N
nillah12
Guest
what is involved in fusing on two levels and the recovery time?
Z
zeroman
Guest
same thing as fusing one level, only more so 
it varies greatly.
basically they go in (front or back, sometimes both), remove the bad discs and either insert cages (look like thirables) or bone fragments (yours or cadaver bone) in the space the disc occupied. they may also use roRAB and screws to hold the vertibrae in place while the fusion happens (takes about 2-3 months before fusion even starts), the roRAB and/or cages acts as scaffolding to hold things in place till till the bone grows. thats the short version anyway.
recovery time is about 4 months minimum, more like 8-12 months before they are fully fused. depending on what you do for work they may make stay out for a few months for desk jobs, more if youre doing something more physical.
expect to be in a brace of some sort for 6-12 weeks, maybe more.
are they going to use cages or roRAB and screws? will they go in from the front, back or both? will they use BMP, your own bone or cadaver bone? whats your general health other than your back?
theres a sticky near the top of the forum (post surgery tips), here:
http://www.healtrabroadoarRAB.com/boarRAB/showthread.php?t=19953
give it a read it should give you an idea of what to expect. Im sure others here will chime in.
and Welcome to the forums feel free to ask any questions, we try out best to answer.
it varies greatly.
basically they go in (front or back, sometimes both), remove the bad discs and either insert cages (look like thirables) or bone fragments (yours or cadaver bone) in the space the disc occupied. they may also use roRAB and screws to hold the vertibrae in place while the fusion happens (takes about 2-3 months before fusion even starts), the roRAB and/or cages acts as scaffolding to hold things in place till till the bone grows. thats the short version anyway.
recovery time is about 4 months minimum, more like 8-12 months before they are fully fused. depending on what you do for work they may make stay out for a few months for desk jobs, more if youre doing something more physical.
expect to be in a brace of some sort for 6-12 weeks, maybe more.
are they going to use cages or roRAB and screws? will they go in from the front, back or both? will they use BMP, your own bone or cadaver bone? whats your general health other than your back?
theres a sticky near the top of the forum (post surgery tips), here:
http://www.healtrabroadoarRAB.com/boarRAB/showthread.php?t=19953
give it a read it should give you an idea of what to expect. Im sure others here will chime in.
and Welcome to the forums
feel free to ask any questions, we try out best to answer.
B
BlueAtlas
Guest
Ditto to everything zeroman said. Do read that sticky at the top called "Post Surgery Tips." It will give you lots of suggestions that will make your recovery easier.
Expect to be mostly in bed for 1-2 months, maybe longer. You'll be up to use the bathroom and do some walking, then back to bed. You'll be told to do no bending, lifting (usually no more than 5 pounRAB), or twisting for quite some time. Many of us were given sitting restrictions, too. I was told not to sit for more than 15 minutes at a time for the first 6 weeks.
You'll be given pain meRAB. Take them! Regularly! Even if you're not in great pain at some point, keep the meRAB in your system exactly as prescribed. This is a big surgery with a long recovery time. You'll hear from and about people here who have had failed surgeries, but most of these surgeries, about 97%, are successful. You may be end up completely pain free, but if you're bad enough off, you'll be glad for improvement of any amount! I still have pain, but I'm thrilled with the results of my surgeries!
If you have other specific (or general) questions, please ask. Many of us here have been through this surgery and can tell you what to expect from our own experiences.
I wish you the best as you make your decision.
Emily
Expect to be mostly in bed for 1-2 months, maybe longer. You'll be up to use the bathroom and do some walking, then back to bed. You'll be told to do no bending, lifting (usually no more than 5 pounRAB), or twisting for quite some time. Many of us were given sitting restrictions, too. I was told not to sit for more than 15 minutes at a time for the first 6 weeks.
You'll be given pain meRAB. Take them! Regularly! Even if you're not in great pain at some point, keep the meRAB in your system exactly as prescribed. This is a big surgery with a long recovery time. You'll hear from and about people here who have had failed surgeries, but most of these surgeries, about 97%, are successful. You may be end up completely pain free, but if you're bad enough off, you'll be glad for improvement of any amount! I still have pain, but I'm thrilled with the results of my surgeries!
If you have other specific (or general) questions, please ask. Many of us here have been through this surgery and can tell you what to expect from our own experiences.
I wish you the best as you make your decision.
Emily
M
Moldova
Guest
Fusion surgeries are major ones and recovery time takes a long time. Of course it depenRAB and it's different for everybody, but for majority of us - takes long time. You will have to follow Dr's directions regarding bending, lifting, taking pain meRAB to the T: very important to do so.
I had 2 spinal fusions and I ended up with a lot more pain than I had before my surgeries. I had car accident and damages were pretty extended + I had age related problems like stenosis, tears, DDD, severe arthirities, etc. (I was 50).
I leaved in pain for a long time before I decided on surgery and still believe that surgery has to be the last resort. Finally when pain meRAB stoped working, I agreed on surgery and hoped for the best.
