Axialif Procedure/Trans 1 procedure

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tjdobbs

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Thanks to all who are posting to this thread. I'm 43 and went through posterior fusion the end of 2004 and then another procedure 3 months later to fix the problems from the first. I've been in pain management for about 2 years due to horrible lower back pain. I'm to the point that we keep increasing the morphine every other month and I'm struggling mentally. My ortho dr just recommended the Axialif procedure as well as cleaning up the issue of the cages and bone that is pressing into my nerves. I'm scheduled for the procedure in April. Please keep posting with your progress. It's been really helpful in making up my mind on going ahead with the procedure.
 
It's easy to read other peoples problems in to your own, and everyone's experience is different, so the last thing I want to do is scare you! Your symtoms sound different to mine.
When I got home I was so relieved that everything seemed to have gone so well. which is probably why I started hunting around for info from others who might have had similar experiences when I started feeling more painful.
Since my last post a few days ago things have actually been worse, and of course this can play havoc with my mind.
The pain has been in the op area itself, and spreading through my right buttock, down the back of my thigh, and sometimes in the back of my calf. I had tingles in my left buttock, which I have never had before, but they have now stopped.
I have had all the pains in the right buttock and thigh from time to time before the op, and I keep telling myself that they too, went away. It is difficult to remain rational when you really don't know exactly how you should be feeling. Just because a procedure is minimally invasive it doesn't necessarily mean that one's recovery is going to be without its problems.

One of the most difficult things for me was that before the op I was feeling very fit! I still chose to go ahead in spite of this because I knew that it would be a question of when, rather than if, my back started playing up again.

It was a calculated risk.

I am nearly 59 years old, and I have a passion for winRABurfing and love outdoor life generally. I was never able to predict when my back would start giving me jip. It could happen at any time, and often seemed unrelated to anything I had been doing. I used to do a lot of exercises to try and keep it stable.

I hope the X ray I have on 30 March shows all the ironmongery is in the right place, and that other things are as they should be. I'll post an update at that time, or earlier if these symptoms improve before then, and I hope that what I have to say will fill you with some confidence!
Best wishes,
 
Hi. I had an XLIF at the thoracic level 2 years ago. I know the structures are pretty different there, but the recovery was tough. I can compare because the XLIF fusion failed. I had a posterior revision fusion surgery and the recovery wasn't nearly as bad. But, do take that with a grain of thoracic salt!

I would definitely encourage a discogram to confirm the right level. You do NOT want to go through this surgery to find out it was the wrong level. And it can happen, especially at that lurabar level. I know they're very uncomfortable, but you want the job done right.

Good luck.
 
I hope you are doing better. I will continue to be anxious to hear your updates. You are the only I have much information from concerning the Axialif procedure. Feel better!
 
Grundy56: What did you find out about the broken screw? If you posted the results I missed it! I am anxious to hear what they will do with the screw.
 
Has anyone gone through this or have any info? I met with my neurosurgeon and he suggested this. Any advice would be greatly apprecitaed.
I had a laminectomy last April and a positive dIskogram in Deceraber.

Thanks.
 
The Axialif procedure is only done at the lurabar levels. In fact, while approved several years ago for level S1/L5, it has more recently been approved for S1/L5/L4. It goes through the sacrum bone, so it only applies to the lurabar vertebrae.

I'm not sure what a discogram is, but I"ve had both xrays and complete MRIs done. They know exactly where my issues are. I agree that I wouldn't have anything done unless they know where they're going and what they intend to do when they get there.

Good luck. I'd appreciate knowing how things go. I'll be pulling for you.

Johnwr
 
Janie-Thank you for your query on drugs for neuropathic type pain. I am taking amitryptaline (normally this is an anti depressant which I could do with anyway!), which I understand has the same effect as Lyrica. I thought it was helping, but I am only taking 20mg a day, and I am thinking of asking my GP if I should increase the dose, or perhaps try something else. Dothe drugs you mentioned work in different ways? I am always concerned about the side effects, but my mission in life is still to get back to doing the things I enjoy. Have you found that the cocktail you ended up feeling comfortable with allowed you sufficent pain relief to lead a normal active life?
Grundy
 
I had it done and am so much worse off than before. My first bit of advice is to see an orthopedic surgeon instead of a neurosurgeon. I believe that was my first mistake. It has been over a year and I have L5 nerve damage which is permanent, my first surgery came unscrewed and had to be removed immediately. I am on vicodin still to control the pain. I can't do anything! Please be careful and research your surgeon. Come to find out mine has already been sued!
 
Am I ever glad I found this forum/post!

