cervical fusion after SCS implant possible?
 

Well, I'm back. Unfortunately because I'm having problems:(

Having a lot of neck issues (had cervical SCS put in on a couple of years ago which helped for a while) but now it's possible I may have to have a revision on one or both of my cervical fusions that I had done years prior to the cervical SCS being put in.

Can one go in and have a fusion re-done if they have cervical leads in the spinal column for the cervical SCS? Would it require removing the cervical leads, doing the revision of the fusion(s) and then reimplanting the cervical leads? Or could one re-do the fusions by working around the SCS leads?

Would a neurosurgeon be the best for all this?

Thanks for your help!

Hi Fiona
 

I am so sorry to read of this situation affecting you. It has to be ultra hard. The doc is the only one who can really opine whether such a feat of fusing around in place SCS is workable.... or revision of fusion as you indicate. Lotta stuff, small space, gotta be careful not to disturb leads and such, YET, the same surgeon has to go in day in day out and work around life giving architecture which must not be damaged or disrupted, e.g. blood vessels, spinal cord, you know..... routine things. Seems if they can avoid harming such structures, it should be possible to avoid harming the SCS as well.

I have had both neurosurgeon and orthopedic surgeon folk in my spine and I trust both implicitly. Ask the doc how they appraise the situation and they should be able to give you a good read.

Prayin for ya:hug: :grouphug:

Thanks for your quick answer, Mark. What a nice treat to hear from you!

I get to see my neurosurgeon tomorrow so hopefully will find out more about what's going on. My dr. has had me on high doses of Prednisone hoping it would cause nerve pain to go away (he's thinking it's just a pinched nerve) but not helping, just giving me bad insomnia and anxiety.

This neurosurgeon, who I've seen before, used to work trauma at the local trauma hospital so I have a lot of faith in his skill. My orthopaedic dr., not so much....even though he was the one who implanted the "twins" and did a good job, he seems like he's so busy that you get rushed through any appt. or procedure you need done. Don't like the feeling of being rushed through anything where I can't ask the necessary questions.

Will let you know how it goes. Have stopped working on my discipleship blog and the others due to pain issues for now. Hope everything is going well for you and yours!! :hug::hug:

Hi Fiona
 

What a joy to be in touch with you again! I am sorry pain and pain and pain have collectively interfered with your beautiful and valuable work on the discipleship blog. Perhaps once this nemesis is addressed you will be returning to those etherwaves? I hope so.

Sounds as though your neurosurgeon has become so very busy he is indeed snowed in and has difficulty managing his patient load. I am glad he is there for you and, although in a rush, able still to provide that trusted care on which you rely. I will be praying for ya.

Sunday after church I head to Texas where I will spend the next week in the Bar Exam there in the Lone Star state. Been prepping to the point of nausea... I think I may as well be spouting Latin, French, Oil [for Oil and Gas are big where the Yellow Rose is found], and lots of arcane stuff the likes of which are beyond the needs of my practice, but must be tested.

Pray for me please? I will be prayin for you!:hug:

sorry to hear about this
problem would be nice
not having to go to the
doctors a looooooooong
breather would be nice
wishing miner if by chance
a miracle ya never know
i think about that much
as thy will be done
be well

someone who cares

Mark:
My husband, who is on the verge of losing his job (he's in the process of cleaning out the offices of his four co-workers who were let go last week) has been looking into getting into the oil and gas field somehow. He's going to Houston in May to their big annual convention to see if he can find some leads as he's been trying to do things via internet for a long time. He did have a job interview outside of Ft. Worth but they came back and said they had decided not to fill the position due to the economy/state of their business. Wouldn't it be something if we all ended up in Texas :D:D

Best of luck on your exam!!!

Gas Company
 

We will have to stay in touch. I know a couple of folks in that industry. One in the big H.

I'll pray your hubby succeeds in his endeavor, for I know oh so well how hard it is in this "prosperous" economy, given our ages, knowing the governments whims for any of us to secure executive employment, let alone employment of any sort.

Thank you for the well wishes!:)

Sent you a private message
 

In regards to the aforementioned, sent you a private message, as is unrelated to this forum.

Fiona

Hi Fiona!
 

It's SO good to be hearing from you!.......... but not because of this :(.
You've been to your appt by now, so maybe they have begun to lay out a plan of some sort for you.
So sorry to hear about your husband.....I'm cleaning out my files also. Half my life at my job and it has now desolved, mainly due to big corporate.
I hope an opportunity presents itself soon for him.

You both are in my prayers bigtime.....

Rae
:hug:

Saw neurosurgeon yesterday
 

Yes, he works on Saturdays...busy man!

Anyhow, he said that he doesn't believe at this point that I have need of another fusion but that there is definitely some nerve related problems going on. Said the pain I feel in face/jaw/eye area most likely coming from C3-4 or C4-5 area and the pain i have in my arms and down into my hands, upper shoulders/upper back most likely coming from C7-T1 area (I have C-5-6, and C6-7 already fused). He said both fusions look like they're ok.

Given he's a neurosurgeon and what I require at this point doesn't require his area of specialty, he dictated a letter while I was there to my current dr. In it he said I need to find out the cause of the problems and not just get shots to treat the pain (I for one would gladly just take a shot at this point but understand what he means). He suggested getting trial shots of a numbing agent into the roots of the nerves that he thinks are the problem, and if I get temp. relief then it would be conclusive proof that they were the offending nerves. Then, he said I could either get periodic epidural shots into the offending nerves (which would only offer temporary help) or I could get a nerve ablation to the offending root, which he believes would be better course of action and offer longer relief.

When brought up the fact I had SCS leads in cervical area, he said this: one
can get nerve ablation(s) even with leads in place; if need another fusion in the future, can be done even with leads in place. He said a fusion at the C7-T1 area is tricky as they have a hard time going in from the front (which is what they typically do on neck fusions), and that he'd have to go in from the back, but he felt confident he could do the fusion if the need ever arises.

Given the two fusions I do have and the fact that the vertebrae above and below fusions usually begin to be affected given the fact that they are now working harder due to fusions, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I'm now having problems in other levels of my neck. Hopefully my dr. will pursue my neurosurgeon's recommended course of action and I can get rid of this nerve pain. I'm having to juggle certain pain meds. to get pain relief (nerve pain is harder to deal with than the aching, sore type of pain). I'm finding wearing an ice pack for hours at a time does dull the nerves at the base of my skull for a while so will be resorting to that, also. I also have a migraine med. called Maxalt which I'm allowed to take 2-3 times a week (for some reason manufacturer says not to take it more often), and it offers some relief.

So, looks like I'm finally getting answers and have a plan to tackle this. Even though I'm still hurting I feel better knowing what the problem is and that there's a way to deal with it.

I'll periodically keep you up to date on what progresses as being on the computer gets my unhappy nerves stirred up. Thanks for your prayers!:grouphug: