Considering Revision Surgery

[sarah.p]

Hi Phylly,
Im new here and have just posted for the first time, then I read your post. My heart goes out to you so much, I am currently awaiting one of two possible revision surgeries.
I had a L4-5 fusion and prodisc L3-4 5 months ago, to cut a long story short I have had pain so much worse after surgery, and have had various nerve block injections and Facet joint injections.
My first revision surgery is to be done in April, to add more screws and a rod system to my fusion as im still hypermobile and at risk of breaking the screws. Its also just been discovered that I have facet joint problems at L3-4 at the prodisc site.
Im in the uk, and unsure of what my options will be for the prodisk at the moment, but I can fully understand how you feel, its a horrible place to be when a surgery has failed, and the answers if any seem so far away.
I have to have the first revision done as im not going to fuse in a hypermobile area and its risky to leave it long. And the facets cause so much pain, like you my life is at a standstill, and controlled more by pain now than ever.
My heart goes out so much to you, I guess that you feel terrible right now, and I send you my warmest thoughts.
I hope that we find the strength and the answers to our situations.
hugs
sarah

[dshobbies]

Phylly & Sarah,

I'm so distressed by both of your posts. You put 99% of your hopes into positive, pain-free outcomes, only to find more pain at the end of your tunnels. Any back surgery is difficult and a scary proposition but you decide it's your best course of action, only to have the other shoe drop.

I do hope the revision surgery works for both of you and you find the relief you so desperately need. My thoughts are with you both.

Dale

[ImpOssibleOne]

The Dr. that will try to go in from the front to take out the discs will stop if he can't do it. Will that be too late?

I would think that the surgeon would be able to tell right away if your veins were too scarred to reach the disc. Just a guess but I don't doubt that just the act of opening you up means it's too late to turn around.
Most docs that I've talked to about both anterior fusion & ADR said a vascular surgeon will be there as well. That will help.

[phylly]

The vascular surgeon was very positive about being there and going back in to do the surgery. He will go in from the other side (right) That is part that made me feel better, he seemed so confident and has such a good reputation. He will be there for the whole surgery. Whether the prodiscs can come out is another story but the ortho spine will try. I am scared about any revision surgery but I guess this one has more risk and dying is scary.
I did put my hopes and dreams into this surgery. I wanted to ski again and not be fused. I am not sure if it is better to be alive and in pain or try to try to be better. Another lady who had the prodisc also had a bad experience and fused over the discs. She has had a fair outcome and still has pain but is better than before.
Sarah, I am so sorry to hear about your revision surgery. Let's keep in touch and support each other. I am not sure women do as well as men with these discs. It just seems there are more problems with the women? Thanks for the comments, suggestions and articles, I really appreciate this.
Phylly

[Justin]

Phylly,

I am so very sorry for everything you are going through. The decision(s) you have to make are not easy any way you look at it.

At the end of the day, I think it comes down to a quality of life issue. You know how you feel day-to-day and it will be a decision that takes this in to account, as well as the possibility of your problems getting worse without surgical intervention. (I'm not trying to paint a gloomy picture, but a realistic possibility.)

I would also be scared in your shoes, but it sounds like you will have a very skilled vascular and orthopedic surgeon at your side.

Personally, I would have the discs taken out as opposed to having them fused-over. I'm sure you know that your discs can still have "micro-movements" even when they are fused-over, which could result in continued pain that would be significantly harder to address (if it could be addressed at all, probably with pharmacological intervention).

This place is a great sounding board to throw your ideas out and let others chime in with advice. The revision waters are relatively unchartered, but we can try to help as you progress closer to an answer.

I have a couple of publications about revision strategies, etc. that I will dig up later today and send your way via email.

God bless you Phylly and don't hesitate to email/PM if you need anything.

[phylly]

Thank you so much Justin,
I am reading everything I can get my hands on and I also believe that taking the discs out is the best. I know that if the Dr. cannot get the discs out he will fuse the posterior with them in but he also believes that I will do better with them out. If you have any info send it email. I believe that you still have mine. It has been a nightmare for me so I scheduled a surgery soon in 3 weeks. I have to give blood and get my physical. I see Dr. Regan this Wednesday and see what he says also. Thank you for your support. I get pretty teary talking about this all the time.
Phylly

[treefrog]

I'm so sorry to hear that you are having continued pain that requires you to think about revision. That is a very scary prospect. But it does sound like you have very competent doctors, who know what they are doing.

I am distressed to hear you say, you think women do worse with ADR than men. Is that based on the number of women you've heard of on these boards who have needed revision surgery? That scares me. I really want ADR or hybrid surgery to be the right answer for me. I don't want to live my life this way, let alone even worse off than I am now.

Well, I will be hoping for the best for you. It sounds like you are making the right choice, for your situation.