Sdchic1

Hi I had an emergency laminectomy June 3 2011 because my L4/L5 was ruptured and my spinal column was blocked 85% and i could not sit up nor walk. It was an emergency surgery and well I just was not given instructions on what to do afterwards, did not have PT and only 1 post op exam to say well I guess you are ok now. I did not have a back dr so I guess that is why it was so bad. Well I felt great for a while and when i started work back I have to bend over a lot for hours at a time. I had another MRI Aug 2012 because my back is just killing me again to the point i do not think i will be able to stand after bending over. I have been to my back dr who is a well known top surgeon in my area since november. I have seen him 3 times.. first time he said it was a herniated disc second time i questioned some things because the report of my MRI says different things I did not understand. Well then he said that the center of my disc looked a little ruptured and some things i do not remember. Well when I went today he said he did not see why I am having so much pain and pain down my right leg because it is just a small bulge... I am trying to figure out where he is getting a mall bulge because it is almost like he does not remember or read my chart right I am not sure. I am scheduled for a nerve and bone test Feb 1st though. Can someone please tell me if per my MRI there is or is not a reason to be in pain? And also what does a high intensity zone mean? Thank you so much for any feedback it is so much appreciated!

Tll-Tl2,T12-LI andLl-L2 Level: No signihcant disc bulge is seen. The spinal canal and nerve root
foramen appear widely patent.
L2-L3 Level:5 mm posterior disc protrusion with a high-intensity zone. This does not narrow the spinal canal or nerve root foramen.

L3-L4 Level: 3 mm posterior disc protrusion with a high-intensity zone. This does not narrow the spinalcanal or nerve root foramen.

L4-L5 Level: Postsurgical changes consisting of a right L4 laminectomy. There is enhancing scar tissue at
the laminectomy site and around the right L5 nerve root in the right lateral recess. There is a 4 mm right
paracentral enhancing disc extrusion which contacts the right L5 nerve root in the right lateral and displaces
it towards the facet joint. There is no signihcant stenosis of the spinal canal. There is mild narrowing of the
nerve root foramen.
L5-Sl Level: No significant disc bulge is seen. The spinal canal and nerve root foramen appear widely
patent.
There is no paraspinous mass or intradural mass. The conus medullaris ends at the level of T12-L1 and
appears unremarkable.
Impression:
I . irostsurgical changes at the L4-L5 level consisting of a right L4 laminectomy. There appears to be a
residual recurrent right paracentral disc extrusion which results in mild to moderate stenosis of the right
lateral recess, displaiing the right L5 nerve root against the facet joint. The right L5 nerve root may be
compromised to some degree and clinical correlation regarding right L5 radiculopathy is recommended.
2. Posterior disc protrusions at the L2-L3 andl3-L4 levels without significant spinal stenosis.

Sorry about some of the typos it did not transfer from Adobe reader correctly for some reason.. Thanks so much!
Brittany