Donald Corenman MD DC | Spine Surgeon Colorado

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zookriz
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January 29, 2015 at 10:19 pm

Post count: 19

in reply to: neck muscle spasms misdiagnosis? #12114

Hello Dr. Corenman,
Its been two months since my 2 level ACDF. The surgeon said my neck looks great and he said if I was a football player he’d release me to go back to play in the NFL.
I’m feeling so much better. I hardly need to even take any OTC meds and the stiffness is improving every day. Most days I forget that any of the past 3 years of suffering has even occurred.
I’m still having some left shoulder pain but it’s tolerable and I assume its permanent. My headaches have improved greatly and mostly seem tension related now. I’m so happy with my decision to undergo surgery and using my own bone I’m back to life in two months.
Thank you for all your help and let’s hope the rest of my neck holds up!
Thanks again and good luck to all traveling this difficult path.

zookriz
Participant

December 9, 2014 at 3:38 am

Post count: 19

in reply to: neck muscle spasms misdiagnosis? #11833

Dr. Corenman,
To answer your question, I had a right sided approach. What determines which side you approach from? I’m healing nicely but I have been having some bad symptoms of restless leg syndrome except it is in my arms also. It was so bad that I thought I was going to go nuts. I don’t know if it is because of the meds or because I’m off of most of my pain meds or completely unrelated to the surgery at all. I’ve read it can be from an iron deficiency. Other than that I’m doing great.
In your opinion with the instability issue, do you think that it was just the injured levels or my whole neck? Or is there no way to know? Why did my flexion extension x ray not show it? The surgeon acted like they were really loose. I assumed with my bad curve that it’s my whole neck. What are the chances of future problems because of this and can I do anything to prevent it? My surgeon made sure he kept the plate away from the next levels to try to help not put too much pressure on the above and below joints.
I guess for now I heal and see how it all plays out.
Thanks again,
Kathy

zookriz
Participant

December 6, 2014 at 5:36 am

Post count: 19

in reply to: neck muscle spasms misdiagnosis? #11822

Hello Dr. Corenman,
I had my 2 level ACDF with hip autograft and everything went well. I’m off my pain meds that I’ve been on for over 1 year. I’m only taking Tylenol and some muscle relaxers. Using my hip bone was a great choice for me, I will heal quick and that part of the surgery was not bad at all. I’ve been told it was going to be more painful than my neck but the benefit far outweighed the pain, I feel. Everything went well but my voice is still a mess which I know is also a risk with this surgery. My surgeon’s only concern is that my vertebrae were very loose. He is not sure if it is just the injured levels or my whole neck. I guess this explains why I can’t keep the correct curve in my neck. He said when he was performing my surgery that my bones were “all over the place”. Do you find this often? I suppose this gives me a better chance at the levels above and below being future problems.
For now I feel great and have no regrets. I can’t wait to go back to life with my kids. Thank you for all your help, best wishes to you and your family and good luck to everyone.
Kathy

zookriz
Participant

October 22, 2014 at 12:46 am

Post count: 19

in reply to: neck muscle spasms misdiagnosis? #11572

Hi Dr. Corenman,
I just wanted to let you know I have been scheduled for a c5-c7 ACDF just as you suggested. My surgery is Nov. 23rd. I’ll let you know how it goes. Thanks for everything!
Kathy

zookriz
Participant

September 19, 2014 at 10:35 pm

Post count: 19

in reply to: neck muscle spasms misdiagnosis? #11460

Hello Dr. Corenman,
Another update on my cervical situation. I recently tried a cranial nerve block for head aches, which did not help. I am considering surgery. My surgeon wants to remove my c6 c7 disc that is causing some early myelopathy symptoms. The pain clinic agreed that I should have a discogram done to evaluate my c5 c6 symptoms. I had three levels tested. It was positive on c5 c6. I didn’t get the report back yet but for anyone debating on having a discogram done, it was well worth it. My doctor is very good at these even though they don’t do very many in the cervical area, they do mostly back. The most painful part ironically was the numbing medication. When the pressurize a bad disc there is no denying that it’s bad! It made my eyes water. So it looks like I’m going to be having a two level fusion. I will get back with the written results ASAP. Thank you for all your time and help. I have referred many people to your sight for information and support. It’s priceless!
Thanks again, Kathy

zookriz
Participant

April 19, 2014 at 2:54 am

Post count: 19

in reply to: neck muscle spasms misdiagnosis? #10777

Hello Dr. Corenman,
Another update on my cervical situation. I am continuing with the pain management doctor who is a neurologist. He is getting more concerned. My pain is increasing in my shoulders and my headaches are continuing. On his last examination he says I have hyper reflexes, 2-3 beats of clonus (which I’ve heard can be normal), I have a hyper jaw jerk reflex, I don’t know what this indicates.
I also had an epidural in c1-2 c2-3 area on the right side. It helped for about a week. My doc sent me for a neurosurgical consult since my central herniation is on the cord now and my kyphosis has increased some. He also believes my c5 c6 herniation, may be causing my left shoulder problems. I have had the electric sensations on the left in my neck but they stopped at my collar bone and didn’t continue down my arm. I have pain in both shoulders and upper back all the time but the left is worse. I have what you described as snapping scapula syndrome, a very disturbing sensation. The first surgeon said I should get a spinal stimulator. My pain doctor didn’t think this was a good idea and sent me for a second surgical consult. The second doctor suggested a 2 level discectomy and fusion claiming that the hardware would also help with the kyphosis and sent for a bone scan. The scan came back fairly normal, symmetric degenerative arthrosis of the shoulders, sternoclavicular joints, wrist, hips, knees and feet. There is a minimal thoracolumbar scoliosis. After my follow up with the second surgeon he suggested a one level discectomy fusion for c6 c7, the central herniation. He said he thinks it would be wise to do the minimal. I asked about my left shoulder and after he examined it he said it could be being caused from my neck at c5 c6. I also expressed my concerns about the neuro’s finding that I was hyperflexic. He agreed that I was and also said I was positive for Hoffmans. I do not have any signs of mylopathy or numbness anywhere but my exams tell my something is going on and it seems to be getting worse.
Do I wait this all out, hoping I never progress to weakness, numbness or mylopathy? How long can you stay on pain medications? I’m on hydrocodone SR 10 mg 4 x day and Celebrex 200mg 1 x day.
The surgeon said it’s a 50/50 thing that surgery will help me.
Since I have a very narrow spinal canal, I’m afraid of the stimulator and scarring. Have you found this to ever be an issue?
My chiropractor wants me to use a denneroll to try to fix my kyphosis. Is that even possible?
My primary doc said the sleep reflexes I am having at night are hypnic jerks or myoclonic jerks, is this concerning?
Not one of my doctors believes I have Fibromyalgia.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to your response.
Kathy
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Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 17 total)

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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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zookriz

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