Long-term results from Lumbar Spinal Fusion

[maw1953]

I am scheduled for a 2 level (L4-S1) anterior/posterior fusion with instrumentation on Nov 1st, 2006. I was curious as to those who had spinal fusion surgery what your long term results have been. After 1-3 years how many had additional surgery due to stress on the next level? What kinds of problems arise and what kind of medical results were given in your cases? Thank you in advance.

[Hoosier Mama?]

I had my first lumbar fusion at age 10 ('68), then another at higher levels two years later with instrumentation (this additional surgery was anticipated, as I have scoliosis...it wasn't so much because of any additional stress on the vertebrae above the fusion). This served me well for 20 years, and probably would've went longer if a group of surgeons hadn't seen all the hardware and dollar signs flashing in front of their eyes.:rolleyes:

In the interim, I was quite active...running three miles a day and working in a furniture factory. Ahhhh....but I was young then.;)

[marmar]

Hi there. I just wanted to say that most, if not all, responses here will be negative since we are all here for support because we are still in pain.

I had 5 surgeries to date. The 3rd one did work, a fusion of L4/L5. All was fine for a couple of years and then L3/L4 went and I had stenosis at that level. I heard later on that stabilizing one level may cause extra stress on the level above. I had surgery for the stenosis, but it did not work.

Have you explored the artificial disk at all? I have heard better results with that.

Not to scare you, but have you considered the fact that there are an extreme amount of cases of hospital staph infection? I am one of those cases, unfortunately. I contracted MRSA during my last surgery and had to have another surgery to fix the problem. AND, the doctor nicked the dura which caused a spinal fluid leak which was another fix during that second surgery.

I know that a majority of surgeries come out fine, and I pray that yours is one of those. If the surgery is medically necessary to fix a neurological condition and there are no other options, then you have to hope for the best. Chances are - if you are having the surgery to get rid of pain only, you will be disappointed. Ask your surgeon what percentage of pain relief you can expect.

Wishing you all the best. Maryanne

[simby]

hi maw,
i can't give you long term results as i am only 15 months post-op for a l4/5 fusion. I am just now beginning to be able to function at about 80%. Its a long, slow process.
It is true about the levels above and below taking over for the fused part. I have learned to do things without engaging my back, but its tough.
i squat rather then bend. Or kneel. And,if i do bend, i bend from the hips. I don't know if this will save the rest of the back from damage. But i try.

good luck.
sims

[Fancylady_2006]

Hi maw, Three weeks ago i had surgery on L2/L3 and also on L5/S1. I have had these same surgeries before once before. I had donated my own bone and it just crumbled so they used donor bone this time. So far I have had 6 back surgeries. Most have not been sucessful. In time they break down and the pain sets in. Then I get severe stenosis ans Spondilolisthesis, and I need decompression. I am a mess on the inside, but thats no sign you will be. Our bodies are all different and respond in different ways.

Try not to get to discouraged, if you need the surgery I would go ahead and do it. The pain will drive you to it anyway.
Best Wishes,
Fancylady:)

[Hoosier Mama?]

Fancylady_2006 wrote: I had donated my own bone and it just crumbled so they used donor bone this time.

They used something called artificial bone with my last fusion. Apparently, it hardens denser than human bone...although there is some risk with rejection, since it's a foreign substance, but I haven't had any problems so far...knock on wood!

[Fancylady_2006]

Yes, my doc used artificial too in one or more area's too. I have had just about everything else done and it failed. He told me it could take up to a year to heal also. It feels different and by that I think it is solid. It actully hurts more at the time being. If it heals good, I won't complain.

I have had my own pelvis bone fused in and you would think it would take care of things, not so. Five Dr's planned this surgery. I keep thinking never another one. They all are very painful. I also just fill with scar tissue
or spinal stenosis.
Blessings,
BC:)

[GJZH]

I had my first lumbar surgery in January of 2005. It was a lumbar laminectomy L3 to S2 to help with spinal stenosis. It did not help and as soon as I came off the pain medications all of the pain came back to my legs and feet.

