waderoberts

Thank You for your response.

I am encouraged by your confidence and wealth of experience in revision surgeries and optimistic prognosis of a return to a more active lifestyle following a successful fusion and resolution of the problems that I am currently having, which are considerable.

It has been some time since I sought out surgical opinions regarding revision surgery. (In 2004) I had the opinions of 2 orthopedic surgeons and a neurosurgeon, but there was no consensus regarding a surgical approach or prognosis, so I didn’t feel confident in going ahead with a 3rd surgery. I have a problem joint in the great toe of my right foot that requires replacement or fusion and further limits what I can do regarding aerobic exercise.

I would still like to know what activity restrictions and exercises you would recommend in the interim, as it seems that I struggle to find a happy medium between avoidance of activity to prevent increased radicular symptoms and neck pain and becoming so sedentary that my overall general health and fitness level falls into decline to the point that I suffer from an increase in muscle spasms in my neck and shoulders that seem to further limit circulation, drive up my blood pressure and create a greater dependence on flexeril and anti-inflammatory medications.

Again, I’d like to thank you for your confidence and reassurance that a revision is not only possible, but likely to be successful.

Again I apologize for linking images with personal identifiers and specific information. I will pursue an e-consult for a more detailed discussion of my personal circumstances and prognosis for surgical revision.

I agree totally regarding an anterior approach for any potential revision, as there is considerable anterior spurring of my cervical and upper thoracic spine due to the excessive segment motion at the C7-T1 level, particularly the base of T1 below the plate from contact with T2.

I declined a recommendation in 2004 for foraminotomies and fusion performed from the back of the neck. Since I’ve had anterior approaches both left and right sided, the surgeon felt that scar tissue and other hazards from the previous surgery prevented him from having confidence in making another anterior approach.

As for the radiculopathy, it was only after my second surgery that I had any right sided symptoms, though they resolved somewhat as time passed and only the left-sided symptoms remained relatively consistent, though bearable as compared to the neck pain.

Regarding the two explanations for the lack of resolution of radicular symptoms post surgery, I am confident that it was a matter of incomplete decompression.

As stated previously, I get considerable relief from radicular symptoms by making improvements in diet and lifestyle that help to reduce blood pressure and taking medications and supplements that increase circulation generally.

As for activity restrictions I would like to hear your thoughts regarding recommendations both for one with a successful multilevel fusion from C5-T1 and what additional restrictions you would recommend for one with an obvious non-union with excessive segment motion (instability) at the C7-T1 level.

It is certainly the cause of much “mechanical” neck pain.

Thank you for this forum and the educational insight provided on this website. It is beyond commendable the you devote the extra time necessary to provide people with this valuable resource.