After 3 l5 s1 microdiskectomy / lamenectomies I am now facing a l5 s1 fusion. I have seen 2 doctors and recieved 2 different approaches for this. Both doctors agree this is the only real way to help with the pain and hopefully numbness I have. Doctor 1 has many years of experience and is oone of the must reffered orthopedic surgeons in the Baltimore area says in through the existing scar which means a PLIF with rods and screws. Doctor 2 wants to go through the abdomen ALIF and use a cage and plate.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
I can't speak from personal experience, but I know my dad had the screws and rods procedure done back in the mid 90's, and had very good success with his. Which ever way you end up going, hope you have a successful procedure.
One thing that my dad did after his surgery, once he was allowed to was walking in a swimming pool. Might be something to ask your doc about. Water therapy also helped him when he was a kid and had polio. You wouldn't know he had polio to see him.
The Following User Says Thank You to peps90436 For This Useful Post: bzeit (03-24-2012)
I thought I noticed an another post that you were having surgery on the 29th...which leads me to believe you have chosen your surgeon. Are they both ortho spine surgeons?
I don't know what the advantages are -- or maybe I should say, I don't know what the two doctors are thinking in terms of which approach would be better. I've had three surgeries, all going in from the back over the same incision, and I know what the benefits are, but there are probably also some reasons for NOT doing that...I just don't know what they are.
In general each approach has advantages and disadvantages. I guess I would make my decision based on the surgeon and the hospital. Both approaches have about the same rates of success, and I don't think one is necessarily "easier" to recover from -- since you've already had your back muscles sliced, you know what that is like.
Let us know if you have specific questions. I'm not quite sure what information you are looking for....
Thanks for answering. Both surgeons are ortho's however one is in residency working at the V.A. Hospital here and the other has been in private practice for over 20 years. The surgeon I finally decided on after much reading has made part of his specialty spinal repair. I think most of my concerns have been answered just by looking at some of the other post and reading what has been said. My main concern would be getting back on my feet and returning to a "normal" life.
I don't mean to belabor the point, but it sounds like these surgeons may be general orthopedic surgeons who do some back surgery. All orthos receive some training in the spine...but what you really want is an ortho surgeon who, after his residency, went on in his schooling and did a fellowship in the spine. This surgeon ONLY works on the neck and back. This surgeon has the most training and experience in issues of the back and neck and has the highest level of training in the spine.
I don't mean to belabor the point, but it sounds like these surgeons may be general orthopedic surgeons who do some back surgery. All orthos receive some training in the spine...but what you really want is an ortho surgeon who, after his residency, went on in his schooling and did a fellowship in the spine. This surgeon ONLY works on the neck and back. This surgeon has the most training and experience in issues of the back and neck and has the highest level of training in the spine.
You are 100% correct. The surgeon doing my fusion is Dr. Paul Asdourian in Baltimore, MD. I am oing with him due to his specialization in this area. The other surgeon I have seen is a younger doctor with the VA, not knocking his skills but I only have one back and really am tired of being in pain and getting cut on every few years for this same thing.