I have seen many, many surgeons about the problems with my spine. I have extensive spinal problems. I think when you ask us for outcomes it is difficult to compare us to you. You have to keep in mind that each of us is different and each has a different set of problems and pain. I decided after much searching and listening to go with a surgeon in NYC and had L 1 to S1 fused in April of 2006. At my last visit in August I was told I had not yet started to fuse. I am still in considerable pain. I still have much of my presurgical pain. My legs and feet still hurt. My hips hurt and my lower back hurts. I cannot walk very far without being in considerable pain.

This is all very different from the cervica fusion I had done in August of 2005. I fused at about two and half months from that surgery. The pain was gone almost immediately, but here again I have started to have problems again with the cervical spine. I have extensive problems with arthritis though throughout my body in many joints...so to compare yourself to me or think you are going to experience the same thing is silly....You may have surgery and have a positive experience and never have to visit these boards ever again....We hope you will be one of the lucky ones...I was told from the very beginning though that they could never make me pain free so I was aware of that going in...I just thought it would be a little better than it is....Good luck!

[MrsG1030]

Hi. I just joined this site, and I read your post. Your surgery on 4/06 sounds exactly like my husbands. He is going in on Jan. 29, 2007 for a second one. How are you doing now? Do you feel the last surgery was a success? As for the staph infection, I, too, fell victim during one of my own surgeries (8 on my shoulder last being a fusion). We spoke at great length about this problem with the neurosurgeon, and he feels that a prophyllactic dose of Vancomycin will hopefully prevent any infections. We are getting more nervous by the minute...to be expected, right?

[Lisa Bertsch]

I hope your surgery has gone well. I had a fusion in 2004 (L2 to T12) as a result of a burst fracture at L1 and have been trying for years to get a sense of what I would experience in the future. What I have found is that there is such a wide range due to many factors. It seems that there is always a chance that there will be degradation above and below the fusion (I've never been able to find stats on that.) I was 24 when I got the fusion and have done extremely well, that is not to say that it hasn't changed my life, but I have had no problems with the fusion healing etc.... I had extremely good doctors, with the newest proceedures. There are support systems out there if you need them, so don't be afraid to ask around and ask a lot of questions, the better you understand your body the better you can care for yourself. If you have a doctor you don't like, find one that you do. Take care of yourself in every way you can, the healthier you are in general the better. Best of Luck!

[marijo]

IO had lumbar fusion in 2003. Since then I have had all, every single one of my internal abdominal organs try to part company with me. Bladder bowel, and reproductive organs. So I have had a hysterectomy, and a repair job to the bladder, and large and small bowel. Then one year later I have had, (Nov 2006) major repair to my large bowel, and half of it was removed. This has now been put down to spinal cord damage. Presently I am undergoing a trial for sacral nerve implant, I have wires going into my spine, and attached to an external machine a bit like a Tens unit, to see if my bowel can be kick started to work again. Unfortunately it hasnt worked. I have one more week of the trial, and then I think I am back to the drawing board. I asked my original spinal surgeon to forward me the results of my scans that were done last year. I got them, but without the radiographers reports. However it looks as though one of the screws is very crooked, possibly even broken. This could be the seat of all my probs. My final word is, if you can get by without the surgery, try to do so. I have been in constant and unrelenting pain ever since, and am now on duragesic (fentanyl) patches, which still does not do a whole lot for the pain.:grouphug:

[NyGuy]

