too bad no one's replied to this.

i had a microdiscectomy last year. since then i've developed scar tissue.

my new doc says this IS causing me pain. think of abrasive material in a smotthly running area. like sandpaper on your spine.

no. they can't fix that. one doc says that they have some compund that breaks down scar tissue, but it turns out they don't.

also, my particular problem is a 'deflated' disc. the doc says this is causing the vertebrae to actually shift around a bump into my spine as well.

the first course of action for me (and presumably, your wife), is epidural cortisone injections, and PT. cortisone is a mega-anti-inflammatory, and a local steroid. supposedly, this will dull pain, and provide extra fuel to bulk up the muscles around the damaged disc, so it doesn't shift around any more.

if that doesn't work....then a fusion is in order. depending on the specific disc injured. if it's high enough up, a disc replacement MAY be an option. i'm not a doctor, so i can't say for sure.

sorry about the bad news, but good luck with it.

there's also a thread in this forum titled "L4-S1 Fusion Success Story".

it's pretty long, so hopefully you'll get something out of it.

justin