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Sailormoon
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October 23, 2020 at 8:36 pm

Post count: 29

in reply to: Numbness after microdiscectomy #33252

I went to another doctor (3rd hospital) to get another opinion, and he requested for blood culture and CRP tb (just in case). I have no fever now. And he said maybe blood culture will clean. Because it should be done before treatment to ensure what kind of bacteria i have, but still we have to try. The result will be available a week later.

In the meantime im on IV antibiotics home care for 2 weeks. (This one treated by 2nd hospital)

I already went to 3 hospitals, and the last doctor who req for blood culture said it needs minimum 4 weeks antibiotics IV continued by MRI after that to ensure it is clean. At least now i got doctor who implement standard protocol. I hope its not too late.

Sailormoon
Participant

October 22, 2020 at 9:41 am

Post count: 29

in reply to: Numbness after microdiscectomy #33249

Strangely, none of the doctors i met seems really concerned about this desease. I feel neglected. They think im overreacted.

My new doctor said, after two weeks he will check the blood result and if it is not improved, there is a chance he will performed surgery from anterior to clean the inside.

This doctor said that its hard to identify the type of bacteria. So he will give me brodced 2gr everyday from IV.

If a week after antibiotics i took blood check resulting increasing ESR and CRP, does it mean this antibiotics is not working too?

My first doctor told me they gave me 2 kinds of antibiotics, it should be covered all kind of bacteria.

When hospitalized my red blood count decreasing and i have blood transfer. Then slowly after home it is increasing back to normal. Today my rbc going down again. Is it related? All my life i have normal rbc, so i confuse why now i have rbc below normal.

Sailormoon
Participant

October 22, 2020 at 3:08 am

Post count: 29

in reply to: Numbness after microdiscectomy #33247

Hi Dr Corenman,

My ESR increase from 40 to 54 within 3 days, and my CRP increase from 5.5 to 9.3

My doctor want to give me anti inflammasi cataflam. Not antibiotics.
He said that indicator of infection is wbc and neutropil.

I see another doctor and he want to give me antibiotics IV for 2 weeks together with oral, after 2 weeks will be evaluated by blood check.

My neurological defisit increasing day by day. Im afraid i will no longer have bowel and bladder control. Since from last MRI a week ago, the infection reach my spinal canal, going to L4 and S2

Sailormoon
Participant

October 20, 2020 at 8:27 am

Post count: 29

in reply to: Numbness after microdiscectomy #33237

Hello from Indonesia ???????? ????

I got info from one of the doctor here that patients who got spine infection keep coming back with same problem.

So i think maybe it is because the treatment is lower than 6 weeks.
So its not finished yet.

I really want to tell them about the standard protocol, so they can give me additional antibiotics IV, but they will be offended.

Tomorrow i will finish my oral antibiotics and will check ESR and CRP again. If it still high i will find a way to get another one until it reach 6 weeks.

Thank you so much for your help, Dr Corenman.

Sailormoon
Participant

October 19, 2020 at 8:11 am

Post count: 29

in reply to: Numbness after microdiscectomy #33227

It seems normal here antibiotics gives only a week. When hospitalised i got this antibiotics:

ceftriaxine 2x1gr together with
Metronidazole 4x1gr both 5 days

So each day i got 6 bottles that made nausea

Blood result 5 days ago:
ESR 39, normal range <15

Blood result today from different lab:
ESR 40, normal range <15
CRP 5.5, normal range <5

Still high.
I have fever 17 days after surgery and last for 2 days only. No chill. Lethargy and malaise is heal.
I still have pain though in my left back. Usually came when i wake up from lay down and lasts for a while. There is back pain that feels when i try to bend a little.

Is there possibility abscess grow near nerve root? Or it located under skin?

Btw, i cant bent at all, does it because i have empty disc of L5S1?
If i want to bent i have to put hands to hold on something in front of me.

Sailormoon
Participant

October 18, 2020 at 11:33 am

Post count: 29

in reply to: Numbness after microdiscectomy #33222

No, i dont have other infection. The incision site fully heal. During hospitalized, I feel gradually deterioration on skin sensory in L5S1 area and it keep happening until now. The area is greater day bay day.

Today i feel continuous muscle spasm at my leg when walking. Rightaway after 1st surgery i feel this too but 3 days after back to normal. Now it came again.

The pain also still there but quite reduce compared to before hospitalized.

I told about neurological defisit to the doctors but he said it probably because inflammation causing swollen and pinch nerve n need time to reduce. But it should be not progressing, right?

My ESR rate, 3 days after antibiotics IV showing 39 from normal <15. And this blood check requested by internist, not my surgeon, because i have gastro issue during hospitalized. Antibiotics metronidazole makes me nausea.

Tomorrow i will go to the lab to check CRP, ESR and white blood cell to ensure the rate is normal or almost normal already.

If the result is clean does it means the infection is heal?

Is it necessary to have another MRI sooner?

If the antibiotics already stop and its not fully heal means i have to start antibiotics from zero again?

Or should i have an urgent surgery considering neurological defisit?

I already have 2 surgery within 2 months, Im afraid my body especially spinal would be upset ????
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Viewing 6 posts - 19 through 24 (of 28 total)

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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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Sailormoon

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