Hi All.
My name is Melody and I usually post on the peripheral neuropathy message boards. My husband found out that his neuropathy is directly related to his back. He had an MRI last year and here are the results.

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TECHNIQUE: Neurtal/Sitting: Sagittal T1 Sagittal T2, Axial T1

Interpretation: Desiccation of all the lumbar intervertebral discs is present. Minimal narrowing of the L1/2 disc is present. Ventral marginal osteophytes and diffuse disc bulging are noted at the L1/2 and L2/3 levels. Both bulging discs impinge upon the thecal sac. Moderate narrowing of the L3/4 and L4/5 discs is present. Ventral and dorsal marginal osteophytes and diffuse disc bulging are noted at the L3/4 and L4/5 levels. Both bulging discs cause small ventral impressions upon the thecal sac and extend into the inferior aspects of the adjacent neural foramina bilaterally. Minimal narrowing of the L5/S1 is present. A diffuse disc bulge is noted at the L5/S1 which impinges upon the thecal sac and extendes into the inferior aspects of the L5/S1 neural foramina.

A moderate fat island hemangioma is noted within the L4 vertebral body. Minimal bilateral facet hypertrophy is identified at the L4/5 and L5/S1 levels.

The lumbar lordotic curve is well maintained. There is no evidence of loss of height involving the lumbar vertebral bodies. The bone marrow demonstrates normal signal intensity.

The paravertebral soft tissues demonstrate normal signal characteristics and morphologi appearance.

There is no evidence of spinal stenosis. The cous medullaris and cauda equine demonstrate normal signal intensity. The conus is within normal limits in size. There is no evidence of an intra-dural lesion.

IMPRESSION: L1/2 DISC BULGE, WHICH IMPINGES UPON THE THECAL SAC.
L2/3 DISC BULGE WHICH IMPINGES UPON THE THECAL SAC.
L3/4 AND L4/5 DISC BULGES CAUSING SMALL VENTRAL IMPRESSIONS
UPON THE THECAL SAC AND PARTIALLY COMPROMISING THE ADJACENT NEURAL FORMAINA BILATERALLY.
L5/S1 DISC BULGE WHICH IMPINGES UPON THE THECAL SAC AND PARTIALLY COMPROMISES THE L5/S1 NEURAL FORAMINA BILATERALLY.
DEGENERATIVE DISEASE.
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My husband goes to a chiropractic/neurologist who does his adjustments and got him off the fentanyl pain patch. That, so far is absolutely amazing. but he still has the neuropathy when he lies down at night. And if I don't massage him, well, he doesn't sleep. We recently went online and found that there is a procedure called non-invasive discectomy.

I called the phone number from the SpineOnline website and the person on the other end, told me the following:

"Melody, from what you just read to me, Alan's problem is quite fixable, since we go through the Foramina".

The man also said that they don't take any medicare HMO's and that the surgery costs $25,000 so that let's us out of the ball park.

BUT!!!! the guy gave me a lot of information and this is what he said:


" Melody, when you speak to any surgeon make sure you ask them the following: "Does the operation involve taking any of the bone, or Lamina? There should be no lamina to be removed!!! The surgeon should not say to you "oh, perhaps we might take a little of the bone". Then he said "Melody, we don't touch the bone. Not even a little bit. Make sure you get that absolutely straight if you talk to any surgeon"

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So my question to any of you knowledgeable people is the following:

From what I have posted about his mri results, do you think he might be a candidate for this procedure, and have any of you had this procedure??

My husband has been told he is not a candidate for surgery, both by his primary care phsysican and his chiropractic/neurologist.

And a few days ago, we went for a free consultation to a nearby doctor who does the DRX 9000 decompression machine. That would cost $5000 and they don't take insurance either.

So my husband (he had the misfortune of taking a fall today and is resting comfortably), will eventually go back to the gym and keep up his exercises but the neuropathy drives him crazy. He would just like to know if there is hope out there!!!

any comments would be most welcome.

Thanks much.
Melody