Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Multiple failed surgeries L5 S1

Hi,
In  Feb 2005 when I was 16 I was in a car accident x-rays showed a pars defect. I was in a back brace until August 05 when I had a repair with instrumentation done at the L5 level. That failed with no bone growth, and I had a lot of  burning pain in my right leg, that wasn't there before the surgery.  April of 2006 I had a L5 S1 fusion with instrumentation. That also started failing around October 2006. X-rays showed halos around the screws meaning they were loosening. There was also no bone growth. I then had another L5 S1 fusion done April 2007 by a different doctor. This time the old screws were removed and the fusion was done with larger screws and I had a cage put in for anterior support, but everything was done posteriorly. The cage was packed with bone morphogenetic protein . After the surgery I wore a back brace for 6 months and had an external bone stimulator for 3 months. March/May of 08 I started having pain in my right leg and not being able to bear weight on it, along with numbness of my calf. Went to the doctor last week after having a CT done and still no bone growth after a year and 2 months. Though he did not see any halos around the screws at this point.  My back is still in pain, I still have trouble sitting or standing for any length of time and as I said my right leg is acting up. I take calcium and vitamin D supplements. I am now 19 and in my 2nd year of college, my activity level is low, I go walking when my back and leg will allow. I also have done some water therapy. I was very active participant in sports before the accident in 2005.

Is there any more that can be done to stimulate bone growth?  Or any reason why the bone would not be growing? What else can be done? I've already had to take time off of college for this, but really want it resolved.
2 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
517190 tn?1211639308
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Dear EmmyM,

You need a diagnosis.  

Did your CT show a non-union or not?  You say there was no “bone growth”  seen yet was this diagnosed as a non-union positively or not?  There is not much bone seen in the cage when it grows through to fuse, but is still a fusion, and the rate of non-union is very small with BMP.  And if it really were a non-union, the screws are usually very loose.

Secondly, is the pars fragment pushing on your nerve , even if you do have a fusion, and just needs to be taken out?

You need a definitive diagnosis based on someone who can read the scan – not just the report – and correlate with your symptoms and exam.

Dr. Rosen

Charles Rosen, MD
Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Spine Surgery
University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine
Founding Director, UCI Spine Center
101 City Drive, Pavilion III
Orange, CA 92868
(714) 534-0547
www.charlesrosenmd.com
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Sorry my 2nd surgery was May of 2006 not April
Helpful - 0

You are reading content posted in the Back, Spine & Neck Surgery Forum

Popular Resources
Find out if PRP therapy right for you.
Tips for preventing one of the most common types of knee injury.
Tips and moves to ease backaches
How to bounce back fast from an ankle sprain - and stay pain free.
Patellofemoral pain and what to do about it.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.