[Miles52]

#5708

I am 60 and has had a lumbar-laminectomy at age 26. Just recently I went to a spine institute here in Florida and placed as cadaver bone all done threw a small incision. He told me that my L5 is not stable and that is why he put the bone in. I do not think there is anything else he can do for me after trying five times to relieve my sciatic pain down my leg. He said I had a lot of scar tissue and that is why it has taken so many times. I still have sciatic pain in the glut and down the side of my upper leg to my knee. Is your procedure out patient? Rather than a fusion type procedure an placing a steal rod between the vertebra, is there a way to place a flexible cable to keep the movement in the lower back. And if so would you be able to do a procedure to do multiple levels.

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#5711

So I can understand- you have had five previous surgeries on one level of your lumbar spine (L5-S1)? You have had a fusion with cadaver bone as the final surgery?

I am unclear as to what surgeries were done and why they were done. What diagnostic testing have you undergone? Did you have back pain as your primary complaint or did you have back pain at all?

Please discuss your history here. What reasons did you have the initial surgery at the age of 26? When did you have the second surgery and for what reason? What were the other three or four surgeries for?

Surgically placing bone in a segment indicates the attempt of fusion of that segment. Fusion is generally unsuccessful without a mechanism to hold the bones still until the fusion occurs. Rods and screws are used to immobilize the spine. Flexible instrumentation generally does not work in the spine.

If you have leg pain as your major complaint, you might not need a fusion unless the same disc has herniated three times. In that case, a fusion is generally necessary to prevent further damage to the nerve root.

Dr. Corenman

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