| Re: Advice on Laminoplasty
Your surgeon is being truthful with you. I've had two surgeries on my neck - a C5 & C6 corpectomy and a C3/C4/C5 laminaplasty. I can tell you the posterior surgery has caused more pain than the anterior. I had the corpectomy about three years ago, then had the laminaplasty about 1 and one-half years ago. I never had much pain from the corpectomy at all. I still have pain from the laminaplasty. I resisted taking any medications for it for over a year, but broke down and am now on Neurontin, which helps some.
I don't know how to advise you with your problem. I had severe stenosis on several levels too, causing myelopathy. The first fix, the corpectomy, got rid of most of the numbness for about a year. The next fix, the laminaplasty, got rid of it again, and it's pretty much stayed away so far. I guess it was worth it, because I am gaining strength in my arm and leg. But I can't tell you which is the better surgery, as it all depends on your exact problem and your surgeon's training and experience. You have to find a surgeon you trust and go with his advice. Getting a second opinion is always a good idea too.
Good luck.
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