[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#9755

Burning pain that is starting to migrate to all extremities is less likely to be from specific nerve damage due to injury and more likely to be from a more diffuse problem like CRPS (chronic regional pain syndrome formally known as RSD) or fibromyalgia.

You need to seek out a chronic pain doctor who specializes in these types of disorders. These docs are typically anesthesiologists or PM&R doctors who have taken a pain fellowship.

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.

[ashbyboulware]

#10310

Greetings Dr Corenman, Justwanted to tell you after a 5 month ordeal after my acdf at c5-c6, I saw the head neurosurgeon at U.A.B.(university of alabama at birmingham) yesterday. It took him all of 15 minutes to diagnose pseudoarthrosis. A ct later that day confirmed almost no bone growth. I’m on the books next Tuesday for a correction. First thing first. If you review this post, I believe pseudoarthrosis was one of the first diagnosis you made. Unbelieveable. Couple of quick questions…since I don’t smoke, what installation wise could have been done wrong to prevent bone growth…titanium plate with allograft was used…shavings from the bone spurs and portions of the vertebrae were used for the “wadding” so to speak…”the carpenter was the problem” I believe was the vernacular used. Additionally, instead of admitting a problem, I have been referred out for second opinions and radiology done, with pain management without a diagnosis being offered as my only option. Should the radiologist not have the tools to diagnose this? It was the same imaging my new doctor looked at. Can they not use the same Deduction powers he used? The bone was “white”. Fused bone should not be this color. That simple….does the radiologist not have a simple bone density scanner? I’m very concerned that it took 5 months and a new doctor to find what seemed to be a very simple issue to diagnose. If I had not searched out a new doctor and took them for their word, I would be walking around and working(heavy lifting) with the titanium plate with four screws being the only thing holding my neck togethor.if the screws sheared or backed out what kind of troble would I have been in? And lastly, how do they “re-do” the procedure. He is going in anteriorly, and didn’t mention cadaver bone or taking a graft? Where does the bone material come from? You are a brilliant doctor, Dr C and the info supplied on this forum is invaluable. I wish you well and especially a well aligned spine….

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#10311

Even in the best of hands, pseudoarthrosis can occur. This lack of fusion however is increased by the use of allograft (donor bone), PEEK (plastic) cages and poor carpentry.

This is relatively easy to spot on X-rays, especially on flexion/extension X-rays and CT scan is the gold standard for this diagnosis. I cannot tell you why this lack of fusion was not spotted sooner.

Even with a pseudoarthrosis however, your neck was most likely stable. There are patients walking around with a pseudoarthrosis without symptoms and do not need a repair.

I repair a cervical pseudoarthrosis either with a posterior fusion or a revision anterior fusion with autograft (pelvis bone).

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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