hi-I am new to the site.have been suffering with stenosis for 5-6 years. syptoms include numbness and tingling in feet 24-7. Some numbness in legs, weakness in left calf, neck pain numbness in neck and fingers. Symptoms seem to be getting worse. I am considering surgery-have thought about Dr. Jho @ Allegheny hospital in Pittsburgh. Would appreciate some help as to how to go about assessing what would be the right treatment. Internist says no surgery, Neurologist says to wait. Neurosurgeon wants to operate , anterior foraminotomy, complete with fusion .HELP-art

I can't help with your decision as the decision should be yours based on your situation and your doctor(s) guidance. Is there one doctor out of the group that you really trust to answer your questions honestly? Have they looked for any thoracic or lumber problems causing the leg problems?

However, I do have cervical stenoisis at the C5-C6 level. It was diagnosed 3 years ago and I do know that the symptoms are getting worse but I hope to still avoid surgery for awhile longer. The neurosurgeon I saw back then said - operate, no other suggestions, no conservative treatment available for stenosis, etc. My PCP and several physiatrists who've seen the films all said that they felt surgery wasn't warranted (yet). So the responses you've had seems to correlative with mine.

Welcome to NeuroTalk Art. So the surgeon says surgery, the others say to wait? Are you near a Mayo Clinic? Or can you get to one? People that I know who have gone there for a second opinion have usually found an answer in situations like this.

When you're there, the doctors all share the information and diagnosis and they have to have viable reasons for their individual opinions. So if there, and they said no surgery yet, you might wonder about the first surgeon's opinion. Just tossing ideas out there. Good luck and keep us posted!

Dr Joseph Maroon out of UPMC is an excellent neurosurgeon out of Pittsburgh, Pa.
He operated on my lumbar spine, Laminectomy L4-L5 with fusion. Using my own bone with Tru-Fusion. It is minimally invasive surgery. Less blood, less pain, less down time.
I would highly recommend that anyone looking to have surgery get a second or third opinion.
I saw a neurosurgeon near town, he said oh you don't need surgery, gave me the conservative treatment. Been there done that. I saw Dr Maroon, what a difference. He sat down and explained to my husband and I what was going on with the mri. Put it in layman's terms. You definitely need surgery or you could lose the use if your left leg and if your bowels, which it already was affected. Also my nerves were being strangled. Called it Claude Equine. Had surgery last year. Better than ever!.