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  • Holger
    Member
    Post count: 16

    Here is my post-op update.
    First and foremost, I’m very glad it’s over!! In all it was a very significant experience as I had other surgeries before. As I am writing this I am wearing a neck collar as instructed 24/7. Honestly, I feel that my neck is much more secure with it and now I feel “weird” and unstable without it. My first initial surgery on October 15, which took six hours, included a vertebrectomy of two vertebrae with a multi-level anterior and posterior cervical fusion. To me, I think of it “simply” as a anterior removal of two vertebrae that is then stabilized with a Harm’s Mesh oval cylinder compacted with my own bones and a titanium plate that is fixated on the remaining vertebrae in addition to two titanium rods that are implanted posterior along my cervical spine. My surgeon also informed me that he had to use allograft to reconstruct my posterior spine. My second surgery on October 22 lasted one hour and was performed due to a MRSE infection that included a re-opening of my 15 cm posterior incision in order to clean it out. Currently I am still treating this infection with vancomycin 1gm 2/day intravenously and Rifampin orally 1/day. I am still extremely hoarse and I need twice the amount of air to speak which is tiring. My original hospital stay was estimated at a maximum at four days. However, I spent total of thirteen days in the original hospital and five days in a rehab hospital to learn how to walk and balance. I also was getting sick of the local hospital cuisine. Now I am finally home which is a tremendous boost for myself in order to get back to some resemblance of normal. My neck still feels very tight that radiates throughout my upper back. Even though it was, for me at least, a very interesting experience, I hope I will never have to endure another surgery ever again. Thank you very much for all the advice during my difficult journey.

    Donald Corenman, MD, DC
    Moderator
    Post count: 8656

    Glad to have your report. Infection after surgery is rare and I am sorry to hear about your MRSA infection (methicillin resistant staphlococcus aureus-a difficult bacterial to treat). It is treated with IV antibiotics,debridement (reopening of the incision and “cleaning out” any infection material) and normally a wound vac (a sterile biologically compatable foam that is under suction and closes the incision in a delayed fashion).

    Please let us know how you continue to advance after surgery.

    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.
Viewing 2 posts - 13 through 14 (of 14 total)
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