Just How Many Levels Is This?

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janiee08

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Hello everyone!! I had my last fusion in October of '07. I was always on the assumption that it was a six-level fusion. Today I happened to come across my operative notes and noticed it says the following: posterior spinal fusion T9 through L5. So, how many levels is this then? I'm not really sure how you count this? Also, can you tell me anymore about the following; bone marrow aspiration and local allograft harvest? I do understand that this last thing was done instead of taking bone from my hip like they did with my first fusion in '77 right? Thanks in advance:)...janiee
 
Maybe it's better not to count how many levels! There are 12 thoracic vertebrae so, beginning at T9-10, T10-11, T11-12, T12-L1, L1-2, L2-3, L3-4 and L4-5....I believe you had 8 levels fused.

I'm not sure about the other terminology in terms of how it related to your fusion. Aspiration is when the bone marrow is sucked out of the bone, and is often done for testing. Allograft is bone that is taken from a donor, from a tissue bank...so the term harvesting allograft is confusing to me.
 
Thanks so much tetonteri66 for that info!! I feel a little durab now since I somehow thought all along that it was a six-level fusion. I've asked doctors this question but they never seem to want to answer it. When I asked my current PM doctor, he said," too many"!!. I still to this day can't understand why they had to fuse this many levels? Maybe sometime I will post my last MRI for you to see. I would love to get my hanRAB on the MRI that was done BEFORE surgery. I've asked before but I never end up getting it:confused: I'll try again. Thanks again:)...janiee
 
Janiee,

I am fused from T9-sacrum. Sometimes they will fuse that high up because that area-T9- is tucked under the ribs so that it will give better support if they feel you back is unstable or brittle.
 
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