Questions posted in the Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Subject: Re: C4,C5-C6 Microdiskectomy
Forum: The Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum
Topic Area: Spine
Posted by CCF Neurosurgery MD/ gm on May 03, 1998 at 19:00:36:
In Reply to: C4,C5-C6 Microdiskectomy posted by Thomas Ferron on April 29, 1998 at 01:20:52:


A year ago I was involved in an auto accident.I was diagnosed with a
herniated disc at C5-C6 and stenosis at c4-c5 c5-c6. I also had arm pain
in my right bicep area. The neurosurgeon suggested a microdiskectomy and
decompression which I had done in June-97. The arm problem persisted, plus
after the neck surgery, my right arm was numb from shoulder to elbow and
some numbness into my index finger and thumb. I finally got another opinion on the arm pain and I was told I had a torn rotator cuff. This was repaired in Dec-97. My ROM and pain in the arm is doing pretty good but I still
get numb in my upper arm and right upper back.Sometimes it is real bad, other times, liveable. I also have numbness and loss of sensation on the
inside of my right arm. My question is, what else can cause the numbness
that I'm feeling? It's as though someone has their hand laying flat on my
right shoulder blade and down the back of my right arm.I can no longer tell if it is coming from the neck surgery or from something else. Got any ideas? Thanks in advance...Tom
_______

Dear Mr Ferron:

Given the description you give I believe that your arm numbness is related
to a problem in the neck. You also state that you have known cervical canal
stenosis. The ACD that you had should have helped with a problem directly
related to the ruptured disc but that operation unfortunately does not
address the cervical canal stenosis. I recommend that you be re-evaluated
by a neurosurgeon that specializes in spinal disorders to determine whether
the cervical canal stenosis is the cause of your current problems and
whether you would benefit from any surgical intervention. This will not
be a simple task given that you have already had an operation from the
front and that cervical canal stenosis may require a decompression from
the back of the neck. If you have any further questions please do not
hesitate to call back.

Good Luck !

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