I had my first back surgery in 2002,for spinal stenosis.I hate to say it, but it was the most painful experience ever after surgery.The surgeon did not prescribe the necessary pain killers, and it was hell till I was transferred to a hospital that new what was necessary to stop the pain, and they brought it under control in 2 days.Unfortunately it did nothing to help with back pain and I had to have a spinal fusion at L4/L5,L5/S1.with a cage a year later. Then I was told I had failed back syndrome. A spinal cord stimulator was put in and it had helped to a degree.I also have been taking percocet 10/325 4 or 5 times a day with fentanyl patches 200mg every 2 days.They recently added lyreca,without much success.
Now Im told they have to fuse L2,L3 and insert another cage.
After reading the reponses here it doesnt sound very encouraging,but I dont know if there is any other options.I can barely walk without shooting pains in my legs and severe weakness from the knees down .
I know everyone is going to say just because it didnt work for them,doesnt mean it wont work for me.but trust me,I am always one of those who it doesnt work well for in the long run.:confused:
But what other options are there.I tried therapy,have had several steroid injections, and the pain killers aren't doing the job anymore, and the pain is getting worse.
Was it less painful after the surgery for those who have had this surgery or about the same.
My wife is against another surgery because I now have diabetes and 2 stents in my heart and there is risk invovled with another operation.I am 64 years old.Thanks for any responses.
NyGuy

[kiwimike]

I am scheduled for a 2 level (L4-S1) anterior/posterior fusion with instrumentation on Nov 1st, 2006. I was curious as to those who had spinal fusion surgery what your long term results have been. After 1-3 years how many had additional surgery due to stress on the next level? What kinds of problems arise and what kind of medical results were given in your cases? Thank you in advance.

Hey , its abit late, but i wanted to share my experience with you, i have had done exactly what you are getting done (or may already have it now). Let me know if its worked out for you or if anyone else wants to know about it.

In a nut shell, it hurt like you won't believe, but now its sweet and after suffering for 10 years with very bad back pain, i can now run again and play soccer and all the things i love to do without pain!. I wish i had done it years ago. Please feel free to contact me if you waant more details on what i had done.

Hope this helps

Cheers
Mike :winky:

[kjoshi]

I am 42 now and had a fusion of L5 to S1 at the age of 24. It was done with Steffee Plates and healed very quickly. It also nearly completely eliminated all pain. But to be truthful, it also eliminated my prior ability to enjoy running or to really ever run again (without a great deal of pain). My post surgical life has been for the most part very good. Although I did run into severe pain when I took a "standing" oriented job at age 30 (that quickly debiltated me with pain). So much so I decided to take the plates out (which it had been determined had caused destruction of the next level above at L4 which has now fused on its own to L5...a very long and painful process which I chose over jumping into another fusion). This was likely a result of being a very active (golf and biking) individual. But one has to live... My overall thoughts of these surgies now is that you will trade one problem for another. The intention, however, is to trade the worse problem in for one which is far less of a problem. Point in case, I traded continuous low back pain in for only intermitant pain. This is a very different life than my doctors lead me to believe I'd be living. Two pieces of advice I have for you are (i) once you've identified a problem that you are seriously thinking about having surgery on, WAIT one year. I have done this numerous times and learned that most of time - usually several months later - the problem subsides, and (ii) it is best to avoid surgery if you're only doing it to get rid of pain and have no other neurological issues (unless rule 1 above applies and the pain has simply been unbearable for a year or more. Then, you have no other choice). Oh, and one more thing. You "will" get through this. The body eventually finds equilibriums (and you can continue them by taking care of your self). I find riding a stationery bike for 30-45 minutes not only keeps my body fit, it keeps my mind off occassional pain and frequently pushes me through it. Hope by now your issue has past. Look forward to seeing/hearing a message posted from you on how you're doing.

[Dani84]

Hi, my name is Dani & i was just reading your post...... I was wondering if you had any advice for me. I'm 22 y/o and just has a fusion of L4/5,L5/S1. I've previously had two other lower back Op's when i was 18 and 21.

It's only been 6 weeks post op from the fusion but i'm still in heaps of pain & was just wondering how long it took you to get over the post op pain and back to some sort of normality!

Cheers :)

[mustafa]

Hello Every One There,
I Am Suffering From Spondilolisthesis,
I Take A Few Pain Killers For The Relief,
But I Know Its Not The Permanent Solution To The Problem I Have?
Can Anyone Guide Me What To Do For Its Cure?

[mustafa]

:mad: Hello Every One There,
I Am Suffering From Spondilolisthesis,
I Take A Few Pain Killers For The Relief,
But I Know Its Not The Permanent Solution To The Problem I Have?
Can Anyone Guide Me What To Do For Its Cure?

