH EVIDENCE OF ENHANCING EPIDURAL GRANULATION TISSUE/FIBROSIS. THIS ESPECIALLY INVOLVES THE ORIGIN OF THE RIGHT L5 NERVE ROOT. CORRELATE FOR A RIGHT L5 RADICULOPATHY. NO EVIDENCE OF RESIDUAL OR RECURRENT HERNIATION IS SEEN. THE OTHER DISC SPACES ARE UNREMARKABLE. NO OTHER ABNORMALIITES ARE OBSERVED. My Neuro explained that this is "scar tissue" and that basically I will have to take pain meds, arthitis meds, muscle relaxants for the remainder of my life (43 years old!) and I cannot maintain sitting, standing or walking consistently...he further said that I will never be able to sit for more than 20 minutes at a time...do you agree that the pain (7-9) will not improve and perhaps get worse in my low back and right leg? My Neuro further stated I could pop another disc very easily and so I should only go walking and lift my knee(s) to my chest in a sitting position...but no more than that...please help me to understand...I have applied for Social Secuirty Disability as I cannot return to my previous job of sitting at a desk 6-8 hours a day...in summary my Neuro diagnosed "Residual Cauda Equina (with no active compression) and Chronic Radiculopathy.......thank you kindly and please forgive my impatience...you help SO many people!
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