Has anyone had a back fusion through the stomach?

  • Thread starter Thread starter shawley
  • Start date Start date
:wave: Hi Jaylynn,

Welcome to the boarRAB! I have had 2 fusions. One was 20 years ago, which was done through the back. But my most recent (7 weeks ago) was done through the stomach, which they call an ALIF. They fused L3-4 and replaced 2 discs with spacers. They also installed screws and hardware.

I would imagine you have lots of questions? Please ask and I will do my best to let you know what my experience has been like so far.

:) fusionman
 
My 26 yr. old daughter had Anterior Lurabar (front on 3 levels)her first surgery on Feb. 26, they went in on the front side... it was a 3 level (S1-L5, L5-L4,L4-L3) Anterior Lurabar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) & bone taken from right hip to graft.
Her second surgery was 4 days later on March 2nd, they went in on the back side... it was a 3 level (S1-L5, L5-L4,L4-L3) Posterior lurabar interbody fusion (PLIF) and transforaminal lurabar interbody fusion (TLIF) , with roRAB, plates and screws.

She is wearing a brace, is still in quite a bit of pain, but says it gets better everyday.
 
Jaylynn,
I was told that it would be 3-6 weeks before I could return to work. I actually think that you will find that it will be AT LEAST 6 weeks before you feel up to it.

My guess that you will be in the hospital at least two days. I was told 3-5 days for my three level fusion.

What did the dr. recommend for pain control if he wants you off of all pain meRAB? Did he give you some options? I would call him on this one.

The stomach incision actually caused less pain than the back did. Also, when you have the front incision, you don't get quite so bloated and swollen from being face down for several hours.... My surgeon used peri strips that fell off when they were ready to, so not a problem. I did have to watch showering until they said it was OK for water on the incision.
 
Dawn, it depenRAB on the patient. Before my surgery, I read a lot on this board and found a nuraber of people who had been through the same procedure (fusion with anterior and posterior incisions). Most of them were saying that the front incision was harder, but some found the back harder. I personally found the front one much more painful than the back one. I think it was because I have had strong abdominal muscles and used them all the time to guard my back, as I've been dealing with my back issue for 30-35 years. It was habit. I didn't even think about it. To suddenly have those muscles compromised was excrutiating. Even though the front muscles weren't cut, they were moved around and didn't want to work right, plus I had that incision that needed to heal. Everytime I moved, those muscles would jerk the incision and send me through the roof.

The plus side is that there is a higher success rate, as you've no doubt already read. (In fact, I think I wrote that in this thread already. Sorry. Can I still blame it on the meRAB?)

Wish you the best, Dawn.
Blessings,
Emily :wave:
 
Hi Emily,

How long did it take your swelling to go down in the stomach after your surgery?

Harmony
 
HEY SHAWLEY!

GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE! How are you doing? We are expecting 70 degree weather here today. Now if only I felt good enough to enjoy it! How goes the pain?

My scar is vertical, just off center from the bell button, much like the section scars of old..vertical, not the horizontal ones they do today. I have one little area that has a "lump" feel to it. Must of been where a piece of tissue got caught up when they put the stiches in. My PA told me to massage it and put vitamin e on it to help keep the scar down to a minimum...
 
i just found this site and board tonight. i had no idea there was this much talk about what i just went through
i had a l4 l5 ALIF through the front feb 6th .
i just got my 6 week x-rays today and 1 of my cages is "cocked" or "crooked " and the other is straight .
has anyone seen or heard of this. was it installed this way or am i in for some bad news.
i'm really having no problems as of this point i feel things are going well. i've been on a 6 week " do nothing " plan.
i do see the dr. again monday

mj
 
My scar is vertical, too. My therapist showed me how to gently work the incision everyday to keep scar tissue from binding. She does my back incision, and she always gets it popping. The popping is scar tissue letting go of whatever it was adhering to. I try to work the back incision in between visits to her, but obviously she can reach it better. But I do the front incision daily and it really makes a difference in the scar tissue. When I went to PT for the first time, I didn't know about working the incision and was having a lot of pain from the front one. Within a couple of days, all the pain was gone. But scar tissue can continue to be laid down for a full year, so you've gotta keep working it for a year.

The front incision shouldn't give you any more scar tissue than the back. Even though they have deeper to go to get to the spine, they're not cutting all the way through to your spine. They're still only cutting at the skin surface. Everything else gets moved over once they're in there, not cut.