I AM SUFFERING FOR THE L5 OVER S1....

[Curious]

hi mustafa

i also have spondylolisthesis. no cure except surgery. fusioin. if you have stabilty problems, then a brace will help.

[Jenmedic]

I agree with curious, mustafa. Fusion is the only real answer. You can do different physical therapies to help with the pain, but if the vertebra are slipped, they need to be stabilized.

To answer the original thread question, I've had a fusion of L4/5 L5-S1. Solid as a rock. Worked as a medic about 6 months out from surgery. It has now been about 5 years. (wow! that long, already?) No other lumbar- level damage. I actually had l5-S1 blow because of the strain of not having l4/l5 fused. I hope everything turned out ok...

[bschra3]

I am 20 years old and had my first surgery in December2006, i had laminectomy at L3-L4,L4-L5,and L5-S1. I was going good for the first 10 months but i woke up one day and the pain started just like it did the first time. I'm going for an epidural injection in about a week, but I've tried 3 before my first surgery and am not too hopeful that it will work. I don't know what to do, I'm busy with school and it's very frustrating that I can't join my friends without being in immense pain. I have to stay home like an old man. My surgeon said to try another surgery and if that didnt work to try fusion. I dont want to try fusion because I'm too young and I hear that it is a terrible recovery. Does anyone have advice for someone my age? I can't keep living like this, and I can't keep taking pain meds.

[kiwimike]

Hi there. I just wanted to say that most, if not all, responses here will be negative since we are all here for support because we are still in pain.

I had 5 surgeries to date. The 3rd one did work, a fusion of L4/L5. All was fine for a couple of years and then L3/L4 went and I had stenosis at that level. I heard later on that stabilizing one level may cause extra stress on the level above. I had surgery for the stenosis, but it did not work.

Have you explored the artificial disk at all? I have heard better results with that.

Not to scare you, but have you considered the fact that there are an extreme amount of cases of hospital staph infection? I am one of those cases, unfortunately. I contracted MRSA during my last surgery and had to have another surgery to fix the problem. AND, the doctor nicked the dura which caused a spinal fluid leak which was another fix during that second surgery.

I know that a majority of surgeries come out fine, and I pray that yours is one of those. If the surgery is medically necessary to fix a neurological condition and there are no other options, then you have to hope for the best. Chances are - if you are having the surgery to get rid of pain only, you will be disappointed. Ask your surgeon what percentage of pain relief you can expect.

Wishing you all the best. Maryanne

Hey mate, i had a L4 - S1 fusion with instrumentation 1 year ago and its been fantastic!, i have posted my story here because when i researched this before my op. all i read about were horror stories and it freaked me out, so i wanted to post a positive story to encourage those who are researching like i was, as i say its been one year with no stress issues on anything else... i'm back to my old self again! , it does feel weird some days, like someone has there hand around my spine inside me, but its a good feeling , a secure feeling and no pain! check out my story

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread15857.html , hope it helps

Michael

[Lyndylou]

Hey mate, i had a L4 - S1 fusion with instrumentation 1 year ago and its been fantastic!, i have posted my story here because when i researched this before my op. all i read about were horror stories and it freaked me out, so i wanted to post a positive story to encourage those who are researching like i was, as i say its been one year with no stress issues on anything else... i'm back to my old self again! , it does feel weird some days, like someone has there hand around my spine inside me, but its a good feeling , a secure feeling and no pain! check out my story

Michael

Hi Mike. A fellow Kiwi here. I would love some details on where you had your surgery in New Zealand. I am an incomplete paraplegic of 38 years duration who is suffering from spinal stenosis. Surgeons have said they would operate if I insist but no promises of reducing the pain and no improvement in walking as being a para for such a long time, I should expect to end up in a chair. I don't accept that because I am deteriorating because I can't walk far because of the pain. I'm highly motivated, healthy, work fulltime, garden, renovate my house etc. etc. I try to exercise and keep core strength up but that too is limited because of the pain.
What other options did you look at before surgery. What about steroidal injections? I just can't accept that I should sit in a wheelchair when I have muscle strength that can be utilised just as it has been for the last 38 years!!
Look forward to your or anyone's suggestions.

