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  • Hirenp1983
    Participant
    Post count: 3

    I wanted to find out if one of the docs can review my MRI. I’m 32 years and the last neurosurgeon told me I have DDD and disc herniation and I needed to get a spinal fusion. I’m super nervous about the fusion and I would rather do a MD to get rid of the herniation. My butt hip and Lowe back hurts along with when I drive sometimes my calf hurts as well.

    Donald Corenman, MD, DC
    Moderator
    Post count: 8656

    The difference between majority lower back pain and majority leg pain (includes buttocks pain) is substantial for deciding what surgery you should consider. If the majority is buttocks and leg pain and a herniated disc is present, I would only perform a microdiscectomy.

    If the majority pain is in the central lower back (not just off to one side), I would have a long discussion with the patient. A microdiscectomy still can be performed but the success rate of surgery for relief of lower back pain is only about 50% (compared to 90-95% for relief of leg pain). Fusion is generally the procedure for relief of back pain in the carefully selected patient but since fusion is a 5 month recovery and microdiscectomy is a 6 week recovery, the patient must weigh the risks (only 50% success for microdisc vs. 90% for fusion) vs. the significance of surgery (fusion vs. simple decompression).

    Dr. Corenman

    PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
     
    Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
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