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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Re: Failed Lumar fusion with bone graft - Spondylolythesis
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Re: Failed Lumar fusion with bone graft - Spondylolythesis
by CCF Neuro[P] MD RPS, Jan 01, 1995 12:00AM
Posted By CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS on April 03, 1999 at 19:01:54:
In Reply to: Failed Lumar fusion with bone graft - Spondylolythesis posted by Isabella on March 13, 1999 at 13:47:05:
I've had spondy since I was a teenager, possibly congenital. The level - L5. In my teens I fractured L4 and L5. Was placed in a body cast - no surgery.
A few years ago, I reinjured L4-L5. I had surgery: Laminectomy L3-5, fusion on L4-L5 with bone graft - no instruments. I lost my insurance the day of surgery. So, after surgery I had x-rays for three months to see if the area was fused. The last x-ray revealed it was almost fused. I was in so much pain I couldn't return to work, lost all scholarships to college. I thought the pain would subside, it never did. I grew worse after surgery.
My pain is in my lower back and buttocks. It burns and aches deeply. My toes grow numb with cold needle like pain and the weird thing is my thigh aches inside - thats new. I can't sit comfortably for more than 20 min, can't stand longer than 30min. Of course if I rest in between I can sit for a few hours a day.
I finally saved up for a new MRI and x-ray and my old surgeon agreed to read them only, no other form of help. I don't blame him, but he said that I need a new fusion with instrumentaion. He was brief, I didn't get to ask him any questions. So here are my questions:
1. Do I have to be refused - are there any cases by which a person(s) didn't have surgery for a failed fusion and lived farily normal. I understand that I would have to have physical therapy and meds to help with the pain.
2. What happened to the old fusion, the bone that was grafted? Please explain the process of fusion.
3. Do you think the spondy got worse because of the lumbar fusion below the spondy?
4. Why is taking controlled meds so hard for doctors to undertand or prescribe. I mean the way a doc looks at you is humiliating, especially when you are in so much pain.
I really thank you for your time and care you give to this forum. God bless all of you
5.
Dear Isabella:
Sorry to hear about your pain. The way you describe your pain and uncomfortable positioning, it really sounds like surgery might be your only option. If you had insurance I would tell you to get a second opinion, but that would be a pretty good expense. The homeostatic system in the body's boney system usually will create fusion of the gone graft to your spine. It is like when you break your bone in the arm, as the bone remodels itself, the bone is being processed by lying down bone over the break site. In your case it was the spine. Most often the fusion is complete. I am not sure of the etiology of your lesion, from what you indicate it was congenital but became serious due to an accident (?) Yes, usually these types of operations take medications and vigorous rehab for considerable periods of time. It is difficult to say whether the surgery made anything worse, usually it does not. I really can not comment on what other physicians do when they prescribe medications.
I think you ought to try and get some state or federal money for your spine condition. Maybe plead that due to the congenital abnormality in your spine, this situation occurred, where if you had a normal spine you wouldn't have been disabled. You will need a social worker to help you out with this though.
Good luck.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro[P] MD
In Reply to: Failed Lumar fusion with bone graft - Spondylolythesis posted by Isabella on March 13, 1999 at 13:47:05:
I've had spondy since I was a teenager, possibly congenital. The level - L5. In my teens I fractured L4 and L5. Was placed in a body cast - no surgery.
A few years ago, I reinjured L4-L5. I had surgery: Laminectomy L3-5, fusion on L4-L5 with bone graft - no instruments. I lost my insurance the day of surgery. So, after surgery I had x-rays for three months to see if the area was fused. The last x-ray revealed it was almost fused. I was in so much pain I couldn't return to work, lost all scholarships to college. I thought the pain would subside, it never did. I grew worse after surgery.
My pain is in my lower back and buttocks. It burns and aches deeply. My toes grow numb with cold needle like pain and the weird thing is my thigh aches inside - thats new. I can't sit comfortably for more than 20 min, can't stand longer than 30min. Of course if I rest in between I can sit for a few hours a day.
I finally saved up for a new MRI and x-ray and my old surgeon agreed to read them only, no other form of help. I don't blame him, but he said that I need a new fusion with instrumentaion. He was brief, I didn't get to ask him any questions. So here are my questions:
1. Do I have to be refused - are there any cases by which a person(s) didn't have surgery for a failed fusion and lived farily normal. I understand that I would have to have physical therapy and meds to help with the pain.
2. What happened to the old fusion, the bone that was grafted? Please explain the process of fusion.
3. Do you think the spondy got worse because of the lumbar fusion below the spondy?
4. Why is taking controlled meds so hard for doctors to undertand or prescribe. I mean the way a doc looks at you is humiliating, especially when you are in so much pain.
I really thank you for your time and care you give to this forum. God bless all of you
5.
Dear Isabella:
Sorry to hear about your pain. The way you describe your pain and uncomfortable positioning, it really sounds like surgery might be your only option. If you had insurance I would tell you to get a second opinion, but that would be a pretty good expense. The homeostatic system in the body's boney system usually will create fusion of the gone graft to your spine. It is like when you break your bone in the arm, as the bone remodels itself, the bone is being processed by lying down bone over the break site. In your case it was the spine. Most often the fusion is complete. I am not sure of the etiology of your lesion, from what you indicate it was congenital but became serious due to an accident (?) Yes, usually these types of operations take medications and vigorous rehab for considerable periods of time. It is difficult to say whether the surgery made anything worse, usually it does not. I really can not comment on what other physicians do when they prescribe medications.
I think you ought to try and get some state or federal money for your spine condition. Maybe plead that due to the congenital abnormality in your spine, this situation occurred, where if you had a normal spine you wouldn't have been disabled. You will need a social worker to help you out with this though.
Good luck.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro[P] MD
