June 13 scheduled for a endoscopic RF
 

I am scheduled to have a endoscopic RF at my L4 L5 FACET. That's the level that I have the pro disc replacement. I hope that ablation to those nerves will reduce some of this pain, so I can be more mobile. If this doesn't work I will have to have the disc fused into place. The good thing about the posterior fusion is that my L5-s1 is already fused. I know it's hard to have a fusion over a Pro disc. I think I have a better chance because the posterior end plate is not mobile due to that vertebrae not moving because it's fused. I had a media branch block and the pain was 100% relieved on the left and 50 to 60% on the right. So I'm thinking I might have a good chance with at least a 20% – 30% pain relief. I will post in a week to let everybody know if this is a good treatment for people who are having facet pain post Pro disc surgery. ;)

ZFontana,
Good luck with that procedure, may it really reduce pain for you.
thanks for keeping us posted.
judy

Z, good luck with your procedure. I'm curious... if the level is fused and the facet is immobile... why is it painful?

Mark

Reply
 

[quote=mmglobal;16901]Z, good luck with your procedure. I'm curious... if the level is fused and the facet is immobile... why is it painful?

Mark[/QUOTE


what I meant was, if I had to have a posterior fusion at L4 – L5 which is the level of the prodisc. Since L5S1 is fused maybe it would be easier to stop that movement at the pro-disc level. The inferior plate does not move because the vertebrae is fused. I had a hybid surgery. For example, if you had a pro-disc at L5 –s1, L4 – L5 and your joints became a problem it would be hard to fuse both segments because of the hypermobility of the pro-disc. But I know it would be hard to fuse posteriorly a prodisc no matter what the circumstances are. I just hope tomorrow that this endoscopic RF helps at least 20 to 50%. I do have moderate facet hypertrophy at L4-l5. I had this pre-surgery which I thought it was mild as I discussed with you. If I would have known that my facets were moderate, I would have went with the fusion instead. I do blame myself for this, because I work in a hospital and I had all the time in the world to ask the radiologist what my facets at L4 – l5look like. The report stated from my MRI that my facet joints had presence of arthrosis and did not give any degree. MRI from a year pre-surgery stated it was mild. So I assumed that my facets were still mild. So I cannot make a decision based on something that I was not aware of. I'm just one of the hundred thousand people year that are misdiagnosed. So if I have to have a posterior fusion I just hope I can be one of the lucky ones. But I do know posterior fusions due to the muscle being ripped to shreds. That the outcome will not be as good as if I just went ahead with the anterior fusion.
z

POST radio frequency ablation or RF
 

Post RF one week out. Had a RF at the level of the L4 – L5 facets at the pro-disc level. This was endoscopic procedure, pretty painful for last week. I have noticed some improvement when laying down and sleeping at night. Still have pain when walking or bending. Lease for now by sleeping will be better, and that big deal to me. Sometime in the future, I will have to get the pro-disc fused into place since taking it out will be impossible. Seems most people that have it removed don't have a real good outcome. Since my L5 – S-1 is fused, maybe fusing the L4 – L5 in place posteriorly might have a better chance having a complete fusion in a year. As we all know fusing a pro-disc and placed posterior has a poor success rate. The reason why this success rate is so low, is probably because the pro-disc hypermobility. My facet joints were moderate at L4 – L5 and I can't see living with this kind of pain without giving it a try at the fusion. I still think I have a good chance and pain reduction from the posterior fusion. From my point of view since my L5 – S-1 is fused and the inferior end plate of the pro-disc is not mobile just need to get the superior end plate fused and not moving. Well I'll have to put my faith in the Lord, I realize in this day and age most people don't believe in a God. Seems to me that the New World order, as I called Satanists are winning over our society of the world's. Lately I'm not too worried about too much due to the fall of humanity and the way people treat each other. I've been a medical professional for 17 years and as I develop DDD I noticed people turned their back to me when I need help the most. I always thought the medical field was a place of compassion but all it is is a place for people to make a living. Us chronic pain patients I looked down to in the medical field and people just think where a bunch of pill heads and complainers. It's amazing to me the arrogance of these orthopedic and neurosurgeons. Just because they make lots of money they think they're part of the elites of the world. But they're wrong and they are not at the top of the pyramid. Not now but in the future at some point people will get ill or get old and they will be treated the way I was by these physicians nurses and medical staff. So what comes around goes around it always has and always will. At some point we all lose our dignity due to the disrespect of the younger generation and by people that supposedly have wealth. It's too bad for myself, I sit in my house day in and day out. When I could be out performing my career as a cardiac sonographer which I did so well.

zFontana, thanks for the update. I hope the soreness you feel now is just from the procedure and that it will fade in the days/weeks to come.

