I am 11 days away from my laminectomy/discetomy of my L 4-5 to relieve a pinched nerve in my leg. Has anyone had a surgery scheduled for one thing and they discoved that they needed to do a fusion or more surgery? Does the doctor tell you this ahead of time of the possibility? I have another appointment with him the 22nd, my surgery is the 28. What will this appointment be for? I am getting nervous not knowing what the common procedures are for surgery... I know of a lady that had to have a surgery and she had to start scrubbing her back with some betadine stuff days before surgery? Is this done anymore?

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My surgeon had only planned to do a 2 level fusion but found cracks after he got in there and did 3 levels. It all depends on what they find when they get in there. They're not going to wake you up for a consult.
fly

I guess what I really want to know is I am just having a laminotomy/diskectomy of the L4-5, it says also laminotomy,disc excision,1 interspace,lumbar,uni/bilat. (No fusion right). It is workers comp. if they got in and found additional damage and they had to do a fusion would they go ahead and do it or have to wait for approval from workers comp? ... would this possiblility be discussed with the dr. before the surgery?

Ask your doctor.

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Thanks for the responses. I appreciate the information.