Donald Corenman MD DC | Spine Surgeon Colorado

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ashley
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August 14, 2013 at 5:52 am

Post count: 25

in reply to: Tingling #9210

Thanks I will look up those signs.

Lately I have been noticing a strange tightening sensation around my waist. Like little contractions but not painful at all. When I look this up it seems to be similar to an ms hug.

Can a herniated cervical disc or cord compression/myelopathy also cause this dysesthesia?

ashley
Member

August 13, 2013 at 5:15 am

Post count: 25

in reply to: Tingling #9199

Thanks Dr,

About 6 yrs ago I started having the difficulty swallowing and an ent worked it up and did a scope. Normal. Then I was sent for a thyroid scan. 1 cold nodule was found and no further investigation was done.

When you said that my sx could be from cord compression and myelopathy would that be because my c5/c6 mild disc space narrowing has possibly gotten worse?

And just before I started with the tingling and difficulty with my hands my finger joints started swelling. My gp said we would wait and see what that turned into. I am assuming something like lupus or ra.

I feel like I already have so much to deal with and I am really hoping that my neurological sx are to do with my neck herniations and not something more insidious.

Wouldn’t something more serious like a lesion have shown up on my cervical mri last year?

Would you suggest I ask for a full mri of my spine as well as a brain mri since I have only had a cervical one done? I don’t want to seem pushy but I want to make sure I am thoroughly investigated.

Sorry this was so long I just have a lot on my plate right now.

Have a great day Dr Corenman and thanks for allowing me to ask questions.

ashley
Member

August 12, 2013 at 3:49 am

Post count: 25

in reply to: Tingling #9192

I forgot to mention that just around the time that those sx started I also have been having difficulty swallowing solids only. I have to double swallow to get my food down.

I have also been having bladder issues too lately. A uti and decreased/dull sensation of my genitalia. Could these also be from cord compression?

I have no pain though. Is it possible to have cord compression but not have pain?

ashley
Member

August 12, 2013 at 3:00 am

Post count: 25

in reply to: Tingling #9191

Thank you so much for your quick reply. I will make sure I address these sx at my appt next week.

ashley
Member

May 17, 2013 at 3:11 am

Post count: 25

in reply to: medication after fusion #8684

Thanks for your time and knowledge Dr Corenman.

Today I received my neck xray results and was told that the fusion at c6/c7 was solid. My dr also said that there were no new structural changes like increased narrowing.

It’s been about 10 days since the pain in my neck started and my symptoms are clearing up….my neck is no longer sore. Still a slight grinding sound when turning my head to the right.

I do have a small bulge above my fusion and here’s what my MRI report said last year.

MRI March 2012 findings: c5/c6 mild disc space narrowing and a small central disc protrusion.

So because my fusion is solid would the neck pain that I had recently be from a new herniation or perhaps worsening of the bulge at c5/c6 or could it just have been a kink in my neck or muscular problem?

And because my symptoms have gone away now would a new MRI even be warranted? What do you recommend in situations like this?

Thank you.

ashley
Member

May 14, 2013 at 4:13 am

Post count: 25

in reply to: medication after fusion #8654

Hi Dr,

But the fall happened over 3 months ago and I have had no symptoms until now.

Do flare ups or inflammation happen after an acdf? Is there a way to tell if its just a flare up or inflammation as opposed to injuring a facet or disc? How are the symptoms different?

The bone where my c6/c7 was done is sore to touch at the back of my neck. I will go for an xray.

Thanks.
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Donald Corenman, MD, DC

Average rating:

81 reviews

Eric S

Sep 26, 2021

by Eric S on Donald Corenman, MD, DC

Successful pars repair at 46 years old

Back in November of 2018 (at 46 years old) I came from Vancouver BC to have a pars repair done with Dr. Donald Corenman at the Steadman Clinic in Vail Colorado. I'm finally posting this review nearly three years later in late 2021. The reason I waited so long was I wanted to know the final result before I posted my review. Unfortunately in that time Dr. Corenman has retired. Nevertheless, I want to post this review of Dr. Corenman and his staff at the Steadman Clinic in their excellent treatment of my L5 pars interarticularis.

