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  • NIKKID17
    Participant
    Post count: 4

    This is what the new surgeon is saying. None of the MRI has been too helpful & being the difference in the EMG he wants to repeat the MRI. Once I have results I will post it. Thank you so very much you have been more helpful on here than the surgeon whom operated on me. God bless you & what you do for people like me.

    NIKKID17
    Participant
    Post count: 4

    I have attached the last MRI I had done. However, I am awaiting insurance to approve the new one with the new surgeon. There were so many different findings on the EMG the old & new surgeon done that the new surgeon doesn’t feel comfortable not doing a new one. I guess mainly I am wondering if any of this is normal from such a “minor surgery”

    RESULT:

    Indication for the Request / Reason for Overread: Previous report is

    inadequate.

    Specific Issue(s) Discussed: ? epidural hematoma ? arachnoiditis. ?

    evidence of ongoing root compression and/or surgically amenable pathology

    ? lumbosacral plexitis

    Counting reference: Lumbosacral junction. For the purposes of this

    report, L4-5 is considered the level of the iliac crest.

    Postoperative change: There are postoperative findings related to L3-4

    microdiscectomy.

    Alignment: Alignment is anatomic.

    Bone marrow signal/fracture: No evidence of pathologic marrow

    infiltration. No evidence of prior fracture.

    Conus: The conus is within normal limits of signal intensity and

    morphology. The conus medullaris terminates at L1.

    Paraspinal soft tissues: There is a 12 mm T2 hyperintense and T1

    hypointense peripherally enhancing fluid collection in the deep soft

    tissues adjacent to the posterior inferior aspect of the left L3-4 facet

    joint, which were present a postoperative fluid collection. There is

    mild surrounding edema and enhancement around the collection. Paraspinal

    soft tissues are otherwise within normal limits.

    Lower thoracic spine: Visualized lower thoracic canal and foramina are

    patent.

    T12-L1: Canal and foramina are patent.

    L1-L2: Canal and foramina are patent.

    L2-L3: Canal and foramina are patent

    L3-L4: There are postoperative findings on the left related to the prior

    discectomy and fluid collection resulting in mild left neural foraminal

    narrowing. There is mild clumping of the nerve roots at the posterior

    left aspect of the thecal sac at the level of L3-4. Canal and right

    foramina are patent

    L4-L5: Canal and foramina are patent

    L5-S1: There is mild bilateral facet arthropathy and mild diffuse disc

    bulge resulting in partial effacement of the bilateral subarticular zones

    and mild contact of the right greater than left bilateral S1 descending

    nerve roots. Canal and foramina are patent

    Sacrum and iliac wings: The visualized sacrum and iliac wings are

    within normal limits.

    IMPRESSION:

    Postoperative findings related to L3-4 microdiscectomy with a small 12 mm

    peripheral enhancing fluid collection in the deep soft tissues adjacent

    to the posterior inferior aspect of the L3-4 facet joint, likely

    postoperative. Associated adjacent mild surrounding enhancement and

    edema. Associated mild narrowing of the left neural foramina. Mild

    clumping of the nerve roots at the posterior left aspect of the thecal

    sac at the level of L3-4, suggestive of arachnoiditis.

    Mild degenerative changes at L5-S1 with mild diffuse disc bulge and

    contact of the right greater than left bilateral S1 descending nerve

    roots.

    NIKKID17
    Participant
    Post count: 4

    Everything you replied is exactly what I am experiencing. The original surgeon has blatantly refused to even communicate with me on ANYTHING. I do believe in some fashion there may be surgical error & this could be potentially why he has refused to give me any advice or answers.
    MRI—-
    I am pending a new one from the new surgeon.

    EMG —
    Muscle bulk is reduced in the left leg with mild quadriceps, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius atrophy. Fasciculations and abnormal movements are absent. There is no pronator drift. Tone is normal. Neck extensors were 5/5 and flexors were 5/5. Upper extremity power, when graded out of 5, revealed:

    Lower extremity strength, when reported the same way, showed:

    Right
    Left

    hip flexion
    5
    4

    hip extension
    5
    4

    hip abduction
    5
    4-

    knee flexion
    5
    4-

    knee extension
    5
    3-

    ankle dorsiflexion
    5
    0

    plantar flexion
    5
    2

    foot inversion
    5
    0

    foot eversion
    5
    0

    toe extension
    5
    0

    toe flexion
    5
    1

    MUSCLE STRETCH REFLEXES:
    Comparing right to left and utilizing the NINDS scale (0 = absent; 1+ = less than normal, including a trace response or a response brought out only by reinforcement; 2+ = lower half of normal range, +3 upper half of normal range; 4+ = enhanced, more than normal, includes clonus if present) reflexes are:

    Biceps brachii
    2+/2+

    Brachioradialis
    2+/2+

    Triceps
    2+/2+

    Long finger flexors
    present/present

    Quadriceps
    3+/2+

    Semitendinosus/
    Semimembranosus
    present/absent

    Gastrocnemius/ soleus
    2+/2+
    slightly lower on the left

    Mild spread in synergistic muscle groups. Vendorovich signs are present, bilaterally. Mild crossed adduction in the lower extremities. Plantar responses are mute, bilaterally. Clonus is absent.

    SENSORY: Left L5 >> L4/3 sensory loss. Otherwise normal and symmetric perception of pinprick, vibration. Romberg’s sign absent.

    COORDINATION/GAIT: Unable to rise from a chair without using arms.

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