Calling all Spinal Fusion TW members

I've been looking at a bunch of studies. As you said, some show high failure rate, some show low.
It is being done by a neurosurgeon, I've talked with a couple people who have had it done there and are pleased. Having had laminectomies, multiple rounds of injections (steroids and prp), the VA neurosurgeon wanted to do a hemi-laminectomy on one level but I requested to be sent outside the VA for second opinion and potential surgery as it was suppose to happen back in April and they wouldn't reschedule me yet. With the new MRI, the suggestion was made for more to be done.

 

this is very SOUND advice. I've had 4 spinal fusion surgeries, and ONLY let a Neurosurgeon operate on me. Never let an orthopedic doctor touch your spine. I wish that I would have had more options than just spinal fusion. I think a lot of it comes down to what insurance companies are willing to pay for. I'm doing pretty good these days being able to get out and walk, but fusion surgery has changed my life, and not for the better.

 

Hey guys ,no surgery yet . Had a lumbar X-ray a couple weeks ago . I was in severe pain . Disc are deteriorating. Along with arthritis. Cyclobenziprene was helping but not anymore . Will be calling the neurosurgeon and discussing a steroid injection. I can’t deal with this pain.

 

Currently at home recovering from S1-L5 surgery I had on Monday

 

Good luck with your recovery and Godspeed!!

 

Thank you!!

 

Ayyy me too. Have my 6 week post op on Weds.

 

Congrats, I had this done on Monday, got home on Thursday evening (thank goodness!)
Today it feels like the pain is subsiding a bit

 

Was yours a full fusion? Mine was a pretty typical discectomy but a lot of fluid was in the nerve channel so it was a little more invasive than others apparently.

And congrats! The worst is behind you for sure

 

It was a full on fusion, I had vehicle accident a couple of months ago that exacerbated an already known issue

 

No fusions here. Just someone who worked in the medical device industry and sold spinal hardware to surgeons. Have been in well over 500 surgeries, ranging from minor Discectomies to massive fusions. No surgeon, but could definitely offer some advice / recommendations / what to look for / and answer questions that I can.

 

Somewhat same boat.
No fusions, but I have been following this thread a little bit. Biomedical and Mechanical engineer
I work in research of spine orthopedics. Our group independently tests and compares spinal fusion and spine therapies from major companies (interbody cages, screws, disk degeneration therapies, posterior lateral fusion models)

 

Just the picture I wanted to see!

 

Just got home. Decompression and Coflex. I HATE the taste left from the breathing tube... Blehhh. Back is stiff as all hell at the moment and I have a distinct dislike for these compression stockings...

 

You ever deal with BAK cages (pretty sure that is what they are called) or is that before your time?? Got 2 titanium ones @ L4-L5 (1990s) and 3 pieces of cow bone @ L5-S1 (late 1980s).

Tried to get my daughter interested in Biomedical Engineering, but she went on to be a Physician Assistant in Hemotology/Oncology.

 

We haven't had an studies with those types of cages. Most of the titanium cages we test are new/novel 3D printed cages that companies are trying to learn more about. I haven't seen any like the BAK cages come though although I'm not sure those are used often anymore.

 

Sometime in the 1990's.....don't remember exactly what year, so I am sure technology has really advanced since then.

 

Have level 3 Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)
and level 2 Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF)
Recovery for TILF normal time however severe pain from hardware, had lumbar hardware removed.
Recovery from ACDF normal

 

Getting my staples removed tomorrow. Was expecting 1-1.5" incision, but it is actually a little over 3".
I will try to remember to ask to get a picture of the x-ray showing what got put in.
I have almost complete relief from sciatic nerve on left side along with significant reduction in tingling in calf and foot.
Right side has reduction in pain in the ass and warm feeling in leg. Now it feels like I've been wearing high socks and desert boots too long. Not a tingling numbness, just a reduction in sensitivity.

 

How’d you like the feeling of those staples being removed? I had 64 of them, and each one felt like the worst bee sting ever LOL