Quietcook

Jo,

According to my spine specialist, he says that his patients who have 1 or 2 level fusions "usually" don't need their hardware out, but that most of his patients who have 3 levels or more do wind up getting the hardware removed about a year or so after fusion. He says that as we heal and become more and more active, the muscles rub over the screws and bother the patient. Mine did not cause me spasms, but intense pain with all the heavy work I did. Of course, you have that tissue mass, and who knows how much that might be contributing. Does the doctor intend to remove that mass when removing the hardware?

With my first 3 level fusions the hardware became noticable as I got more active, but I did manage to keep it in for 17 months. Wished I had not had it out because when my car got side swiped, my fusion might not have broken had I still had the hardware in. That fusion was prior to BMP and the special cages, so when I had to have that break redone and then later three move levels done, he did not need to use the rods and screws. Now, with my 10 level fusion from 8 months ago, naturally there are two extremely long titanium rods and 18 very large screws, but the lower levels do not bother me as I can no longer bend. I am feeling my thoracic levels, especially as I do more and more work, but it isn't as painful as the lumbar hardware was. I'm working on thoracic strengthening exercises and will pace myself a bit better, as the plan is to leave in this hardware. Removing the 3 level fusion hardware was a 45 minute out patient surgery and extremely fast recovery. However, removing 10 levels would not be a short surgery, and being opened up that much would not be so quick a recovery. I'm going to do all I can toward the goal of leaving this hardware in.

Hope all goes well, you bounce back quickly and are rid of pain when you get the hardware out. Let us know how you are doing.