I fractured my pars at age 42 back in 2014 when rolling on the gym floor, and was denied treatment by the Canadian healthcare system, probably due to my age. First my GP told me there was no surgical option for a pars defect, which was quite incorrect! I tried to live with it, but the symptoms worsened (periodic random spine slippage and weeks of resultant pain after just bending over to tie my shoe, so I eventually learned to mostly squat and hardly bend). When I finally consulted with Canadian spine surgeons, I was told they believed my pars defect had been congenital (since birth). This was absurd, considering I had done extreme martial arts (including jiu jitsu) for years prior, as well as 5 years of reinforcing steel full time in my 20s, probably the hardest job on the back you can find. No pars defect like mine would possibly have allowed this--ergo it was impossible that I had had the defect since birth. I did however have an asymptomatic congenital spina bifida occulta that made me more susceptible to a pars fracture. In 2014 in one instant, I went from having the strongest back people I knew said they'd ever seen, to being unable to safely bend over and tie my shoe without a non-negligible risk of my spine slipping randomly (which would lead to weeks of pain after each occurrence). This was due to the unilateral L5 pars defect, otherwise known as spondylolysis. It was when lying in pain on the floor 4 years later after maybe the 6th spine slippage event post injury, that I had had enough, and resolved to have surgery. If Canada's "universal health care" said no, I would make lemonade from lemons, and find the very best surgeon in the world at pars repairs. That was Dr. Donald Corenman. Dr. Corenman back in 2018 ran a website https://neckandback.com/ that dedicated many pages to the science of every aspect of pars repairs, from eligibility (good discs on MRI), to best surgical techniques (minimal open compared to minimally invasive), best imaging to use (i.e., O-Arm with Stealth imaging vs. older fluoroscopy), the ideal amount of BMP to use and why not use too much or too little, and much more, all to do with pars repairs, pages upon pages of his site just on the pars, with scientific references and his own extensive expert opinion. As a health research statistician, I was very impressed with this. It was in stark contrast to the websites of other spine surgeons which barely gave the pars a word or two, focusing almost exclusively on fusions. I had found the best surgeon in the world for pars repairs, and so after Dr. Corenman personally screened my MRI to ensure my discs were healthy, I booked the surgery.

Being 46 years old at the time of surgery in 2018, with a 4-year-old pars fracture from 2014 combined with a congenital SBO meant my pars fragment was somewhat atrophied, but it was "very solid", said Dr. Corenman in the operative report. Nevertheless, it was challenging with two things to fix, the pars and SBO, and OR time was around 4 hours. Recovery over the following months was guided by a very clear "Spine binder" from the Steadman Clinic with strict rules of "no BLT" (no bending, lifting or twisting), and illustrated physiotherapy guidelines. They even warned patients to avoid fish oil supplements, which could excessively dampen inflammation and hence slow bone healing. They answered many questions I had during months of recovery, with responses coming from the very supportive Lori Fugate (then director of Dr. Corenman's practice), and Ehrich Bean (then physician's assistant at the practice), as well as a couple calls with Dr. Corenman himself after two of the CT scans. Ehrich Bean offered great advice for taking the spine binder conservatively due to the nature of pars repairs vs. fusions. The final post-op CT scan I had was a couple weeks ago at 34 months post-op, and Dr. Corenman had retired, but I got a very positive and informative call from Eric Strauch (current PA at the Steadman Clinic under Dr. Corenman's replacement there, and who had also worked with Dr. Corenman previously). The staff at the Steadman Clinic were extremely supportive all the way through the process. I should mention, the local Canadian spine surgeon did offer me very good post-operative support including antibiotics as needed to deal with a mild surface incision-site infection early on, booking numerous x-rays when I felt something was amiss, as well as booking all four of my post-op CT scans. I am very grateful for that support also.

My final result shows plenty of solid bone across the pars and a healed SBO, with my vertebral body now a solid bone ring instead of being broken at two places as it was pre-op. Does my spine hold up in the real world? You bet! I have recently dug and moved several yards of dirt and sand and gravel by myself (shovel and wheelbarrow!) to fix our water main, pulled roots from the yard, moved several "portable" (these are HUGE) air conditioners up several flights of stairs my myself, and lifted weights. I now run 2 miles (3.2 KM) several times weekly with a hard 100 meter dash in the middle. I bend deeply before each run I go on, with no spine slippage. My spine feels amazing. I can bend over to do exercise, or real word tasks, with no risk of spine slippage.

My sincere thanks to God, Dr. Donald Corenman, Lori Fugate, Ehrich Bean, Eric Strauch, and the Steadman Clinic, as well as the Canadian spine surgeon who offered me excellent post-operative care back in Canada. You have all given me a new lease on life.

Sincerely,
Eric S

Robert S

May 11, 2021

by Robert S on Donald Corenman, MD, DC

Back Fusion Surgery

I had my entire lumbar spine fused in November of 2018. I had scoliosis , with pinched nerves that were so painful I could hardly walk - and standing for more than a few minutes was impossible. Even sitting was painful.
The fusion surgery produced immediate relief! And the recovery was much easier than I expected.
To this day I can do all the activities I love from hiking, to standing in a stream fly fishing to riding my bike long distances - or just walking down the street with my wife.
Kudos to Dr. Corenman and his staff, (including the two Erics) for taking such good care of me!

Leslie R

Jul 9, 2020

by Leslie R on Donald Corenman, MD, DC

TLIF

I had my TLIF surgery on 6/24/2020 by Dr. Corenman, I can not say enough good things about the Dr or his staff. I was always treated with respect and explained everything throughly, that made it easy for everyone to understand. I highly recommend Dr. Corenman and the Steadman Clinic.

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ashley

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