surgery and osteoporosis - Osteoporosis Message Board

Pebble Beach · 07-18-2006, 02:59 PM

Hi all. I have a question. A friend of mine went thru an MRI, she is 49. They found that she had spondylolisthesis (spelling ?). But she also has osteoporosis. I am not sure what type of doctor she saw, but the way she put it to me is that she can't have surgery due to the osteoporosis. She said that her only options was to live on pain medications. She also has other health issues such as Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Can she be a candidate for sugery even though she has osteoporosis? Is pain medication the only option?

Thanks for any input on this.

Allan

taape · 07-18-2006, 07:52 PM

I'm also waiting for back surgery as soon as my bone density improves. It's risky to have certain types of spine surgery without proper bone density or the guarantee (best guess) that once it's ok that it will stay ok. I guess if it's determined that the bone density will never improve enough and the risk is too high, then pain medications and non medication alternatives are the only option.

Your friend should see a spine surgeon specialist though because primary care doctor's aren't specialists in orthopedic or neurology.

legallyblondied · 07-19-2006, 01:31 AM

hi..just my opinion, but many women as we advanced in age
have various degrees of osteoporosis. I think there are degrees of spondy and stenosis. The level of severity and pain would probably warrant surgery. It is hard for me to fathom a doc telling a woman she is not a candidate for surgery because she has osteoporosis. It plays a significant factor in your surgeries success but with medication and exercise it should be the best possibility. I have all of these conditions and osteoarthritis of the right hip. I as having a hip resurfacing procedure in August and my T score 2 years ago before fosamax was -3.5. The surgeon saw new bone growth in a recent xray and was more comfortable doing the resurfacing. I do not want a THR because if much more invasive. Your friend needs to see more than one doc.....pain meds are no way to live in
my opinion......Karen