Grima6 Maverick Explantation - revision to fusion.

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During the lunch break today at SAS (see the blog), I ran to the hotel and called Lorna. (She asked me to tell her story.) She is the woman who has unrelenting leg pain for 3 years since L5-S1 Maverick.

On Friday 20-April, Dr. Zeegers removed the Maverick and replaced it with a STALIF cage.. She tolerated the surgery well and seemed to have some improvement. However, at her 6 day visit, it was clear that there was more work that needed to be done. They knew this was a possibility and it seemed clear that a more thorough posterior decompression was needed and was performed on April 27th. Doctors Zeegers, Hoogland, and Baumbach weren't sure how much decompression would be needed, but interoperatively, it turned out to be a lot. While it was difficult to know exactly what was happening from the imaging, diagnosing the problem was straightforward for Dr. Baumbach, because the symptoms were so profound. Even so, they were surprised to discover how bad the stenosis really was. With the anterior only fusion and the amount of of posterior decompression needed, they decided to reinforce the anterior fusion with a coflex interspineous spacer. This will lend the extra stability, but is much less invasive than a posterior fusion.

After the second surgery she knew immediately that much of the neuro deficit in her legs is gone. Her old leg pain is gone too. I was great to talk to her today because there was so much joy and hope in her voice. It's still early after 2 surgeries.. but things look good now. Hopefully, she'll be along later to update us.

All the best,

Mark

PS. Before her first surgery, she ran into Sam at the AlphaKlink.... his story is updated on his GPN patient story page.