Donald Corenman MD DC | Spine Surgeon Colorado

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texasspondy
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April 27, 2013 at 5:01 am

Post count: 25

in reply to: Pars Interarticulas fracture-L5 #8514

Bitmerkle, have you read the literature on Dr. Corenman’s site, it’s very useful info on spondy.
I’m not answering for Dr. Corenman by any means, but I also have l5 pars fracture, bilateral. My fracture is also very old, since I’m 42 now and it probably happened around 15 years old I believe. The bottom line is, is somewhat healed itself over the years by scarring up. So you and I have pannus or scar/bony tissue that is holding that lower pars joint together.
You can get it fixed now, with surgery, more than likely a TLIF, fusion. That is my option too. My pain is from muscle fatigue, 24/7 the low back muscles spasm from trying to hold that joint together. I work out and try to keep the low back strong without overdoing it but, honestly anything much more than sedentiary lifestyle will overwork the low back. I’m trying to deal with it as long as I can before I give in to surgery, due to the task that surgery will impose on ones personal life, job, finances, etc.
I have changed my profession from a physically demanding mechanic job to an office job, as well as modifying my habits, like bending over, I bend down, etc.

I hope this helps some and you can get some relief. The shots, did nothing for me, corisone, epidurals, nothing. Trigger point injections helped calm the muscles down but that’s just a temporary bandaid, at least in my case.

texasspondy
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November 29, 2012 at 8:38 am

Post count: 25

in reply to: Help! Effectiveness of prior surgery without disc removal? #7497

Jaime, something you might consider. If or when you have exhausted other sources as local doctors or treatments is, that Dr. Corenman, sees patients from all over the world. An unhealthy back is a life of pain and misery as you are well knowledged by now on this subject.

I don’t work for Dr. Corenman, or get paid, or on his staff, but I too have spondy of the l5 level. It has changed my life the last ten years and drastically the last 15 months. So much research I have done on this matter that I actually flew a couple hours and drove a couple more hours to have a consultation with Dr. Corenman. No it wasn’t as convenient as a Spine surgeon across town but, you do have options. When my life will allow for me to take some time out to fix my back, Dr. Corenman’s hands will be the ones to do it.

texasspondy
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October 31, 2012 at 7:39 pm

Post count: 25

in reply to: Recent Diagnosed Bilateral Pars Fracture with Pain #7307

“I have been denied fusin by 3 different surgens. and also the city IME stated Im not a candidate for surgury and he suggests that the city retire me from full duty?”

This part just makes me scratch my head in disbelief. As I recall salve97, you are on a workman’s comp case. It’s contradictory, kind of like “There’s nothing wrong with your car (black smoke pouring out the back), but I would suggest you start taking the bus….

I have a co worker, I just spoke with yesterday, has l4/l5 herniation problems and he’s on workman’s comp. To make a long story short, things are moving at a snails pace and he’s got one surgeon to choose from, that’s it, take it or leave it. When it comes to the spine, I want the best of the best working with me, not restrictions/limitations on what care I can get.

Anyway, following the thread, and wish you much success salve97 with your treatment plan….

texasspondy
Member

October 17, 2012 at 10:40 pm

Post count: 25

in reply to: 40year old with 80 year old back #7179

Dr. Corenman,

First, I’d like to say (while it’s fresh in my mind), it was an absolute pleasure to meet you during my appointment 10/16/2012. Your knowledge and personality were just as I figured, second to none. Your staff was, very nice and quite helpful. Your PA, (sorry don’t remember his name), was also very knowledgeable and I enjoyed meeting with him, and of course the surrounding view is a narcotic itself.

I knew there would be other questions after I left your office. With my Mri and xrays, do you think it is of any value to persue what my PMS had wanted to do next, a nerve block, or RF? I gathered from our meeting that my discomfort is coming from the pars fracture themselves, possibly a hair from the slight l4-l5 bulge. So I’m guessing nerve endings in the pannus are what’s actually behind the discomfort and nerve block won’t do anything to alleviate that?

Just thought I’d see if you thought that would be of any use or if I should just maintain for now (in my new office job), until I have the procedure done by you.