BTW, a client of mine with a 3-level ProDisc 7.5 years ago also had an ablation. This was his 2nd round of them. The first was successful, but improvement faded after more than a year. His recovery from the ablations was trivial... his were not performed endoscopically. As he has already seen that the results are temporary, hence the 2nd round.

I hope that your improvement will be permanent. As I understand it, the reason to do it surgically instead of just with a needle procedure is because they can remove a secton of the nerve instead of just 'slicing' it. With that approach, they should not grow back.

Please keep us posted. Especially in just a few days... I really hope that your pain is just from the procedure now!!!

All the best,

Mark

What does it mean for something to be fused? Is that how these spine problems are corrected?

Two months postop endoscopic RF of my facets.
 

I'm two months postop from my facet endoscopic RF. As of a week or so ago my pain has been reduced by 20%. With the endoscopic RF it's a better procedure because they can visualize the tissue when nerves. Also because they can visualize the facets they ablate more tissues and nerves. My Dr. told me that if it works the pain reduction will last longer than the wire RF procedure. My surgeon told me he ablated to tissue and nerves always down to the bone and that it takes some time for those nerves to die off. Apparently my nerves finally are starting to die off. I still have pain but it's controllable at this point. Like I said above I'm about 20% better. I been house bound for one year post my hybrid surgery. So this little relief has made me able to walk a little further, drive a little longer and I even smiled a little more. My surgeon also told me if the endoscopic procedure goes well that I could have pain re-adduction up to two years. Of course the endoscopic is a good procedure with little risk. Also with the endoscopic RF the Dr. can visualize the nerves and tissues below the facet joints and you can ablate more tissue and nerves of course due to the visualization of the structure. And the other good thing with RF there is very little complications with the procedure because they don't enter in your spinal column. I would highly recommend anybody who's post artificial disc replacement with painful facet joints postop. I hope in the next month or so I get even a little bit more better. My Dr. also told me with the endoscopic RF that I can get up to two years or maybe even five years. It's definitely better than the wire RF procedure. I will keep you posted in a month from now at what my condition is. Thank you for listening and I hope you all have found that surgery have reduced your painful symptoms. Mark thanks for talking to me over the phone it helped to talk to somebody who understands. I will mail your check this week, sorry it took so long. Font

zfontana,
I am glad to hear you are having success with your procedure. I hope as your doctor said it gets better and better for you as time goes on.
judy

Thanks, for know it has made me better. Wish i would have just fused it. before surgery i was starting to change my mind but cant turn back time. im glad for now im feeling better! How are you doing?

fusion time
 

Going to get my prodisc fused do to facet issues and bad disc placement.

Good luck with the fusion. I just had one myself but not with an ADR.
When is the big day?
judy

Thanks for responding
 

I'll be scheduling the fusion next month which is October. I wish it wasn't so but my L4 – L5 facets are absolutely shot. Unfortunately for me the disc placement of the pro-disc was absolutely shady. I keep kicking myself because I was going to change my mind to a fusion before the pro-disc surgery. Just another mistake in my boxes of mistakes. I'm scared to death because I know those rods cause lots of issues. But my Dr. seems to think that he can pull it off. How bad are those rods I read your blogs and it seems they gave YOU a lot of trouble. Maybe you could give me some pointers? Thank you for responding and I hope you're feeling better!

zfontana,
I have rods and screws from C4 thru L1 now. It was through L4-5. Only when my last surgery in August placed the rods in L4-5 did i have problems of a severe nature . It was only because the screws were all pulling out and were trying to take the sciatic nerve with it. THat led to the most long term severe pain i have ever had. I have had short term worse pain though.
On Sept 10th my surgeon removed the rods and screws from L2 thru L5 and all is better. Not 100% but it has only been 2 weeks since the surgery. I am using a walker as my back muscles are shot from 2 surgeries in a short period of time.

The other rods and screws have not really caused a problem. Unless i posted about some and i already forgot!!
I have very bad bone density do to the pituitary disease which is why my screws pull out so quickly and i was never a candidate for ADR.
You must have good bones, although i know nothing about fusing over an ADR, but i hope and think you should be fine. My incisions are usually 8-10 inches which is why it is hard for me, i would imagine yours will not be so large, another plus in your favor.
Keep us posted though and ask any questions
judy