I went for my monthly visit with my ortho thursday the 14th, last month he told me the 2 levels would be for sure approved this month, but of course NOT!!!!! So now my doc wants to do fusion on my l-5 S-1 possibley the next level too.
Please someone tell me about fusion, I have read somethings on here about it, my questions are, how long in the hospital? How long befor you can return to work?
All depends on how quickly you heal/fuse. Some fuse more quickly than others. They will be using screws and rods, right? You should be able to work while waiting to fuse. You just can't be lifting any elephants
They are doing this as an outpatient surgery right now, so in and out in the same day.
Two weeks post op and my husband starts back to work tomorrow.
He was going stir crazy.
There are still trials going on that are doing two level ADR. You might want to search the net to try to find somone who is doing them. I know that we found over twenty trials that we could have participated in. You contact them, they send you criteria and then set up an appoinment.
The doctors at the center where we went were doing them and having good luck with them.
I have not heard of a _lumbar_ fusion (let alone two levels) ever being done on an outpatient basis. This is major surgery. If I am wrong, please correct me. Would scare the heck out of me to imagine it outpatient, in any event.
spiro, I have to say I was flabbergasted when I saw the outpatient story too. I work in healthcare and KNOW that it is a major surgery. We have back patients that are in-patient for WEEKS. When I had my microdiscectomy, I was in for two days! There are a lot of risks with back surgery, and if someone told me I would be outpatient, I would def find a new dr!
I would like to see where they do fusions as outpatient. Not saying they aren't done. Nothing would surprise me anymore.
Mine was an 8 day stay (counting the day in and day out) however, I had 3 dural tears during the course of my surgery, so I had to remain completely flat for 5 days. From what I understand 5 days is a standard stay. And really, you want about 4 of those days.
Don't fear the fusion...I'm feeling great (except for these darn zingers, which I'd have with ANY back surgery)
my l5 s1 fusion was outpatient with stay as needed. It was done at st jsephsin atlanta. I was in surgery Monday, out on thursday due to tear in dura (nick) would have been out wednesday otherwise. I still consider it major, due to the process, what is done, and recovery. I'm now 7 days past my surgery and it still feels pretty major.
There are a lot of surgery centers doing them as an outpatient these days. There is one where we live, but they were not taking WC cases that we knew of at the time. We have since learned that there is a Neurologist in the area who is doing them there, outpatient.
The surgery center where we went, out patient, two level, necks, backs, lumbar, doesn't matter if you are a Medicare, cash, insurance, or WC case, they are all done, in and out in one day.
I can't name names of centers, as they have web sites, but I can tell you that they are plentiful. The WC worker was not surprised when she thought about it, said that there was no reason to stay overnight.
He was in by ten, out by two. Home by five. Major surgery, two level. Back to work, today, three weeks later.
I watched the guy next to him get up from recovery, put his clothes on and walk out the door, L5/SI fusion. Amazed me.
that IS amazing! I had to use a bed pan for a whole day after mine and was in quite a bit of pain, and that was just a micro. I couldn't hardly get up out of bed the first day either. well, I guess you can't argue that it isn't safe if so many are doing it, but I wouldn't.
Hi, thank you for so many replies. My ortho said my stay would be 3-5 days depending on me [I guess he means when I can walk???] I am suppose to call his head nurse by November 7, if I haven't heard from them on the ADRs by then, but anyways to call & scheldule fusion for the first week of December, He didn't tell me on how many levels for the fusion he wants to be doing. He has said befor on my DDD that fosion was not a big help on DDD? Dont understand all that...He also stated that if he did 3 he would not recommend going back to work? I know alot of people who have gone back to work after this surgery, any advice from anyone?
I have heard alot of stories on here about zinger's... what in the heck is this???
2 level ADRs not approved yet, now fusion 
