I know I can ask the doc in a few weeks but I am wondering where on your lower back is the incision for an L5S1 fusion. I have a HUGE tattoo that covers almost my entire middle and lower back. When my surgeon saw it when I was having my ESI he jumped back a little. I am sure he thinks that this suburban mother of 3 is a little freaky!!!! Thanks guys! Melinda

:wave:

Hi, I am having this surgery done tuesday, my doc is going in through my stomach, which will be a 4-5 inch incision. Maybe this can be an option for you?? :bouncing:


cindy

Its approx level with your hip

They don't go through the stomach for cosmetic purposes. Whether the fusion is anterior or posterior or both (360) is based upon the necessary procedure that needs to be done and the method of the doctor.

I'm thinking that tat is going to be involved.

Mine starts at my waist and goes down aprx. 6 inches. Good luck,

Lorie :angel:

I know I can ask the doc in a few weeks but I am wondering where on your lower back is the incision for an L5S1 fusion. I have a HUGE tattoo that covers almost my entire middle and lower back. When my surgeon saw it when I was having my ESI he jumped back a little. I am sure he thinks that this suburban mother of 3 is a little freaky!!!! Thanks guys! Melinda


Hi Melinda,

I don't know what symptoms you are having or why your doc has not warned you of the risk of the surgery not helping or making things worse.

My guess is that you are experiencing bladder trouble, like pain, urgency and frequency, but no infection can be found when urine or biopsies are cultured/analyzed.
Is this the last resort for you, or are you already very discouraged by all other efforts?

Have you tried deep massage therapy, or if there is a problem with osteoporosis, have you been advised to take a few intravenous Pamindronate
infusions to rebuild lost bone? If osteoporosis is present, the surgery will
be fraught with complications and healing will take forever.
If they plan to give you Pamindronate or some other Bisphosphonate med
after the surgery, why not ask to take it months BEFORE any scheduled surgery?

Has Ankylosing Spondylitis been rulled out by a blood test called
"HLa B27" ?

I wish I could post a link, but rules are rules.

You can do a search for "back fusion risks" or "lumbar fusion risks"
and read very caefully.

Good luck in your decision.

Melinda, my L5-S1 incision starts about 1 inch above my waistline and goes down about 6 inches. Does that help? Mary in Texas

Melinda.....Mine wasn't a fusion but my L5-S1 insision scar starts just right above the crack of my rear... (for lack of a better description) and goes up about 3 or so inches long...Hope this helps a little....

Take Care :angel:

Melinda...I have not had a fusion and are currently undergoing PM care for a herniated disk. But, I had a question for you. Are you concerned about the incision because of your tattoo??? From what I understand about tats (I have four of them) you can get cut there and it's not going to affect the ink because a tattoo in itself is one huge scar. I've been cut and it's healed w/ the ink still intact. So, if you are worried about the tat being harmed, no need to worry. If what I've just written doesn't have anything to do with your question and I'm just going off on a tangent, please disregard what I've just written. Maybe if I am indeed way off base hopefully this brought a smile to your face.

I also had my L5-S1 disectomy go into about half of a tatoo I have on the small of my back. My incison was a little less than three inches.

The interesting thing about it was that my doctor was REALLY worried about me getting an infection because of my tatoo. I was on antibiotics for like 3 weeks, and was told to be VERY careful with the wound site.

I didn't know if I believed him, but when he took off the bandage, about 3/4 of an inch below the original incision - the part on my tatoo - had opened up by itself and formed a scab. The incision got longer.

If it was because of my tattoo or not, I'm not sure, but it was kinda wierd. By now I'm fine, the last part of the scab is going to fall any day now, and my color looks fine on the tattoo.

Actually, it looks like the tattoo camoflauges the scar.

I know I can ask the doc in a few weeks but I am wondering where on your lower back is the incision for an L5S1 fusion. I have a HUGE tattoo that covers almost my entire middle and lower back. When my surgeon saw it when I was having my ESI he jumped back a little. I am sure he thinks that this suburban mother of 3 is a little freaky!!!! Thanks guys! Melinda


Ron... what did your post/reply have to do with Melinda's question? Just wondering.

Ron... what did your post/reply have to do with Melinda's question? Just wondering.

HI TXhunny,

My main reason for writing was to tell her that there are other ways of
dealing with back trouble than surgery.. (Are you sure you are not a moderator in training?)

If she had a herniated disk, a bone spur, osteoporosis, a cracked vertabrae due to some injury, then she should have explained further in her first post.

"Art Bell" (a radio talk show host) also was close to back surgery, but recovered with weight loss and deep massage therapy... That doesn't hurt a tattoo either. (He doesn't even have one.)
I am still waiting for her reply to see if what I said helped her to decide.

Ron.... (can i say... "scratching my head"? )

Ron, The question that I asked was about the palcement of the incision, not advice about deciding to have surgery. I did not have time nor did I feel that it was necessary to put down all of my history since the question was about the incision. I introduced myself a few days before and trying to sit down and type my whole history is hard when you have 3 children. I have exhaused all non surgical efforts. Your post is the reason that I was leary of coming to a message board in the first place. I am well educated on my health and what is going on with my back and I did not appreciate the tone (yes there was a tone there ). I am not going to say anything else about it right now, but in the future if you are going to respond to any of my threads please do so in a manner which is a bit more respectful. Thank you, Melinda

I like the self policing this board is doing. We all have pain, that is what draws us together. But, as we find by talking with others, our individual problems are TRULY INDIVIDUAL. (Sorry for yelling). Our earth suits are all our own, and we know best what needs to be done with them, or we ask for advice.