They used my own bone for the fusion, as well as bone matrix protein, which is supposed to stimulate the bone formation needed for fusion.

I'm scheduled for a facet block in a couple of weeks, and I expect that will help, too.

Was that OP1 that they used?

Hey Joe---I guess not, because I never heard of OP1. All I know is that the laminectomy was "generous", and because he removed a LOT of spine, he had lots of pieces to use. The plan was to supplement that bone with bone from hip, plus the BMP to enhance the chance/rate of fusion.

Get this, though: BMP costs a lot, and the hospital absorbs the cost. Usually, one bag of this sushi textured material is used with a fusion. But when I woke up, the doc says to me: I just had an urge; I thought, What the Hell! I'm going to just throw in an extra bag and let the hospital deal with it. That way, I won't have to use her hip. I've since heard rumors, on the spine board (nothing about healing from spine surgery seems well studied), that one reason for failure to fuse is TOO MUCH BMP!

On the other hand, my doctor went against what every other spine surgeon people on the spine board used have said. He told me to NOT use a brace; he did not use a bone stimulator; he said do whatever activities I could, with no limitations. The implanted hardware was so strong that there was nothingI could do to move my spine and hinder fusion.

Again, nobody else has gotten this advice. Patients on the spine board are typically corsetted for months after surgery, told to not twist, not bend, not exercise, and some are given bone stimulators--electrodes whichsound to me kind of like the Rebulder/TENS type of thing.

And you know, I'll never have any idea what it was that kept me from fusing; nor will I understand what the long-term meaning of it isfor quite a while.
It's hard to get info.

As you know, I love to research topics, such as looking up treatments for Silverlady, whose suffering has troubled me greatly; or composing a complete list of diagnostic tests, and setting up Lizajane.org. But for the spine---there is just no information out there. I don't know why.

Why did you ask about the OP1?

And here I am, a tad insomniac, and signing on in hopes of a note from Billye. I urged her so strongly to go to Mayo, that I am feeling resonsible for hersuffering, and am afraid i will feel extremely guilty and presumptuous in my "work on her behalf", if nothing comes out of it for her except the misery of the trip. I'm already feeling quite guilty.

--don't feel guilty. Without your advocacy, Billye would never have been accepted as a patient at Mayo. (Her doctors certainly weren't going to push for it.)

I understand the feeling that it would suck if Billye goes through all this and there is no further progress on diagnosis or treatment, but you did a good thing. (A mitzvah.)

I do hope that the Mayo people are conscientious enough to send her all the testing results/clinical impressions without a lot of pressured asking--and, IF something definitive is found, to follow up with her physicians regarding therapeutic or other recommendations.

(We may all want to gear up to flood her physicians with IVIg evidence. )

OP1 is BMP7 and is very expensive, I believe 5,000 dollars a bottle. My wife went through a 3year non union of the tibia resulting in 27 operations and 4 external fixators. The OP1 was brand new at the time ( 2003). It did not work for her either. She eventually fused only after having a taylor spatial frame put on, which is an external fixator that is tightened everyday at home. She also started taking calcium and of course having to bear weight on it. If bone isnt stressed it doesnt heal completely.

Don't you ever feel guilty again about this trip!! I cannot even begin to know how to thank you for the effort and work you did to help me with this trip. There is more for you in the email I sent you. But for all to know..this trip saved my life..literally!!! I cannot thank you enough.

Billye

golden spinal issue nuggets...post here or PM me any truly unique key words and I might amaze even my own self in which I 'mine'. There is People Speak, Doctor Speak then there's Specialist Doc Speak. As long as I've some clues as to those quirky key words...I can usually find stuff. Otherwise it's like finding a specific treatment for 'cancer'..they are both big fields. The more I can get specific the more stuff leads to other stuff that get one to the GOOD stuff!.

We all should have some basics in any/many spinal issues as all those nerves ARE connected to the brain via that Spine... Having a basic overview that channels into the specifics CAN occasionally lead to EUREKA! moments. We all need those on occasion.

Super duper good thoughts for now - j

I'm going to take you up on your offer to datamine--Here are things I don't understand about fusions:

1. How long does it take for fusion to be complete?

2. Do "bone-stimulators" only work early on, or do they stimulate bone growth after almost a year

3. How important is fusion? If you don't fuse, but have rods and screws, does it matter if you fuse or not?

4. What's the definition of "failed back"? Is it something only diagnosed after 2 years, or can a person be called a "failed back" at 10 months?

5. What happens to scar tissue that forms around nerves?


Dahlek--If you can figure out the answers to any of these questions, I'd be mighty grateful. Because I can't seem to get any straight answers--people disagree on the most basic aspects of this.

Liza Jane,
I have a small amt of knowledge about some of this.

1. Bone stimulator - I had spontaneous stress fractures of the tibia's. One was on going for 2 years. They finally put a stimulator on my leg and it healed after 2 years. We were then able to put the same one on the other leg when it fractured. I'd recommend it from my experience. They are a lot of trouble, but I found that I could sleep in it and also carried it with me and put it on at work when sitting under my desk.

I also remember something in my reading about botox being used to break up scar tissue.

Hope this helps,
Billye

I posted this earlier. Decided this to cancel this post. Same info. Almost a duplicate, Don't know what is wrong with my computer..maybe it's a gremlin in my mind or machine.

The gist is the bone growth stimulator worked after I suffered for almost two years. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

Billye