I had the AxiaLIF procedure done Oct.29th,2009 L5 S1. If I had it to do all over again, I would have never done it. I WAS a very active woman. I am 41 and have taken great pride on staying physically active. My problems started about 5 years ago, but last March proceeded to get worse and never went away. I got epidural injections (last hope) and on the last & 3rd one, they hit a pocket in my spine causing me to have spinal fluid dripping on my brain. THE worst headache I've ever had in my life. So, after all other options were tried to relieve my DDD & herniation, the AxiaLIF seemed to be the procedure for me.
The neurosurgeon spoke very highly and talked of great success with the other AxiaLIF's he had performed. Told me I'd be back to work in "2 weeks tops" (YEAH Riiiiiight) and it was very minimal recovery. I was SO misled. After the procedure which took almost 3 hours I didn't feel too bad other than the "normal" pain you would feel. It really wasn't much worse than what I had before the surgery. Felt pretty good (but was very sore) for the first week and on Nov. 8th is when it all went downhill.
I now have taken on a whole new problem. The Dr. at my pain management clinic (yes, I still have to go) thinks that I have not "fused" yet and that it could take up to 6 months?! It's been 3 1/2!! The nerve pain I have from this procedure goes beyond anything I'm able to describe. Some days are far more worse than others. I had some sciatica pain before the surgery, but along with the sciatica, I now have constant pain in my right buttocks, right leg, sometimes my left, groin pain, and pain in my right hip. The best way I can try to describe it is it almost feels like a spranged ankle type feeling, but it's in all those areas? There have been times that you can literally put your hand on my leg and feel the trerabling from the nerve being so irratated. On my follow up 2 wk appt. after the procedure, my neurosurgeon looked at me and said I was having muscle spasms. Um, NO! I had to be laid down in the back of a pick up truck just to get to my appt.. I couldn't walk, sit, lay anything without screaming in pain. I was crying my eyes out when he looked at me and said that. I left there and have NEVER went back. He never even looked at my incisions. Just told me I was having muscle spasms & that I could go back to work anytime I wanted. Sure! I couldn't walk, let alone work. I finally went back to work after being off for almost 7 weeks even though my physical therapist did not advise me to go back and it was too soon. I had to, financially short term disability wasn't enough to pay my bills. I hadn't planned on being off that long so you can imagine the financial mess I am in now. I had to borrow against my 401K just to pay my bills.

I am a single Mom with 3 children. Thankfully they are all young adult/teen years. I could not imagine having this done with small children. Anyway, please please try everything else out there before getting this procedure done. After reading some of the other stories, I see that I'm also 1 of the unlucky 5%. Had I known what I was getting myself into, I would have suffered and just kept taking pills. Now I've taken on this new problem. Just 2 nights ago I went to get something out of the fridg. and was "locked" in pain and could barely move. Took me several minutes to compose myself and my fiance is just furious with my recovery. About the only physical activity I can do is walk and they told me I may never be 100% again. GREAT! I'm 41 years old...I need my life back!
This has been a complete nightmare. And I'm sorry I don't wish to be a downer but let's be real with the fact that this procedure has it's downfalls. I wish any one luck who gets the procedure done and please keep us posted with your recovery.
 
tjdobbs:

I certainly don't envy your situation. It sounRAB like you've been through more than enough.

No one in this thread is a Doctor, that I know of. I can't say whether Axialif is right for cleaning up past surgeries, cages, etc. I posted in an earlier message that if you really have to do it, find a Doctor who is experienced with Axialif. Mine was very experienced, a teacher of the procedure, who had done more than 300 of them himself. My back is doing fine. I have no back pain, no pain down the legs, just some pain in my feet. I'm told that's the result of nerve trauma from three back surgeries and some arthritis in my feet. Regardless, I have no regrets and would do it again if I had to.

My only additional comment would be on the Doctor. It sounRAB like you've been at this for years. Don't be afraid to get a second opinion. I'd find the Doc in your area who has the most experience with Axialif and get his/her thoughts on whether the procedure is right for your situation. Loyalty to your current Doctor shouldn't be a factor. He may want more experience with Axialif and try to force the round peg into a square hole. It's a relatively new procedure, so look for experience.

All the best.

