Spinal plaster cast before 3 level fusion

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martino1

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Hi,
For the last 5 years my back keeps going into spasms and sort of collapses to the left hand side.I have a big problem sitting down because of the pain in my back and my buttocks but not down my legs.
I have a prolapsed disc L45,torn disc L34 and narrow nerve channels.
I had a disectomy and a bi-lateral decompression in 06 but it prolapsed again 3 months later.( i was kept in hospital for 2 weeks)

Since then i have had epidurals,disco graph, facett joint injections (no pain relief at all, living on pain killers) and i have been in a plaster spinal cast for 2 weeks. (no pain at all and not had to take any pain killers)

I have just had the cast removed and the pain was back as soon as i sat up.
My surgeon had me put into the cast to immobilise my spine to see if i got any pain relief and that this would replicate having my spine fused and hopefully stabilise my spine.

My surgeon has tried everything before fuseing and has consulted with other surgeons along the way and they all agree that the only option left is a 3 level fusion to stabilise my spine.

I go back to hospital on the 28th july hopefully for a date for my 3 level fusion, i will let you no how i go on!

Cheers Martin
 
I had a 3 level lurabar fusion on March 17th and it was the best thing I have ever done. My advice would be to thoroughly research your surgeon. I traveled to Philadelphia for my surgery even though I live in Delaware. I wanted a surgeon who worked with a team of doctors and taught other doctors nationwide.:angel:
 
Thanks for the reply,
Nice to hear you are doing so well after youre fusion.
My wife is a nurse and all the nurses at the hospital say that if they had a bad back they would have my surgeon at the top of their list.
I have also met several people that my surgeon has fused with great results.
It is reassuring to get a posative feedback when you hear some of the negative results from people that have been fused.
I know the risks of fusions but my life is in lirabo while i permantly going onto spasms and there is nothing else available.
thanks :cool:
 
I had a 2 level fusion 18 days ago and I can say that, other then the pain one can expect from major surgery, all of my leg pain is gone. I haven't had the opportunity yet to feel I was sorry I went this route.

Interesting that your surgeon tried the cast first. I had been having some increasing leg pain and the day I went to be fitted for my brace I was to see the doctor afterwarRAB to discuss the increasing pain. Fitting the brace involved putting me in a body cast that was then cut off so the brace could be molded to the shape of the cast. While the cast was drying I realized my back felt the best it had felt in a year and all the leg pain was gone. The results were so good that it completely screwed up any attempt to test for sciatica problems right afterwarRAB because the pain and weakness were gone - at least temporarily. I then realized how much the fusion should be able to help me.
 
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