ACDF Friday the 20th

SpineAZ

I thought the cervical fusion (ACDF) was MUCH easier than the lumbar fusion. In 1993 I had an L4-S1 fusion with hardware and I vividly remember waking up in pain in the hospital and being in pain for an extended period, feeling I needed to be laying down, having a hard time getting up and down, etc.

THE GOOD NEWS is that the ACDF was a breeze comparatively. I woke up with very little pain (I was so scared going in remembering what the lumbar surgery was like). I did use the pain medication pump in the hosptial (stayed for 2 nights) and at home took narcotic pain meds about 2-3 times a day in the first two weeks, then down to 1-2x a day in the later weeks. My doctor requires an aspen collar be worn for 6 weeks after the ACDF - so that certainly was not comfortable and there was an occasional ache felt from the fusion (but again, not as bad as in the lumbar fusion I had) and I did have some muscle spasm in the neck which responded well to valium and flexeril.

I was able to do most self care at a few days post op (granted, the first shower was tough since I was dizzy which I don't think was due to the ACDF but just the anesthesia and pain meds). I had the surgery on a Thursday, came home Saturday, and my husband went back to work Monday. No need for him to be home with me at all. During the first 3 weeks I'd wait for him to get home after work before showering, and found that I would wash my hair every other day as it was more comfortable that way.

The big difference in an ACDF is they go through the front of your neck where there is far less muscle mass and tissue than in a posterior fusion or laminectomy of the lower back.

Karin
C5-C7 ACDF 5/2006 at age 39
L4-S1 fusion 5/1993 at age 26

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Rt thumb fusion '13. R&L thumb arthroplasty '12 ; RT TKR & Bilat CTS' 11. Fusions: L5-S1('87), L4-S1('93), C5-C7('06), L3-S1('10), C4-C5('13). C5-C7 foraminotomy '08