I forgot!
 

Forgot to ask about the X-Stop? Anyone here have this procedure done?
Okay....I'm done (for now).
thanks so much

Depends on the degree of your stenosis, and your age.

x-stop was a step forward for interspineous spacers and patients that have the specific kind of stenosis that is helped by this type of decompression. The old folks who have leg pain and numbness when they stand upright, but get relief when they lean forward over their shopping cart... these people do very well with xstop, wallis, coflex, etc...

If you have severe DDD with discogenic pain, you can get some relief with these devices because they can offload the posterior annulus and limit motion within a more neutral range. These devices are interesting and useful in specific types of cases, but this is no magic bullet for most of us.

Good luck... let us know how your research goes.

Mark

Old folks bending over a shopping cart!
 

Well.....I think that applies to me, unfortunately! I just turned 65 and shopping carts and a walker (for long distance walking) are my friends! Anything that I can lean onto bending forward on does the trick.

MRI summary: diminished vertical height and signal intensity of L1-2 thru L-5-S1, intervertebral disc more so at L1-2 more so since last exam. Diminished signal intensity and vertical height from L2-3 thru L5-S1 unchanged from last exam. Conus is seen to terminate normally at L1-2.

At L1-2 there is mild posterior disc bulge not extending laterally. Mild facet hypertrophy is seen without significant lateral recess narrowing or nerve root impingement. At L2-3 there is posterocentral lateral bulge of the annulus fibrosus. Bilateral facet hypertrophy is seen without significant lateral recess narrowing. There may be effacement of bilateral L3 nerve roots unchanged from before. Mild degree of canal stenosis is seen. At L3-4 there is posterocentral and lateral bulge of the annulus fibrosus. Facet Hypertrophy is seen with lateral recess narrowing. There is a moderate degree of canal stenosis to ligamentous laxity and laminar hypertrophy. As a result there may be effacement of bilateral L4 nerve roots. At L4-5 there is posterocentral lateral bulge of the annulus fibrosis. Mild degree of canal stenosis secondary to liamentous laxity. As a result there may be effacement of bilateral L5 nerve roots. at L5-S1 there is posterocentral and lateral bulge, etc., etc. Bilateral facet hypertrophy is seen of a mild degree with mild degree of recess narrowing. this is unchanged since last exam and there may be effacement of bilateral S1 nerve roots!
Whew!!

In English, please?

So far, I've seen an Orthopod who suggested the double level fusion...."strictly elective and it MAY help your leg pain" - my left leg, in particular, will hurt like crazy and go numb. After having the selective nerve root injections (4 total) into the S1 area and the other compressed nerve areas, my right leg hurts, especially if I lay on my left side. Shooting, electric pain.

If anyone cares to interpret the above MRI, am I too far gone for as simple a procedure as X-stop....or, more importantly, the newer minimally invasive lumbar decompression (MILD, Vertos Medical). That is very patient specific....i.e., ligamentum flavum (? I think)

Thanks again for taking the time to read and help this old lady (altho my mind still thinks I'm 35!) decide what to do!

Linda

Your mind thinks your 35... that's great. I'm 56, but my mind and body feel 90!

Translating to English: mild, mild, mild, moderate, mild, mild.

Not too bad, huh?

All the mild and moderates may be asymptomatic in some people, then highly symptomatic in others. This is why spine really sucks... it is tough to be certain that you are working in the right place.

I'd be suprised if what's described above will make you a poor candidate for surgery. I don't know if x-stop or the other interspineous spacers will be in play or not. Perhaps, all you need is a decompression surgery?

Mark

Mark...thanks so much for your input! Means a lot to me...

My thoughts exactly about my MRI results....not too bad! That's why I was so surprised when my surgeon recommended a double level fusion. I'd like to think a "simple" decompression is possible and am still researching my options. I live in a city with a huge teaching medical community (UPMC) and, from what I can tell, it's the neurosurgeons doing the less invasive procedures (and, for that matter, the X-stop).

I think I mentioned having bi-lateral hip replacements. I'm a crooked lady (leg length issues, pelvic obliquity, etc.) and since we all know that it's all "connected" one way or another, probably a huge factor. My pain wraps around both hips up to the waistline, down both legs (not at the same time) and especially into the left groin area. That pain is with me 24/7 and wakes me in the middle of the night when I flex my leg a certain way. Can't tell if it's nerve pain or muscle/ligament pain! arrrrgggghhhhh....

Anyway, thanks again. You were kind to take the time to answer.
All the best,
Linda

Bi-lateral hip replacements
colon re-section
PT
ESI's
Selective Nerve Root Injections
Actively researching options to fix my tired, old back!

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
-Confucius

maybe
 

You'll be lucky like me and your disc space will autofuse somewhere.. that sure helped my L5S1 pain and I still have L4 disc probs tho low dose daily opioid pain med seems to help greatly and at least I "appear" to be a well functioning 58 y.o. female! In reality I can do a fair amount as long as sitting long periods aren't involved and heavy duty anything. No longer work so that has taken a lot of pressure of me/my spine.

One thing that I've found is walking and being active is imperative to my spinal well being and less pain. I must have way too much arthritis in there because when I was off my feet for a few weeks re my most recent foot surgery (bunionectomy right foot) my back was KILLING ME by the 2nd week. I literally had to force myself to walk once I was given the OK to be on my feet/foot post that surgery. Even a gimp walk was better than no walking.

I used to have burning pain in the areas you mentioned re wrapping around the hips and going down both legs (deep burning pain plus the terrible back pain). That's gone so I think that was really related more to the L5S1 disc for me.

Stay as active as you can and if you've not already tried pain management meds (big guns/strong ones) you may want to try them before surgery altho I do have a 70 y.o. friend that had 2 level fusion about 4 months ago and is doing way better than she was for years prior to the surgery.

Thanks, Maria, for taking the time to write.

Sitting is not an issue for me...it's the walking or standing in one position for any length of time! I have to have something to lean forward onto....like a grocery cart or my walker.

My spine is so arthritic that when the anesthesiologist tried to do the spinal for my last hip replacement, he stuck me 4 times before he got in. Same thing happened with one of my epidural steroid injections.

My hope is for a decompression without fusion....or some sort of minimally invasive procedure. I'm hoping and still researching!

Take good care,
Linda