[GJZH]

I am six months out from a 360 lumbar fusion L1 to S1. I am still having much of the same pain I had pre-surgery. I do not have any regrets and know I still have much healing to do also. This is a long process and I am hoping I will see some good results eventually.....They told me at the last appt though that they were having difficulty reading the ex-rays because of arcing from the hardware and sent me for a CT Scan.

Well, the radiologist cannot read the CT Scan either. He did do a 3D reconstructed image from the scan...but I was surprised at how short the scan was...They told me to hold my breath and put me through once and then again and that was it...The radiologist came out from the booth and as he helped me up and walked me to the door he asked if I had the fusion because I had cancer....Do you find that an odd question? Should I call my surgeon to ask if there is something he found on there or was he just making conversation? and poor conversation at that?

I asked for a copy of the study and have a CD of it...My spine does not look good on the reconstructed image.....The only thing they could see is that there is severe hypertrophic spurring at all lumbar disc levels, most severe at L1-2 and L2-3 levels and hypertrophic degenerative changes of the lumbar facet joints. Other than that he could not see anything else to determine fusion. How will they determine fusion and hardware placement now? They told me an MRI will not help either...so what now? I know at some facilities they use a Stryker Scanner...I have had that type for my sinuses...Does anyone know if that would work for my spine?

[lindy55]

Gloria-When there was doubt about weather my neck was fused they did an x-ray and saw it very well. Hugs Linda

[Fancylady_2006]

Gloria, that is how they can tell, by just plain xrays. I seen my surgeon Thurs. I am 6 weeks post op. He told me they are going to do x rays in two months. I can say in the past, using my bone, it just crumbled away, so he had to put artificial bone in this time. i have had so many surgeries it is pityful. I do hope this works. He said it would take a year to heal. I sure hope your surgeries are over. I can say I have never been pain free.
Billie

[GJZH]

Linda and Billie,

I have had ex-rays, but there is too much arcing and they cannot determine fusing so they sent me for the CT Scan. The scan was to determine hardware placement as well. There was too much arcing on the scan as well so they have nothing to use now...but I was wondering if they used a different kind of scanner if it would work...

[Fancylady_2006]

I really don't know Gloria, but I would be asking. There are Pet scanners, Ct scanners and Of course an MRI. I am surprised they haven't tried. I do think you will always have pain, due to the extensive fusion you had, I never heard of one as big as yours, at least in one surgery. I have had three fusions done at once, and the nurses considered that big.

I know the pain involved in fusion and I can't imagine how you stood it. You have to be a very brave lady. I have had seven now but in several surgeries. Some of mine had to be redone. I am fused from L2 threw S1. I am stiff and that in it's self causes pain.
Billie

[GJZH]

Billie,

Originally, they were only going to do L3 to S1 and I was going to go for that, but the surgeon that was going to do it than they did a discogram. The discogram showed every level as painful so he backed out and I had to find someone else to help me...We decided on this...I did not want to have to go through this surgery more than once...It might have been a mistake though...We shall see...One surgeon wanted to fuse T-11 through S1, but I was too afraid of that...I am stiff as well..but I was stiff from pain before the surgery...I just could not move from the pain...

Thanks for your help Billie...