[mjbacinski]

#7793

I have had 2 sciatica operations at the base of the spine. After the second operation, 4 years later, I started to have a shortness of breath. With the surgery performed at the base of the spine, could there have been a procedure mishap that is causing my shortness of breath? I had a pulmonologist say that my lungs were fine but I may be anorexic. Another pulmonologist said my lungs were fine. I guess that means that COPD is not the answer. I had another doctor suggest that the sciatica surgery performed may have something to do with my shortness of breath. I am currently on a ventilator and asking if there’s a way to repair this shortness of breath? There is a doctor in Florida, Dr. Matthew Burkes that is performing stem cell implant at the base of the spine to help people with COPD. Also, Also, Emory University in Atlanta was doing a clinical trial on patients with ALS and when they implanted stem cells at the base of the spine, it helped people with shortness of breath. I’d appreciate your inout. Thank you. MaryJane

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#7796

Shortness of breath after a simple microdiscectomy to me represents a pulmonary embolism until proven otherwise. Any surgery can cause a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). If the DVT “breaks off”, the clot commonly “gets caught” in the lungs leading to shortness of breath. Another cause could be fluid overload. If the anesthesiologist infuses lots of fluid during surgery in a patient with poor functioning kidneys, this can cause fluid overload, pulmonary edema and shortness of breath.

Any pulmonologist should be able to diagnose these disorders so I have to assume that they have been ruled out.

I cannot comment on stem cell implants in the base of the spine for COPD. This treatment does not make sense to me.

Dr. Corenman

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