360 Fusion Info
 

Hello everyone,

This is my first time here. I'm glad I found it as there seems to be a wealth of info available.

After reading a few posts here, my problems seem trivial now. Many are in much worse shape than I am. But I'm still "not right". :eek:

I am coming up on my 1 yr anniversary of my TLIF surgery (L4/L5 9/25/07) and have to say immediately after the surgery, when I woke up in recovery, my back, hip and leg pain were 100% ::POOF:: GONE!

But here it is over 10 months after the fact and my fusion is showing little if any progress (x-rays, MRI and CT scans). Pain has started rearing it's ugly head again and seems to be getting worse as time goes on depending on what I do. My initial back, hip and leg pain are still gone. It's more of a painful heavy feeling in the extreme lower part of my back with occasional left hip pain (first time around it was right hip). I also seem to loose my balance more often. Over the past 5wks I have fallen twice.

My OS cannot explain why the fusion failed other than "sometimes it happens". I guess I'm weird. :D I know 3 -4 other people that have had excellent results with this same surgeon. He was highly recommended by everone I know that has used him.

Anyway now he is now recommending what he calls a 360-degree (or Global or Circumferential) fusion. I know nothing about this procedure other than addressing the problem front and rear at the same time (anterior/posterior). That's the extent of my knowledge and I would like to research it more before making a decision. Is it an ALIF in combination with a PLIF or TLIF? Exactly what happens?

What is recovery like after a 360? I was on my feet 4-5 hrs after the TLIF and walking the halls of the hospital the next day (with difficulty). I was back at home on the 3rd day. I don't remember post op pain being much of an issue. I must have a high tollerance. :wink: The nurses were giving me heck for not using the "magic button" very often. :Poke:

If possible could someone point me in the direction for more info about the 360? I still have a bit of time. If I decide TODAY to have the procedure, it wouldn't happen until early November.

Thanks,

Kevin

Still Looking for 360 Fusion Info....
 

It's only been approx. 4 days since my original post but I did think it would have generated at least 1 response. I have been able to dig up a little more info on the 360 though. :Scratch-Head:

As best as I can tell the procedure is an ALIF done in conjuncion (just before) a PLIF. Am I on the right track?

I talked to my surgeons assistant today to schedule the operation which will be Tuesday, November 4th. :eek:

I have quite a bit of time before the operation and I could (and probably will) talk quite extensively with my doc about the procedure but was hoping to possibly heare 1st hand experience from someone. :Tip-Hat: :Thank you:

Hi and welcome

sorry you havent had any replies yet but the forums are quieter during summer and also now during the Olympics

hopefully someone who has experience in this area will be able to provide some insight for you soon

all the best

I'm sorry; I'm just not familiar with Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) surgery.

I did do a search, however, via Google:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...ry%22&aq=f&oq=

Someone who might have some great insights is Gloria; her NT user name is: GJZH.

You could try PM'ing her. This is her profile:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/member.php?u=120

Under her user name, there is a pull-down menu which reads: Send Message. Select the option to send her a Private Message; she might also receive e-mails (same pull-down menu).

Please do not have this without second opinion!
 

I have learned the hard way that having any surgery with out second or third opinions is dangerous. Do yourself a favor,unless this is an emergency, seek another opinion. I do not know much about the type of surgery that you are looking at other than they do surgery from the abdomen as well as the back. During some of my reading this was considered acceptable but not superior. Please, Please seek another opinion from other surgeons. Neuro as well as Orthopedic. Good Luck with whatever you choose. I will keep you in my thoughts as well as my prayers.

Pain after 360 fusion
 

Kevin, I had ALIF on September 9, 2008. I am in more pain now than I was before my surgery (pain down both legs). My surgeon is going to take the hardware out on February 3, 2009. He says 1 out of 50 have to have the hardware out and 3 out of 4 get good results. I hope and pray that I will be in the 3 out of 4 since I managed to be the 1 out of 50. My surgeon is the only game in town since I live in smaller community (200,000) but he has a good reputation. Did you have the ALIF surgery and was it successful?

Kevin I had the ALIF or 360 whatever one wants to call it because I had two previous conservative surgeries from the back. My surgeon did the fusion from the front because he felt he wouldn't have clear access anymore from the back because of scar tissue from those other surgeries. A vascular surgeon opened me up and pushed all aside in my belly to get to my spine so my neurosurgeon could do the fusion. They then turned me over and cleaned out the scar tissue. I felt like a truck ran over me and I had to have a back brace for three months. So ALIF is definitely a more involved surgery and took me more time to recover from it than the other, but it was the only way that made sense. It was my third surgery in 8 months though too. However, I do have two broken screws and since they would have to go back in through the stomach to remove the hardware which is still secure, he said it would be a life threatening surgery and would rather just leave it, since it is causing no harm. I hope your decision is a clear one to make. Good luck
julie

?
 

Seeing as I just had a thoracic fusion with a rod and 2 screws in Nov, I have to ask, How do you get broken screws?