cervical cord compression spinal stenosis

[bethpta]

My R hand turns blue and cold in the dependent position since 6/06 after a rear end car accident. I had a rib resection and sclenectomy without any change in symptoms. My neck MRI demo severe central canal stenosis and a fusion C4-5 5-6 has been highly recommended. Would re-establishing the normal curve reduce the need for a fusion.











I have been told not to lift more than 10lbs no forward head bending no running etc.

 

[feelbad]

what exactly was written in the summary at the end of your MRI report? if you could type it here(exactly the way the interpretting rad typed it up),many people can help you with some advice and direction for this problem. the more exacting info we have the better.

in many cases, alot of people actually have a reversal of lordosis which is that normal curve we are supposed to have? i don't have mine either. but estabilshing that would unfortunetly NOT fix the level of what you have stated so far as hard findings. you have canal stenosis and that just neeRAB removal in order to relieve the compression off the cord itself. i am just assuming that this IS the source of your compression? just seeing that summary would help.

what you are describing with that hand actually sounRAB more like a possible vascular issue vs a spinal one, or the spinal cord, if that compression is severe enough and depending upon just where that true compression actually is, that too could be the base of the blue/cold part of this whole thing. but it does appear that this is also a true bloodflow issue too. with certain spinal injuries you can also get what is called a vasomotor malfunction or vaso malfunction? this would affect the actual bloodflow to certain areas too. i have this within both of my legs now from spinal cord injury.

can you actually even palpate a pulse at the radial side of your wrist? the thurab side where the nurses usually will look for your pulse when taking vitals(if you try and find your own radial pulse, DO NOT use your thurab, just wrap your fingers around the wrist to feel for it since your thurab usually has its own actual pulse)? have they ever just done a simple ultrasound on those vesels there within that arm using the doppler? that helps to see within any given vessel to find things that can block bloodflow like a clot or a stenotic area in there? how far up your arm does this affectation run?
sorry for so many questions, but like i mentioned above, the more info you can actually give us, the better the advice we can give back to you. but seeing what the MRI summary has in it word for word would really help tons right now. Marcia

 

[jennybyc]

Hi Bethpta. I also had cervical stenosis complicated by cervical spondylosis(a drying up of the disks and severe arthritis of the vertebrae). There is a new surgery for cervical stenosis but you'll only find it at major medical centers. But it's worth investigating.

It's called a laminoplasty. They go in from the back and remove the bone over the spinal cord. The bone is then shaved down to be very thin and then re-attached with bone sutures and the center of the bone is propped open with a bone graft(think of French doors held apart with a bar). This all heals into one piece that forms a whole new larger canal so that the spinal cord can expand. No fusion is done.

I had it done from C3 to C7 and woke up with all nurabness gone. I wore a soft collar for 2 weeks and was back to work part-time after 2 1/2 weeks.

A compressed cord is at great danger of losing it's blood flow and you ending up paralyzed from that area down. If it's as high as C5, it could mean paralysis from the neck down, including the ability to breathe. I was down to 6mm at the most compressed area. SounRAB like you might be even smaller.

If you want more info, let me know and I will PM you with more.

gentle hugs...............Jenny