Burst Fracture to L1 surgery yes or no

[trigirl1550]

I was hit by a car on May 3rd 2010 when I was running. I have a burst fracture to L1 and T12 (from what I was told t12 has damage but....it is all so confusing).

One flex/exten xray indicates a 4 mm shift

I have not had a single day without pain or lots of pain drugs. I have seen 5 spine specialists 2 orthos and 3 neuros there opinions range from..
1. unstable neeRAB surgery to relieve pain
2. unstable neeRAB surgery to relieve pain and concerns regarding the spinal cord impingement
3. unstable consider XLIF surgery has healed forward causing me to have khyphosis
4. stable but has a shift (doesn't that mean its unstable) and he will do the surgery need to do anterior approach pedicals to smashed to do posterior.. if I was his family he would suggest nonoperative approach
5. go back to original doctor he has a good reputation, he said it is stable even though the flex/extend report indicates a 4mm shift, try getting into shape being fit can relieve back pain (little does he know I was supposed to race at worlRAB for Team USA just 2 weeks ago I am still very fit even though my workout and training has totally stopped)

I can't sit comfortably without drugs
working out irritates and increases my pain
low back pain 85% of the day
mid back pain - stabbing - caused by flexing and extending

what is the right thing to do???
Will this pain go way with time?
What will happen in the future if I do not treat this surgically now and what if I treat it surgically now and should not have?

Thank you so much!

 

[maltluver]

Hi trigirl. I can't make a choice for you....that is something you are going to have to do. However, I wonder why you didn't tell your surgeon about your fitness level when he told you to "get fit"?? Could have made him look at things differently.

No one can make a decision about surgery. I can tell you that in my own personal opinion, I would probably do it as 3 different doctors agree that your spine is unstable. Have you done any research on the internet? That will give you more information about your condition than I can for sure. We all have the "what if" questions and unfortunately no one has an answer. We have to have to dr. we trust implicitly, talk over all the options, and then come to the best decision we can based on the facts as we know them.

I'm sorry I couldn't give you direct answers. Perhaps someone here has dealt with your kind of problem and can better answer your questions. I do wish you the best of luck.

Carol

 

[trigirl1550]

Hi Carol!
Thanks so much
I know I think the hardest thing for me is that I have to figure this all out without a crystal ball telling me what the future holRAB. Sometimes this all seems like a dream.

I almost started to cry when that doctor told me to get in shape. I wanted to tell him about my fitness level but I knew that we were not a good match at that point and decided why bother.

Do things get better? is there light at the end of the tunnel?