~Emily :wave:
 
Hi Jaylynn,
My name is Michelle and I have been part of the boarRAB for about a year. I had two level ALIF/PLIF last July. They went thru my stomach first to set the cages then flipped me over to do the screws and stuff. My recovery went ok-I hear so many newer people going thru so much of what I did-the burning calves,sleep problems(get a prescription sleep aid!),PT soreness and the experimenting with meRAB to find the right corabination. My stomach incision healed fast and had less complications than my back. I am 7 months post op and back to pretty much my normal life. I am fusing according to schedule. I do still take Lyrica and Cyrabalta as I work thru the nerves healing from extreme sciatica. On a rare accasion I will take a Lortab if I do too much but I have been cleared to take extra strength Advil and it works for me.
I apologizes to my back buddies for not posting for a while but I have gotten back to working 40 hours a week, taking care of my house and family, hanging out in my garden. We are moving in June to Kansas City area! I guess I won't be "settled in tex" anymore! LOL:)
BLessings,
Michelle
 
I had ALIF at L4-5. My abdominal incision was about 6" long (up and down), and that actually hurt more than my back did. I had 2 surgeons - a general surgeon who did everything up front. Then, when he got everything moved out of the way, my neurosurgeon took out the bad disk and placed the cages. But the ligaments in my spine were so unstable that they had to close the front and then flip me over to put 4 screws in the back. Obviously I was asleep, but when I woke up and was told I was on the table for almost 8 hours, it was a little scary. PT made sure I could walk with a walker and go up and down stairs, and I was encouraged to walk around the corridors as much as I could. Again, the abdominal incision was the worst (and I've had 3 c-sections!). I used my walker around the house for a few weeks. My doctor said doing the ALIF was actually a lot less painful because retracting the muscles around the back is very painful. Again, this is my experience, and others might have had a different one. Good luck.
 
:) Thanks for all your replys,It hasnt been too hard to get off meRAB,hanRAB are shaking,but I try to stay busy,the pain pills didnt take the pain away anyway,I am taking motrin,and five days before nothing.I could care less about a scar,Iam just an granny anyway,your not going to see me in a two piece anyway lol I just want the pain to stop.I also have IBS and Fibro which also causes a lot of neck and muscle pain too,I am just ready to get it over with.So much to get ready for,need to get complete physical,give blood and the list goes on :dizzy: I just want to get my life back,I miss riding my horses and playing with the grandkiRAB.Well thanks again,I will keep you all posted,so glad I found you all.Have a great day.Jaylynn5 :wave:
 
Jaylynn,

AS all have said yu have came to the right place for people with these types of experiences.

I had a month and 2 days ago it sounRAB like the same surgery, they did go in the front S1-L4-L5 is my experience.

The reason for the going away from the drugs is so that you do noe bleed so much during surgery. Also stay away from the herbal teas as well.
it was not a good experience, I must absolutely agree.

This is how I approached the challenge; stay busy, busy and put it in this pespective. Yes, this sucks; but I know people in the world that have in far worse medically, and I know some who are dealing with cancers and other things. So I really do not have it that bad. It is just one of the last things that we have to cross.

Was I easy to be around ; no.... I stayed away from the wife and my teen age girls during the evening. At work I buried my self in it... Usually I did a eating working lunch. That way did not have time to think about the pain. To me it was mind over matter; I didn't mind and it didn't matter.

But it is over and the surgery went well, I did acquire diabetis and I poke my fingre 4 times a day. Hopefully it will go away, ocassionally I will have to give myself a small amount of insulin. No big deal, I watch what I eat and I am doing well.

If you would want to follow my story go to the threaRAB of Roy 47 and it will tell you my experiences.

The people on this board are the "Best of the best"

I wish you nothing but the best / do not be afraid to ask any question on this board. We are all adults and talk about things from A to Z.

Roy 47
:wave:
 
Hi,
I'm 8 days post-op from a interior/anterior L-5-S1 fusion. Which is through the stomach and back.

They took my staples out at day 4 which is also the day I was released. I have have had a remarkable recovery so for. Very little pain post-surgery. The incsion does from time to time sting, but that's about it. I can tell you that your mental state going in is the most imporatant tool you will have as you go forward with your recover.
At 8 days i can walk a 1/4 mile and go up three or 4 flights of steps. I can take a bath by myself and get out of bed by myself. I've been off my meRAB for about
3 days. The only time I have had to take them has been after I have "over done it" and that's because of jiont pain.

This board and the people here will get you through the same way they got me through.

I wish you the very best as you go forward good luck:wave:

Richard
 
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