[Junie]

I have had back pain since the end of 99 when I was rear ended by a passenger van and after much pain and 10-15 Dr's I found one that would do the fusion (a 3 level, l1-l2 and l3 and he promised me at least a 50% decrease in pain so I had it and now when I hear the word surgery I run like the wind (only in my mind of course) instead of 4 days in hosp it was 12 and NS slipped and cut my spinal cord twice and I bled into my spinal fluid which gave me Arachnoiditsis, a condition with no cure....I only thought I knew what pain was before, now I would give it all to turn back time. I take morphine (long acting) 100mg 3x day and 15mg fast acting 2 x day, Valium 10mg 10mg 3 times a day if I want to urinate (it left me with paralysis of bladder and bowel , my left arm is numb and the numbness travels everywhere except for from the waist to the thighs and my left arm is constant .I feel nothing other then the constant pain that all the meds in the world will never make it go away! I fall all the time without any warning. I have no friends and even family avoids me either because they think I am a junkie or because I won't give them any and friends are out of the question because it takes everything in me to just survive the day. I wished I had researched more and listened to all the Dr's that said no. I wish you the best, but be very careful because what they left me with is for life. They tried to talk me into having surgery on left arm and I said Hell No!! Never again for me.....I used to be a nurse before this and look at me now:(
I am not trying to scare you off, just sharing my story, my surgery was 6-15-06.

[kiwimike]

Hi Mike. A fellow Kiwi here. I would love some details on where you had your surgery in New Zealand. I am an incomplete paraplegic of 38 years duration who is suffering from spinal stenosis. Surgeons have said they would operate if I insist but no promises of reducing the pain and no improvement in walking as being a para for such a long time, I should expect to end up in a chair. I don't accept that because I am deteriorating because I can't walk far because of the pain. I'm highly motivated, healthy, work fulltime, garden, renovate my house etc. etc. I try to exercise and keep core strength up but that too is limited because of the pain.
What other options did you look at before surgery. What about steroidal injections? I just can't accept that I should sit in a wheelchair when I have muscle strength that can be utilised just as it has been for the last 38 years!!
Look forward to your or anyone's suggestions.

Hey Mate, no problem, i had the operation at Mercy Hospital in Auckland with Dr Barnes (his office is near ponsonby/new market) he is one of 2 surgeons suggested to me of which both are 10+ years doing spinal surgery, i think they are pretty much the top 2 in NZ for this kind of op. from what i found out when i did my research. Hope that helps and all the best!

Cheers
Mike

[esoxtails]

I had spinal fusion in 2002 dec 16th st marys hospital milwaukee wi.
It has left me disabled and in no better condition now than 5 yrs ago.
I was ok for the first 2 yrs or so with moderate leg pain and leg spasms.
Now im at a loss as what to do. I take heavy doses of pain meds daily just to take the edge off.My Doctor suggested a pain pump but i dont think i want anyone ever cutting on me again.!I have read talk of getting the steel removed from ur body but my surgeon says no way that can happen ! has anybody ever actually had this done and what is ur results?
Thx James

[lookingup58]

MAW

I can not tell you that I had this done but I too have been faced with having this operation. I know many people have mentioned the negative things but that is what we are asking...what was your experince and or knowledge. I am happy for all who had a positive experience too. I am grateful for all of you who shared what it was like for you. It gives me things to consider I may not have thought about otherwise. I like Neurotalk Community because I can learn and share experinces. Doctors do not always have the time to share everything. I like to research the subject and make an informed decision for many of us it is a very big decision. For each one of us it depends on considering our physical issues.
I have Low back issues, stenosis, MP, a slipping disc., etc. I need to consider the outcome of of not relieving the compression of nerves in my spine. I thank all of you who share here.

Blessings
Lookingup58 :grouphug: