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MRI Results after a Hemilaminotomy
I had a Heminlainotomy at L4 and L5, 8 months ago, and I continue to having pain in my lower back left and specially in right leg. This is the MRI results:
"There's a disc space narrowing and disc dehydration at L3-4 and L4-5. Annular tears are seen at L3-4, L4-5 and L5-S1. Hemilaminotomy defects are seen in the posterior paraspinal soft tissues. The conus medullaris terminates normally at T12-L1. Ther's no evidence of spinal stenosis. However, at L4-5 there is a small posterior disc protrusion. This flattens the ventral thecal sac. However, the AP dimension of the thecal sac is normal. Mild biliteral facet hypertrophy is noted. Ther is also mild right facet hypertrophy at L5-S1. There's no evidence of neural foraminal stenosis"
1. When it says "hemilaminotomy defects" does that mean something went wrong with surgery?
2. What does disc protrusion mean?
3. What does mild right facet hypertrophy mean?
Does anybody know if all this could be a consequence of the surgery?
I know my back is all messed up, but is there anything I can do to relieve the pain? I take medicatoin, diclofenac, ibuprofen, I have narcotics to take as well, but I don't take, I hate that kind of medication.
Thank you!
"There's a disc space narrowing and disc dehydration at L3-4 and L4-5. Annular tears are seen at L3-4, L4-5 and L5-S1. Hemilaminotomy defects are seen in the posterior paraspinal soft tissues. The conus medullaris terminates normally at T12-L1. Ther's no evidence of spinal stenosis. However, at L4-5 there is a small posterior disc protrusion. This flattens the ventral thecal sac. However, the AP dimension of the thecal sac is normal. Mild biliteral facet hypertrophy is noted. Ther is also mild right facet hypertrophy at L5-S1. There's no evidence of neural foraminal stenosis"
1. When it says "hemilaminotomy defects" does that mean something went wrong with surgery?
2. What does disc protrusion mean?
3. What does mild right facet hypertrophy mean?
Does anybody know if all this could be a consequence of the surgery?
I know my back is all messed up, but is there anything I can do to relieve the pain? I take medicatoin, diclofenac, ibuprofen, I have narcotics to take as well, but I don't take, I hate that kind of medication.
Thank you!
No worries, in fact, I appreciate and I thank you for taking the time to respond!!
I started swimming therapy/exercises today, so hopefully that would help me, I'm just worried for a constant pain that I have in my right buttock, it's actually like in between my buttock and hip, it's hard to tell, like the pain for the compression I had in my nerve, it went away and my leg no longer hurts, thanks God!! it's just that sharp and constant pain I've had since the surgery (8 mos ago), and the doctor seem not to care very much, so I'm seeing another Doctor next week, hopefully he'll have some answers for me!
Well, I really don't know what really happened, like, I've seen quiet a few Doctors overseas and in the U.S, and they all wonder the same thing, one Doctor said something about a "bad formation of the spine" when I was born, and another Doctor said that I have Osteoarthritis and that's what's caused all that I have in my back, so...
I used to play soccer and I was very athletic, don't remember falling or having an injury, never had a car accident or anything similar. When I was 15 years I started to have a pain in my right leg, I was diagnosed with sciatic, got treated and got better, right after that I started with back pain, lumbar and thoracic pain. A year after that, i fell down walking down the stairs and hit my lumbar back against the sharp of the stair, that I could say it could've caused some damage in my back, but anyways, long story short, I continued with back pain and just got used to it, with time my back just got worse and worse and since I had been misdiagnosed I didn't take the proper care neither did I receive the needed treatment, if I would've may be my back wouldn't be that bad, who knows????? :)
Thanks for your time!!
I started swimming therapy/exercises today, so hopefully that would help me, I'm just worried for a constant pain that I have in my right buttock, it's actually like in between my buttock and hip, it's hard to tell, like the pain for the compression I had in my nerve, it went away and my leg no longer hurts, thanks God!! it's just that sharp and constant pain I've had since the surgery (8 mos ago), and the doctor seem not to care very much, so I'm seeing another Doctor next week, hopefully he'll have some answers for me!
Well, I really don't know what really happened, like, I've seen quiet a few Doctors overseas and in the U.S, and they all wonder the same thing, one Doctor said something about a "bad formation of the spine" when I was born, and another Doctor said that I have Osteoarthritis and that's what's caused all that I have in my back, so...
I used to play soccer and I was very athletic, don't remember falling or having an injury, never had a car accident or anything similar. When I was 15 years I started to have a pain in my right leg, I was diagnosed with sciatic, got treated and got better, right after that I started with back pain, lumbar and thoracic pain. A year after that, i fell down walking down the stairs and hit my lumbar back against the sharp of the stair, that I could say it could've caused some damage in my back, but anyways, long story short, I continued with back pain and just got used to it, with time my back just got worse and worse and since I had been misdiagnosed I didn't take the proper care neither did I receive the needed treatment, if I would've may be my back wouldn't be that bad, who knows????? :)
Thanks for your time!!
Sorry, its taken me a while to answer. Bone spurs are just are body's response to damage. The spine's just like any other joint,the cartilage wears out and spurs form as a result of rubbing and pressure.
The best way to reduce them is to be active and physically fit. Things like walking, biking, swimming, and tennis, are really good. Calcium is important too.
I read one of your posts over on our forum that you're 23, what's up with all the degeneration in your back, what were you, a football player or something?
The best way to reduce them is to be active and physically fit. Things like walking, biking, swimming, and tennis, are really good. Calcium is important too.
I read one of your posts over on our forum that you're 23, what's up with all the degeneration in your back, what were you, a football player or something?
Thank you!
Do you think that any of all the conditions listed in my question might be causing the constant pain I have between my lower back and right hip? Do you know if there's any cure or something to alleviate the pain?
Thank you for your time!!
Do you think that any of all the conditions listed in my question might be causing the constant pain I have between my lower back and right hip? Do you know if there's any cure or something to alleviate the pain?
Thank you for your time!!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi, Thank you for your question. I doubt that some spinal nerves may be compressing in spine by disc prolapse & degeneration. By the reason of that nerves from the spinal cord can be irritated causing weakness in the leg, leg/thigh pain and numbness, tingling. Few persons also face generalized body weakness and numbness due to other nerve irritation on back. If you suffer continuous weakness and notice reduced strength of muscle bulk in both the legs, please arrange an appointment with a neurologist right away who will evaluate the possibilities here. These “red flags” could be indicative of compression of the spinal cord and its nerve branches and early treatment is essential if permanent damage needs to be avoided. Further referral to a physiotherapist for spinal exercises could be beneficial and may produce relief of symptoms. Hope this helps. Take Care & Stay Healthy!!!
Thank you so much for answering me, I have a few more questions if you don't mind.
How can the bone spur grow? in other words, how can I avoid it from growing? I really don't want to go through another surgery...
Thank you so much, I was feeling like my surgery just worsened my condition, I did physical therapy for 2 months and I still continue to doing the exercises the therapist told me to do, I was doing acupuncture and that helped me a lot, (I think I might have to go back to doing acupuncture) and I'm doing swimming exercises/therapy once a week.
Thank you :)
How can the bone spur grow? in other words, how can I avoid it from growing? I really don't want to go through another surgery...
Thank you so much, I was feeling like my surgery just worsened my condition, I did physical therapy for 2 months and I still continue to doing the exercises the therapist told me to do, I was doing acupuncture and that helped me a lot, (I think I might have to go back to doing acupuncture) and I'm doing swimming exercises/therapy once a week.
Thank you :)
1.The radiologist is just noting the previous surgery you had.
2. A protrusion is "disc in which disc tissue beyond the disc space is contained within an intact anulus. In other words, it hasn’t ruptured.
3. Facet hypertrophy just means enlargement of the facet joints, it’s caused by bony arthritis growth. If the bone spur growth gets significant enough, it can place pressure on the spinal nerves and cord.
I think it’s doubtful that any of this degeneration has anything to do with your previous surgery. Have you tried injections or spent any time in Physical Therapy?
2. A protrusion is "disc in which disc tissue beyond the disc space is contained within an intact anulus. In other words, it hasn’t ruptured.
3. Facet hypertrophy just means enlargement of the facet joints, it’s caused by bony arthritis growth. If the bone spur growth gets significant enough, it can place pressure on the spinal nerves and cord.
I think it’s doubtful that any of this degeneration has anything to do with your previous surgery. Have you tried injections or spent any time in Physical Therapy?
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