Dr. Corenman,
Yeah, cautionary is right. When I landed, I heard the pops. I briefly thought it could be internal stitches, but the pain was far too acute and severe for that. I told my friends that when it happened, I couldn’t think of an expletive adequate enough to scream out (which is unusual for my prior military and law enforcement mouth), so I just stood still for about a minute, hyperventilating and grunting like some scary character from the Hobbit.
I wonder if this is something iFuse might benefit from hearing about. And, I’m picturing in my head those wall screw anchors, the white plastic things with barbs on them, that hold screws in the wall when you’re hanging a picture. Although the iFuse implants aren’t screws, I’m thinking the device could be revised to include some kind of 3-sided “anchor jacket” (very thin) that would be emplaced first, then the actual implant inserted within and held securely in the port.
This is a rough idea, obviously. But, what about also considering some kind of small pins implanted down the side of the drilled port, then redesigning the implant to contain small divots or holes to which the pins would “catch” upon implantation?
As a current patient having just undergone 2 of these rather new procedures, I can promise you that it HURTS when those implants are displaced. And, mine was shoved directly into the S-2 nerve outlet, completely trapping the nerve exiting the hole. I told my surgeon that with all the ruptured disks I’ve had throughout my life, and with all of the foraminal obliterations I’ve experienced, the nerve pain from THIS incident was something beyond description. No patient should ever have to experience that — and, I think the biomedical design team at iFuse might entertain a letter describing my incident. It could only help them, and future patients.
If you’d like, I can send you a photo of the post-displacement incident, which shows the bolt “shoved” into the S-2 nerve outlet. You could share with colleagues, especially the one you’re friends with who’s performed many of these procedures. To what address could I send it so you could just see it? My surgeon prints off X-ray images for his patients, so this is literally an 8×10 piece of paper with the image on it.
Thanks for taking time to read my post, as always.
We’re thinking of you today here in the mountains of NC… Heavy snow and 50 mph winds. An awesome day to go outside on the walker and create a new sport for the X-Games… Freestyle Fuse ‘n Luge.
S.W., NC