My 3 mo X ray - Discs tilted all over the place

[steve55]

I just found out that I actually got a corpectomy done after all. I noticed it on my discharge papers. I was confused because I specifically recall dr B saying "the good news is that we didnt have to do the corpectomy". I guess he meant, we didnt have to do 2 corpectomies as the dallas surgeon recommended. So I got a corpectomy at C5 and fusion at C4-7.

I immediately did some research into long term outcomes of corpectemies including many multi level corpectemies and it looks very good. It seems the danger in corpectemies is only during the surgery. But prognosis is that they hold up quite well. I just need to fuse well now. Basically, that infection ate my C5 vertebrae for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!! Darn critters.

I asked for, and will be granted a bone stimulator to aid in fusion. Bone stimulators are controversial as Dr B and this american doc dont think they really work. But I reserached on google for many hours and clearly, there is evidence that they do indeed work, but only in speeding up fusion. Studies seem to show that fusion without bone stimulators simply take alot longer. For me, the sooner I fuse the more free I will feel. Psychologically, I feel I wont have to worry about neck movements once Im fused, so Im all for anything that speeds it up. Plus, when I peruse back boards, it seems to me that 50% of the docs out there DO BELIEVE in them, so go figure. I wonder why half of the doctors say yes t hey work, and the other half say no they dont work. How can this be???? Are they reading the same studies?

At 2 weeks post op, I am able to fast pace walk 20 mins with no limp at the hip bone graft site, only minor ache. Im able to sit and work at my computer for unlimited hours it seems, only minor aches in my neck. I feel I could go back to work already for real. Im amazed. Maybe it's dumb luck or because of the work of Dr B. They say he is a master carpenter, and his name is immediately recognized by all 5 docs Ive been to! Hell, even my cousin's husband who sells medical devices knew his name too. Unbelievable. So Ill hang out at home for 1 more week and then start back to work. Been cleared for driving since Im doing so well so far. My only worry at this time is to have a successful fusion.

[mmglobal]

Steve, I'll be interested to see more about your new configuration. Sadly, the language of the surgeons is not always precise. Some surgeons use terms differently and it's frustrating to know what the terms are, but still be unable to decipher what was done.

I'm wondering if someone is referring to a partial corpectomy as a corpectomy? Is the entire vertebral body removed or just part of it? The hardware required would be completely different.

It sounds like you are making great progress. Keep it up and keep us posted.

Mark

[steve55]

Excellent point!! Maybe it was only partial. I'll email the asst doc and see what she says. I've bombarded her with emails lately so I'll wait a while before asking. Hey mark, maybe you can ask dr b for me the next time you run into him. Dr b knows I share everything with you, maybe you'll understand what they did to me better than I can. You're good at translating these medical terms into English for us. : )

The paperwork says c5 c6 corpectomy with iliac bone graft harvest and vectra cervical plate from c4-c7.

A partial corpectemy would make sense cause I swear I heard dr b tell me that the good news was that there was no corpectomy done and that I got a 3 level fusion.

[dshobbies]

Hey Steve,

Way to go. Glad you're feeling so good. It's been a long time coming.

A 70+ friend broke her arm in 7 places. She wasn't healing well until using the bone stimulator. Then she kept on getting infections and had to wear an intravenous anti-biotic machine for 24/7 until she starting sitting in the sun for 10-15 minutes daily. Just a thought.

Dale

[Bill1961]

Steve,

Glad to here your still doing well. Stay positive and do the right things so you heal properly.