Surgery after fusion?? Discogram results

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ihavtwins

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Hi , I just got home from the PA regarding my discogram results and I am confused. I have had a fusion done 1 1/2 years ago on L5-S1 but the pain has never improved, now today she set me up an appt to see the surgeon and tried to explain to me that during the discogram, instead of a cotton ball looking disc, mine oozed out?? So she said they would do a discectomy?? I am so confused as to what they are talking about, and a search on the internet came up with nothing. Anyone here with some insight?? I am mostly looking at how long I might be out of work for this. And wouldnt they have done a discectomy during the fusion? I was so nervous and afraid to ask questions. I appreciate your help.
Thanks!
Jenn
 
The discogram was done (at least in part) to test the disc and it's overall integrity. They may be saying that since your disc was not of the consistency they'd like to see (oozing out of the disc or disc material can impinge the nerve and thus cause pain and other symptoms).
 
Do you know what disc level the dye oozed out of? You already had a fusion at L5-S1 which would mean you no longer have a disc there since it was removed and replaced with bone material and probably a cage to fuse the L5 and S1 vertebrea together. They often do the discogram on 2-3 discs, so I wonder if they didn't test L4-L5 and L3-L4 and they are saying the dye is oozing out of one of them meaning there are discs that are bad besides your L5-S1? This might make sense since your fusion at L5-S1 didn't take your pain away.
 
The disc level that oozed was the one I had fused a year and a half ago. L5-S1 They noticed minimal problems at L4, but the majority at the site of surgery/fusion. I am so confused why a disc could hurt when they have fused it and it hasnt moved. I also dont understand how the pressure and oozing effects me regarding pain from it. I think the disc is still there but there is a brackett there fusing it together. Any help you can give me would be great!! Thanks!!!
Jen
 
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