I am scheduled for a 2 level (L4-S1) anterior/posterior fusion with instrumentation on Nov 1st, 2006. I was curious as to those who had spinal fusion surgery what your long term results have been. After 1-3 years how many had additional surgery due to stress on the next level? What kinds of problems arise and what kind of medical results were given in your cases? Thank you in advance.

I had my first lumbar fusion at age 10 ('68), then another at higher levels two years later with instrumentation (this additional surgery was anticipated, as I have scoliosis...it wasn't so much because of any additional stress on the vertebrae above the fusion). This served me well for 20 years, and probably would've went longer if a group of surgeons hadn't seen all the hardware and dollar signs flashing in front of their eyes.

In the interim, I was quite active...running three miles a day and working in a furniture factory. Ahhhh....but I was young then.

Hi there. I just wanted to say that most, if not all, responses here will be negative since we are all here for support because we are still in pain.

I had 5 surgeries to date. The 3rd one did work, a fusion of L4/L5. All was fine for a couple of years and then L3/L4 went and I had stenosis at that level. I heard later on that stabilizing one level may cause extra stress on the level above. I had surgery for the stenosis, but it did not work.

Have you explored the artificial disk at all? I have heard better results with that.

Not to scare you, but have you considered the fact that there are an extreme amount of cases of hospital staph infection? I am one of those cases, unfortunately. I contracted MRSA during my last surgery and had to have another surgery to fix the problem. AND, the doctor nicked the dura which caused a spinal fluid leak which was another fix during that second surgery.

I know that a majority of surgeries come out fine, and I pray that yours is one of those. If the surgery is medically necessary to fix a neurological condition and there are no other options, then you have to hope for the best. Chances are - if you are having the surgery to get rid of pain only, you will be disappointed. Ask your surgeon what percentage of pain relief you can expect.

Wishing you all the best. Maryanne

hi maw,
i can't give you long term results as i am only 15 months post-op for a l4/5 fusion. I am just now beginning to be able to function at about 80%. Its a long, slow process.
It is true about the levels above and below taking over for the fused part. I have learned to do things without engaging my back, but its tough.
i squat rather then bend. Or kneel. And,if i do bend, i bend from the hips. I don't know if this will save the rest of the back from damage. But i try.

good luck.
sims

Hi maw, Three weeks ago i had surgery on L2/L3 and also on L5/S1. I have had these same surgeries before once before. I had donated my own bone and it just crumbled so they used donor bone this time. So far I have had 6 back surgeries. Most have not been sucessful. In time they break down and the pain sets in. Then I get severe stenosis ans Spondilolisthesis, and I need decompression. I am a mess on the inside, but thats no sign you will be. Our bodies are all different and respond in different ways.

Try not to get to discouraged, if you need the surgery I would go ahead and do it. The pain will drive you to it anyway.
Best Wishes,
Fancylady

They used something called artificial bone with my last fusion. Apparently, it hardens denser than human bone...although there is some risk with rejection, since it's a foreign substance, but I haven't had any problems so far...knock on wood!

Hi. I just joined this site, and I read your post. Your surgery on 4/06 sounds exactly like my husbands. He is going in on Jan. 29, 2007 for a second one. How are you doing now? Do you feel the last surgery was a success? As for the staph infection, I, too, fell victim during one of my own surgeries (8 on my shoulder last being a fusion). We spoke at great length about this problem with the neurosurgeon, and he feels that a prophyllactic dose of Vancomycin will hopefully prevent any infections. We are getting more nervous by the minute...to be expected, right?

Hey mate, i had a L4 - S1 fusion with instrumentation 1 year ago and its been fantastic!, i have posted my story here because when i researched this before my op. all i read about were horror stories and it freaked me out, so i wanted to post a positive story to encourage those who are researching like i was, as i say its been one year with no stress issues on anything else... i'm back to my old self again! , it does feel weird some days, like someone has there hand around my spine inside me, but its a good feeling , a secure feeling and no pain! check out my story

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread15857.html , hope it helps

Michael

Hi Mike. A fellow Kiwi here. I would love some details on where you had your surgery in New Zealand. I am an incomplete paraplegic of 38 years duration who is suffering from spinal stenosis. Surgeons have said they would operate if I insist but no promises of reducing the pain and no improvement in walking as being a para for such a long time, I should expect to end up in a chair. I don't accept that because I am deteriorating because I can't walk far because of the pain. I'm highly motivated, healthy, work fulltime, garden, renovate my house etc. etc. I try to exercise and keep core strength up but that too is limited because of the pain.
What other options did you look at before surgery. What about steroidal injections? I just can't accept that I should sit in a wheelchair when I have muscle strength that can be utilised just as it has been for the last 38 years!!
Look forward to your or anyone's suggestions.

I have had back pain since the end of 99 when I was rear ended by a passenger van and after much pain and 10-15 Dr's I found one that would do the fusion (a 3 level, l1-l2 and l3 and he promised me at least a 50% decrease in pain so I had it and now when I hear the word surgery I run like the wind (only in my mind of course) instead of 4 days in hosp it was 12 and NS slipped and cut my spinal cord twice and I bled into my spinal fluid which gave me Arachnoiditsis, a condition with no cure....I only thought I knew what pain was before, now I would give it all to turn back time. I take morphine (long acting) 100mg 3x day and 15mg fast acting 2 x day, Valium 10mg 10mg 3 times a day if I want to urinate (it left me with paralysis of bladder and bowel , my left arm is numb and the numbness travels everywhere except for from the waist to the thighs and my left arm is constant .I feel nothing other then the constant pain that all the meds in the world will never make it go away! I fall all the time without any warning. I have no friends and even family avoids me either because they think I am a junkie or because I won't give them any and friends are out of the question because it takes everything in me to just survive the day. I wished I had researched more and listened to all the Dr's that said no. I wish you the best, but be very careful because what they left me with is for life. They tried to talk me into having surgery on left arm and I said Hell No!! Never again for me.....I used to be a nurse before this and look at me now
I am not trying to scare you off, just sharing my story, my surgery was 6-15-06.