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epidural after spinal fusion
by jennylynne, Oct 17, 2003 12:00AM
I was wondering if anyone has had an epidural after a spinal fusion. I had a fusion in 1986 at L5-S1 to correct Spondylosthesis and was told that I would be unable ever have an epdiural. Now I am 28 weeks and my ob.gyn tells me that this should not keep me from having an epidural after all! I'm extremley hopeful as I had my first daughter in 1991...labor was induced with only 1 shot of Demerol to help me calm down...it was paiinful beyond imagination. I'd appreciate any help or thoughts on this topic.
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Ask your doctor to send you for an Anesthesia consult SOON (bring your old records) and get this formally evaluated. Your OB CANNOT speak for what Anesthesia will or won't do! After the consult, ask for a written record of the decision. BRING IT WITH YOU TO THE HOSPITAL WHEN YOU GO INTO LABOR. Do not, I repeat, do not think that a copy given to your OB will necessarily make it into your prenatal.
Whether you get one or not often depends on the whim of whatever anesthesiologist is on call at the time you go into labor. You could get one who doesn't think it will be a problem, or you could get one who is afraid if he does it and you wind up with a backache, he will get sued...so he can refuse to do it, citing that it is too risky to chance.
If you go for the formal Anesthesia consult and it is approved, having written documentation of this will increase the chance that you will get one when the time comes. It is NOT a guarantee, but it will increase your chances.
I have taken care of women who have had fusions, and did have epidurals, as well as ones who had fusions and anesthesia refused to touch them. Whoever is faced with the responsibility of actually DOING THE EPIDURAL is also the one with the legal liability if there is a problem, so he/she CAN refuse to do it no matter what the consult says. But having written documentation is better than nothing. Do it soon; it can take a while to get these consults on the road.