Dear Dr Corenman,
I’ve had within the past few years an ACDF using allograft from C3 to C6, partial corpectomy C7/T1 with titanium cage, C3 to C7 laminectomy with fusion to T2, C5 thru C7 bilateral medial facetectomy and foraminotomy. I’m having a significant amount of muscle spasms in the traps, from base of skull down to upper back. This is also causing neck, shoulder, biceps pain along with headaches.
I’ve been diagnosed by my surgeon with post surgical kyphosis and recent scans confirms deformity along with moderate foraminal stenosis. Consultation with physiatrists physical medicine specialist added cervical paraspinal atrophy is causing muscle weakness and instability. Please note posterior rods were removed two years ago. My questions are: 1) how one can tell if my pain generator is from kyphosis verse paraspinal atrophy? 2) what are my treatment options for either issue 3) would inserting the rods back again from C3 to T2 stabilize the spine and correct kyphosis without the need for PSO – pedicle subtraction osteotomy? 4) Would an MRI of the cervical spine muscles be useful in this case? Thanks in advance for your help
