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Laminectomy at L5-S1 2 years ago.

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Laminectomy at L5-S1 2 years ago.

by sybil, Aug 10, 2002 12:00AM

Tags: laminectomy, years, Neurology, General Neurology, fusion, pain, back pain, leg pain

26 year old female, had lumbar laminectomy 2 years ago at l5-s1 with spinal fusion. I had an MRI recently due to having back pain, and MRI showed slight bulging disc at l5-s1 which is the level that surgery was performed on. Can you explain to me why there would be a bulge? The pain that I am having is nothing like the pain I had before I had surgery 2 years ago. I have minimal leg pain only in the morning when I first get out of bed, pain diminishes with walking. Can you please tell me my possible options for this back pain. The back pain at times is unbearable, causes me to have limitations, such as bending. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Doctor's Answer

by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT, Aug 11, 2002 12:00AM

Very difficult to comment accurately on an MRI that I have never seen and it's hard to say what the disc bulging means as I don't know exactly what they did during the surgery. It is possible that the back and leg pain are NOT related to the mild disc bulging as the symptoms are completely different from that prior to surgery. A formal neurological exam may help localize where the problem is as you may have degenerative changes elsewhere in your spine. Another thought is that in a young woman with lower back pain, we have to think of other non neurologic causes such as urinary tract infection/renal stones, pelvic or gynecologic problems, arthritis, etc... Talk to your primary care doc about your symptoms. If everything checks out ok and a neurologic cause is suspected, consider a neuro referral. Good luck

Member Comments (3)

by snowgoer, Aug 10, 2002 12:00AM

To: Sybil

Hi Sybil, I was very interested in your post because I had a cervical fusion last year and shortly after started experiencing pain and numbness in my hand. A repeat MRI I had in May showed a herniation of that same disk extending into the right foramen. The disk below it also was herniated too, but no one will tell me how that disk could still be there if I had it removed and fused! Isn't that the purpose of the surgery to begin with? Now I am faced with additional surgery (not by the same surgeon) and not very happy. Good luck to you, I truly understand your pain.

by brogies, Oct 23, 2002 12:00AM

Hi there, went yesterday to Pain Clinic to be told that my surgeon(orthapaedic)who done my discetomy 4 years ago and has been treating on the whole for 51/2 years has retired, i was upset as i thought i was to see him to talk about a lumbar fusion operation, in have had 5 MRI scans of which recently shows mild bulging of L5 S1 disc.I havent worked since slipped on wet floor 6 years ago which is why i had slipped disc, but since operation i have been 10 times worse and do not have much of a life i go into hospital for injections every 3 months which helps leg pain but not back pain, i am in pain every hour of every day and am unable to walk 4 days out of 7(on average). I joined a gym and went swimming which only made me worse and aggrivated the pain, is there anyone who can come up with any suggestions of what i could do next or just give me some advice.

ps i am on strong painkillers, anti-inflammotries and sleeping tablets.

thanks gaynor

please e-mail me

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