Thanks again, (The aircraft Mechanic)

texasspondy
Member

September 26, 2012 at 6:47 pm

Post count: 25

in reply to: pars defect – stress fractures #7022

My pain for the last 24 years has been 0-3 on a scale. Very, very tolerable, and therefore had no impact on my activities or lifestyle. Tweleve months ago is when it went to about an 8, I could not sleep, get comfortable without pain. I’ve managed to get it back down to 2-5. If I do too much (Walking, lifting, work, living), it goes to a 5 for a week, then rest, muscle relaxers, heat, etc, bring it back down to a 2.

I’ve only taken AI for the last 12 months, and I hate taking anything other than vitamins. I get a full workup of bloodwork 2x yearly for health and also to check liver/kidney levels due to the AI. I’m dilagent about taking them with food, and lots of water. As of so far no issues or problems with bloodwork, however, I don’t believe it’s in my best interest to take them on a daily basis forever. Though I only take mobic 15mg, which to my understanding is not real potent. My job will not allow narcotics, and honestly I enjoy being in control of my mental thoughts so I’d rather not take themn to dull the pain anyway.

Depression, as I mentioned above I hate to take any pill that is not good or healthy for me. So I do take St. Johns Wart, which is suppose to help with depression. It’s a healthy approach to working with it. Honestly, I try to keep myself busy, I feel depression has it’s strongest impact when one is sedentary for too long. Believe me between a recent divorce, sale of the home I loved, downsizing to an apartment, I’ve had my work cut out for me, ha.

As to Dr. Corenman, I’ve seen one nuerosurgeon locally, and they say it’s very wise to get a second opinion. Dr. Corenman will be my second opinion, when I have the opportunity to consult with him. But out of respect for Dr. Corenman, if I have surgery under his care, I will one of the Testimonials on his site or Patient Stories, not on his forum, that would be a small price to pay for restoring my life, :)

I can understand your son’s feelings, especially at his age. I think a fusion is something that if you have compramised the disk, or the nerve, the question is easy to answer. But if you have not, and at your son’s age, probably hasn’t, it’s much more difficult to give the green light for a fusion, that is just my opinion of having this procedure done. Let’s face it, your son has 20 years of living to do catch up to me, and in those 20 years, I’ve jumped out of airplanes, water ski, snow ski, moved myself and others many times, and a host of other things. Now, half of those things, I wouldn’t do ever again, though another 15-20 years from now it would be an even easier question for me to answer.

texasspondy
Member

September 26, 2012 at 7:40 am

Post count: 25

in reply to: pars defect – stress fractures #7018

My injury, I’m guessing happened about 25 years ago. I worked at a grocery store at the time, and was in the stock room getting a bail of bags (about 50 pounds of paper bags sandwhiched together). Lifting them up high from overhead and stepping backwards, when I lost my footing and starting falling backwards, hyperextending I think it’s called my back backwards. Went to doctor, they took an xray, and gave me some probably antiinflammatory and said I had no problem. I swear to this day, that’s when I fractured my L5 pars. But, I seemed to be fine after a couple weeks.

When I turned 30, my left leg was going numb, saw a chiropractor, and he did several adjustments, got the numbness out. I’ve spent the last 10 years since, just going to a chiro once in a while for maintenance. Last year, something happened. I think from what I’ve gathered, I tore the pannus (scar/bony) tissue from the fracture.

Since then, I have maintained a flat back approach to not retear/aggrivate that area, tried to avoid heavy, heavy lifting of objects, which is difficult since my job is physical. I stretch my hamstrings/front flexors daily, do some minor core work for low back and abs. I take a antiinflammatory daily, as well as a muscle relaxer at night a few times a week because the muscles get wadded up in knots from trying to hold the spine together.

I have developed a high tolerance for pain, so I guess 3-5 on my scale. That allows me to work, and pretty much get done what I need to, however my hobby’s, social life, quality of life, have just about all dwindled away, for fear of more pain, further degridation of the site. Not as young as your son but still pretty young at 41, and the only fix is a fusion for me. Thanks for asking and I don’t mean to deter from your thread here but you can take some of my post and maybe apply it to your sons situation. Honestly since last year, my led heating pad is about my best friend, it helps relax the muscles .
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Donald Corenman, MD, DC

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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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texasspondy

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