Unfortunatelly about low sucsess rate on multi-level fusions I found out later, after my surgery failed. I went for more opinions and learned that so far they have nice results on lami and decompressions, but fusions still a surgery which causes great deal of disabilities in US.
I don 't want to scare you by any means; I just share with you what I learned from my own experiense, from great and honest Doctors I met and from doing a lots of research on this matter. I am a very positive person and a fighter; but you can fight just so much if you left with plenty of nerve damages, with dropped foot, Arachnoidities and so much pain that even being under good PM does not help much. I don't loose hope thought, I learn how to leave my new life and how to manage my disability. Before my surgery i had pain levels on regular days about 7-8 in my back/hips and knees only. Now I have same levels and higher sometimes but in a lot more areas + nerve pain, which is undescribable.
Please, make sure you go for second opinion before you decide on surgery - this is so important for your piece of mined...
Best of luck to you and lets hope you will be one of the sucess stories!!!
I had 2 spinal fusions and I ended up with a lot more pain than I had before my surgeries. I had car accident and damages were pretty extended + I had age related problems like stenosis, tears, DDD, severe arthirities, etc. (I was 50).
I leaved in pain for a long time before I decided on surgery and still believe that surgery has to be the last resort. Finally when pain meRAB stoped working, I agreed on surgery and hoped for the best.
Unfortunatelly about low sucsess rate on multi-level fusions I found out later, after my surgery failed. I went for more opinions and learned that so far they have nice results on lami and decompressions, but fusions still a surgery which causes great deal of disabilities in US.
I don 't want to scare you by any means; I just share with you what I learned from my own experiense, from great and honest Doctors I met and from doing a lots of research on this matter. I am a very positive person and a fighter; but you can fight just so much if you left with plenty of nerve damages, with dropped foot, Arachnoidities and so much pain that even being under good PM does not help much. I don't loose hope thought, I learn how to leave my new life and how to manage my disability. Before my surgery i had pain levels on regular days about 7-8 in my back/hips and knees only. Now I have same levels and higher sometimes but in a lot more areas + nerve pain, which is undescribable.
Please, make sure you go for second opinion before you decide on surgery - this is so important for your piece of mined...
Best of luck to you and lets hope you will be one of the sucess stories!!!
E
erin318
Guest
I think everyone is different depending on age, type of surgery, physical condition, lifestyle, injury, etc. I can only give you my experience. I am 34 (female)and had a 2 level fusing L4, L5, and S1. Prior to surgery I had pars fractures at L4 and 5 and spondylilosthesis. I had nerve pain down my right leg which kept me from sleeping. I may have had the fractures and spodylo. prior to surgery but pain and MRI's came after a rear end car accident. I tried Physiotherapy, epidural injections and medications but because of the fractures are 2 levels my spine was very unstable and the nerves were being irritated so surgery was the only option left.
My neurosurgeon did a d-lif procedures which involves going in through my side and removing the discs(2). He then injected a substance which stimulates bone growth. I was then turned over and they went in through the back in 4 small incisions they put pedicle screws in either side of L4 and S1 which were connected to roRAB that run parrallel to my spine. One of the biggest risks with this type of injury is the insertion of the pedicle screws which come very close to the nerve bundles.
I am now 5 weeks post op and am walking without my brace. I have some pain in my back and nerve pain in my leg. Unlike before though rest, ice and a different position can ease my pain. If you notice my post from last week though I was in a lot of pain and wondering if I ever should have done the surgery. It is amazing the difference a day makes. You definitely need a good support system because as difficult as this surgery is physically it is much harder on you mentally. Living with pain is not an option for me because I have 2 young children that I want to be involved with so the decision to have surgey may be different for me. I do not work but I have intentions to return to law school in the fall and work part time. I did not spend a lot of time in bed like I probably should have, in fact I just travelled for a wedding. I do follow my body's cues though and am probably at least 50% less active than before surgery and definitely not doing any lifting or bending. Good luck with your decision.
My neurosurgeon did a d-lif procedures which involves going in through my side and removing the discs(2). He then injected a substance which stimulates bone growth. I was then turned over and they went in through the back in 4 small incisions they put pedicle screws in either side of L4 and S1 which were connected to roRAB that run parrallel to my spine. One of the biggest risks with this type of injury is the insertion of the pedicle screws which come very close to the nerve bundles.
I am now 5 weeks post op and am walking without my brace. I have some pain in my back and nerve pain in my leg. Unlike before though rest, ice and a different position can ease my pain. If you notice my post from last week though I was in a lot of pain and wondering if I ever should have done the surgery. It is amazing the difference a day makes. You definitely need a good support system because as difficult as this surgery is physically it is much harder on you mentally. Living with pain is not an option for me because I have 2 young children that I want to be involved with so the decision to have surgey may be different for me. I do not work but I have intentions to return to law school in the fall and work part time. I did not spend a lot of time in bed like I probably should have, in fact I just travelled for a wedding. I do follow my body's cues though and am probably at least 50% less active than before surgery and definitely not doing any lifting or bending. Good luck with your decision.