Johnwr
 
I had an axialif done on 11 Feb 2009. I had a lamonectomy 20 years ago at L5 S1, and that op was a contributing factor with the severe disc degeneration that developed at the same level. My condition was manageable, but I like to keep fit and active, and I was increasingly finding that I couldn't do things without unacceptable penalties........... The surgeon I went to was for a third opinion, and he suggested axialif. I had never heard of it. He had only done it twice before, which worried me! However, the op went well. Post op pain was very manageable and I was up and about the morning after, and left on day three. It was difficult brushing teeth/shaving, and I felt pretty stiff, but compared to the open surgery which I had twenty years ago, this procedure for me was a doddle.
However, since returning home I have had problems with pain in my buttock and down my leg. This worried me a lot, becasue it seemed a step backwarRAB in my recovery. I have probably tried to do too much. My surgeon says that the re-establishment of disc space could have stretched the sciatic nerve, and along with some possible scar tissue, could well cause a bit of a problem, and will probably settle down. I have confidence in his diagnosis.
At the end of this month (6 weeks post op) I will get a check up, and hope that I can then start physiotherapy. I am walking quite a bit, and this is actually more comfortable than lying or sitting. Sitting is the most uncomfortable. I think the best rehab line to take is little and often. Lifting is of course discouraged at this stage.
I hope that this info is of some help, and if anyone else can offer me advice I too would be grateful!
 
Hello Plaza player,and all the other people on this thread.
I, too, am from the UK, and had the op done privately, (non NHS) in Feb last year, nearly a year ago now.
It has been the worst year of my life.
I was a fit 59 year old, with bags of energy and motivation, and I too, thought that it would be really bad luck to end up in the 5% who end up worse than before they had axialif.
I now wish I had never had it done. I can empathize with your depression and anxiety, plaza player. I wish I could offer you sound advice, but the best I can offer is really only my own experience and take on the matter. It certainly sounRAB to me like you do need further advice, and I agree with you that will be difficult in Britain.
The marketing of axialif is misleading. It is still major surgery. I thought, and was lead to believe, that I would be fit and well again after 3 months. I naively thought that because I had had no open surgery involving stripping of muscles etc that I hadn
 
Things are going well here. I finally have no more back pain or leg pain. I still have some nurabness in my left leg which can be bothersome at times. The Dr. said it could take up to a year for this to heal. I am still hopeful that this will go away in time. Overall, this surgery was the best thing I could have done.
 
Hello MK,
Apparently both parts of the screw are still aligned, so the preferred option is to simply leave things as they are. The rod is the major player from a stability point of view, and the hope is that the facets will simply fuse of their own accord in time. L5/L4 are as they were before the op, which is good news. I gather it might take a year before things settle down. I still cannot comprehend how the screw could be broken. It must be pretty strong, and I would have thought it would take quite some trauma to break one. However, whatever the cause it is what has come to pass, and I certainly don
 
Thanks for the advice. I have tried a chiropractor, injections and some physical therapy. I feel like I am running out of options and the more invasive surgical solutions are not very appealing. I feel pretty good in the mornings, but be mid day I begin to get some pretty significant hip and leg pain that severely limit my activities. Grundy, I hope the MRI today goes well.
 
mksdks3 and grundy56,

Greetings. I found this thread and was curious as to how you are both making out post AxiaLIF. My surgeon has recommended it to fix a grade 2 spondylolisthesis with disk damage. I have some moderate back pain and sciatica down the left leg. Any updates on your experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
Grundy56. Thanks for the info on your procedure. We all appreciate the sharing of experiences. Good luck with the nerve settling down. The nerve trauma is a possible outcome from just about any spinal surgery. My understanding is that it usually settles down. All the best.

Johnwr
 
I am sorry not to have updated you sooner. My X ray confirms that the rod and facet screws are in the right place, and not bent, broken, or twisted. My surgeon considers that my recovery progress is about right, and that the sciatic type pains will be transient. Since my last post they have been more "on and off" rather than chronic, but the condition still persists.
I am generally feeling stronger and get less tired. I am sleeping better at night. Any local pain at incision points has all but gone, not that they were ever significant. I still get pains though, and get concerned that they will just linger on. I don't feel as though there is any strength in my healing yet. I am still to avoid twisting, lifting, and bending. If I accidentally bend I can get warnings from my back, that I might "put it out", and sometimes get spasmodic pain for a while. Sitting is more comfortable than it was.
I think the axialif promotional web sites can give patients like me unreasonable expectations of recovery speed, and notions of returning to sport in a couple of months. At the end of the day, axialif is still major surgery.
I am walking further, but still have to pace myself on "not so good days"
I easily get depressed and find myself doubting that I made the right decision, but I sure that this is normal. I am desperate to be fit and well again.
Like you, I think we all search for re-assurance from someone else who might say, "Don't worry, I had just the same symptoms as you, and now I feel great!"
I will try and update you in a month or so. If you want one earlier, just give me a nudge and remind me!
Best wishes,
 
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