Success rate
 

Does anyone really know the success rate of an anterior fusion to the L5-S1 area and what is the likelihood of having another surgery years from now. I know that everyone is different and everybody heals differently as well as are daily lifestyles can contribute to how we heal. Just not sure if I should proceed down this road cause my pain level is up and down and never the same. Can be nothing at times which is not as common anymore or it can be manageable or can intensify. It has been like this for about a year and it changes as time goes on and I usually start to feel new pain I have not felt before. I have done every conservative treatment you can think of including the holistic approach. So I’m just curious to those out there that might have had this procedure how well did it work for you should I just wait a bit longer. I welcome all feedback or insight on this. Thank You

Hi hon.

Can't answer your question but I did want to welcome you to Neurotalk. Others will come along and help you out.

We are very nice bunch of folk here and you'll get your answers, I'm sure.

Take care,

Melody

Welcome aboard!!
 

I can't give you any numbers, but there is a good possibility that you will need surgery on down the road. The problem is that when you have fusion or any disc surgery, the levels above and below the surgery site tend to fail because they've taken on more of the "load" and end up herniating because of it. Then you end up needing THEM repaired.

This happened to me after I had L4-5 repaired. No one told me about the chance of other levels going bad -- then L3-4 blew and I had to have THAT fixed. Now others have "gone" and I'm no longer "operable" due to osteoporosis, but I would not have let them touch me anyway! LOL I'm worse after surgery than I was before! :eek:

One thing you have to remember == don't expect to be pain-free after surgery. Surgery is ONLY to repair mechanical problems. It's not for pain. If you happen to get pain relief, that's good. But chances are you'll still have pain -- maybe better than before, maybe worse.

Best of luck and God bless. Hugs, Lee

hi,

Hope you find some peace with your back pain problems.

Not sure if you're talking about the surgery where they go into the front of your stomach to do the repair. If so, the two I know that had that done didn't fair too well with that approach. I guess it's a Duke's mixture of things, if you have a good outcome or not.

It's hard to tell someone not to have surgery, not knowing you or your medical problems, and not being a surgeon, but I'm scared of new techniques. Not the old techniques work well for all.

It's tough when you have pain, to reason out what you need to do.

Back pain is miserable pain. I do understand that.

I pray you find some peace...