July needs another consult - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

julyg · 11-19-2008, 09:30 PM

How is it possible to have acdf surgery and herniate those same disks again?
I have a titanium plate there!!!!!!!!!!!
Here are my new MRI results and remember I had a 2 level fusion 2 yrs ago with c5/6 and c6/7.

c1/2 normal limits
c2/3 posterior disk bulge seen. disk space maintained.
c3/4 posterior disk bulge seen. disk space maintained
c4/5 posterior herniation with impingement on anterior subarachnoid space and cord impingement. disk space is narrowing.

c5/6 vertebral body fusion level is noted . Posterior herniation is seenwith impingement on anterior subarachnoid space.

c6/7 vertebral body fusion level is noted . Posterior herniation is seen with impingement on anterior subarachnoid space

Impression disk herniations c4/5 c5/6 c6/7
disk bulge c2/3 c3/4
reduced cervical lordosis
anterior cervical fusion apparatus atc5/c6 and c6/7

I knew I felt the little guy drilling on my neck again! And my left trap muscle feels like someone cut an inch off it.

I see my new surgeon tomorrow and I REALLY dont want to go thru surgery again as it took over a yr to speak normally again after my vocal cord was paralyzed by ACDF surgery. WhenI had other surgery this past may I could not be intubated as my ent said "too much repair work had been done" said unless its life threatning I should not be intubated!

I am going to find out what level of activity I can do as my pain is on a scale of 0 to 3 by midday and at 5 between 4pm and bedtime.
No numbness of hands or arms except intermitten tingle of pinky.

This really stinks, I was so positive I was going to sail thru the 1st surgery recover and be done with it.

I'll post new drs comments. Hope my old friends here are doing better!

July

PNo · 11-25-2008, 11:13 AM

I can't wait to see what the doctor says. My guess is the herniations seen at the fusion level are either from discs above/below. Or your prior surgery left partial disc material in there in the back where they couldn't get to it - I have heard some do this????

Go very slowly!!! Maybe get a 2nd opinion from what this doc tells you.

Being a 2x surgery person I can only remind you that if you didn't have full success the 1st time, it is very likely that you will have some remenants if you decide to do again. Even after 2 surgeries, my lowest pain level is about 4 and mostly I sit at 6 and sometimes it goes up to 7-8 with too much activity. I had to accept my condition - that took time - sometimes we can't fix everything.

With all the probs you had first time - go slowly and take care of yourself!!! I don't spend much time on computer these days, but please keep posting status and I will come and look here.

Take care,
NP

erin72 · 11-25-2008, 08:36 PM

July,
I'm so very sorry about the news. Hang in there, don't jump to any conclusions yet. Let the drs. appts. work for you. You know all the right questions to ask. Be patient, listen to your body and don't over do it! Keep posting so we can see your progress! My prayers have already been lifted for you!! Be strong!!

Blessings,
Erin

julyg · 11-27-2008, 08:47 PM

Hi and Healthy Holidays to you both!

My appointment was with a very well respected ortho who has a great reputation. He says c5 is very bad and my disc herniations where I already had surgery are most likely a gristle material left over from previous surgery and or scar tissue. Pretty grusome. Anyway he is reluctant to do any surgery because of the vocal cord mess. Ideally he would go back in and do a 3 level if it were not for my vocal cord.

So the game plan is if and when my left hand/arm goes numb or I cannot feel temperature change or I start dropping things from my left hand I immediatly get a CAT scan and maybe he can do just c5 without messing with my vocal cord.

I asked why we couldnt just go in from the back to avoid the vocal cord and he said it could not be done that way.

My neck movement is quite limited and he said if I had the surgery I would have more movement but again catch22 vocal cord.

AAAAARRRRGGGG!!!!!!! So in case anyone is reading this considering an ACDF my original surgeon left Cleveland clinic and is now at Albert Einstein hospital.

Neck Patient you were right on the money as usual and so sorry to read you are in so much pain.

Erin thank you for your prayers, and I thank both of you for your friendship and support.

July

erin72 · 11-30-2008, 08:50 PM

Hello my friend,
Well, so it is. No need to worry about it anymore because you know what it is and you have a game plan. Not exactly what we were hoping for, but (glass half full) we're still mobile!! I wish I could crawl through this screen and hug you! Hang in there and keep that positive attitude of yours! If it helps any, I've been taking Tylenol with codeine and it helps a great deal! Takes the pain away but it's easy on my stomach. Always remember, when you're having a bad day....eat ice cream!! (laced with vicadin) HA! HA!

You are on my mind and in my prayers, hang in there girlfriend!!!

Erin