Information about surgical spinal fusion wanted please.

shellykbookey

Hello I’m writing on behalf of my mam, she is going for surgery soon and was wondering if anyone has had anterior cervical spinal decompression and fusion done, it’s basically where a surgeon fuses the bones in the neck. Despite being an apparently common surgery these days, we have yet to come across anyone who has had this done and any first-hand information would really be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

mished

Hi shellykbookey,

I've had it done at C3/4/5 & 6 , first op had decompression and cages, second had my own bone in cages, last operation used cadaver bone. My scar is pretty small, the surgeon cut in a natural skin crease & all 3 operations used the same scar. I didn't completely loose my voice thought it's different now, was quite painful post op but controlled very well in the hospital, after 1st op was in HD unit for 3 days & general ward for 5.
Immediate improvement in my movement, numbness & pain etc, had fantastic physio after the last op & I am really pleased with the outcome.

Hope that helps, ask away if there's anything else, I've never come across anyone who's had it done either.

shellykbookey

Thanks a lot for the reply; it’s great to have some first-hand experience. Can I ask if your movement was restricted beforehand due to pain or if you were unsteady? Mam thinks she’s having C3-C7 done but the exact details have to be confirmed yet.

mished

Yes I had massive pain & nothing could touch it ! My right arm felt like it weighed 10 stone it was unbearable .. was very restricted in movement, couldn't turn my head, look over my shoulder etc some times my spine would "lock" and I could be like that for days. Wasn't ever unsteady though

jdee99

shellykbookey

sorry for dragging this up again but how did your mam's surgery go? There is a good chance I am going to have the same thing done (had a three level spinal fusion done last year as well) and would be interested in the recover time, pain levels length f stay in hospital etc.

Regards

shellykbookey

Mam had decompression c3-c7 and fusion done on Feburary 29th. Her consultant ground down her own bone (this was osteophites at c6) and used it for the fusion. To replace the disks he used plastic blocks, she also has a plate and 4 screws in situ.

First night post op she needed to go to intensive care but then was allowed to the general ward the next morning. During the first night pain was pretty bad (10/10) next day pain reduced to 8-9/10 she stayed in hospital for three days. Her consultant does not recommend any physio other than looking right and left, up and down. She has very good movement now. Pain wise the first week or so she had a lot of pain and a feeling of a weight at the nape of her neck. (She contacted her consultant and he told her that she wasn't taking enough pain medication)

At the moment her left arm feels less heavy, numbness in her fingers comes and goes as opposed to being there full time and her unsteadiness has improved (although she has recently fallen and broken her leg). The pain in her neck she would now describe as 2-3/10. She continues to endure urge incontinents with no improvement since the operation.

Her operation was carried out to hopefully stop her symptoms becoming worse, but with no guarantee. When she seen her consultant, at 10 weeks post op. he was pleased with her progress and told her that he would hope she would gain further improvement within 12 months. Her scar has healed fantastically, even though it is about 2" long it is not noticeable as it is in the crease in the skin.

Mam was offered this surgery in 2005 but refused. At that time she had no problem with her continents, she is pleased that she went ahead with the surgery this time and a little bit deep down, regrets not going ahead in 2005. She wishes you well and let us know how you get on when you're feeling up to it.

jdee99

Thank you for the information Shelly - am seeing the consultant on Wednesday - will let you know how it goes.

jdee99

saw the consultant this week and I am down to have C5 - C7 fused using my own hip bone.

emick

jdee99 wrote: »

saw the consultant this week and I am down to have C5 - C7 fused using my own hip bone.

why is this needed?

jdee99

C5 - C7 discs are herniated and pressing on spinal cord - lost all strength in my left arm. Using my bone because there is a better chance of it healing quicker

emick

jdee99 wrote: »

C5 - C7 discs are herniated and pressing on spinal cord - lost all strength in my left arm. Using my bone because there is a better chance of it healing quicker

Did you get a second opinion ??

apache

jdee99 wrote: »

saw the consultant this week and I am down to have C5 - C7 fused using my own hip bone.

i know you have been through the wars and have exhausted every avenue so i'd say this is the only option open to you. i know you got this done on your back so you have a good idea what to expect. how long do you think you will be waiting? are you going public or private?
jeez jdee you have had to put up with a lot. as you know from my other posts i will probably have to get spinal fusion after a failed discectomy if the nerve root injections don't work. did you get much physio after your spinal fusion?
i'm very impatient to get this sorted one way or the other. if the injections fail i'll go for the fusion but one way or the other i just want to know if i will ever be able to return to work. i just want to know once and for all. would i even be allowed to go back to work after this operation? jeez i dunno
i am rooting for you and hoping you get a good result. i wonder when you will hear back with a definite date - suppose it all depends if its public or private?

jdee99

Didnt get a second opinion as having seen the mri scans it is fairly evident there is problems - I have had nerve response tests from my neck to my fingers and that has shown problems as well. I have been told there is every likelihood I will end up with most of my spine fused or with rods down the length of my spine, I no longer have a single normal disc in my spine and there is a lot of compression from either prolapsed discs or bony growth. - Veritical MRI shows lots of narrowing up and down my spine.

Believe it or no the only physio I have had was to be checked out of hte hospital and to ensure I could do stairs ok - other then that nothing else Doc - is happy the way things - back walking 3 miles a day at the moment - takes for ever but I am doing it LOL

As for going back to work - well I opted for early retirement as I just dont think I can work anymore (am 54 now I was 17 when back went first). The fusion feels so much better and my back whilst restrictive is giving a lot of support that wasn't there previously. I hate to say this apache but if you have the fusion done I cant see you going back to normal work for at least a year (bearing in mind what you do) - its going to take that long for hte fusion to take. You will probably go back to work about 8 weeks post op on light duties namely a suitable desk job.

I was walking albit slowly about 2 miles a day by then but still struggled to do things - you wont be able to pick up anything heavier then a kettle full of water for at least 6 months. Dont mean to be the bringer or bad news but a fusion just isnt a quick fix mate. Even now I am a year post op and my back is still sore - I have permanent sciatica in my right leg - huge amounts of pain and no feeling from the bone doner site in my right hip.

And before you ask yes i would have it all done again it has made that much difference to my life - whilst it hasnt fixed everything it has stopped it getting worse - doc reckons it will be two years before my lower spine is totally fused - so I am still meant to be taking things easy LOL.

I am sadly on the public service and looking for the op to be done December or January (in the UK). Wont know for definite until later n the year but it will be done within the next 6 months.

Just to compound matters I have been recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis which I could really do without LOL

apache

Thanks so much jdee for sharing your experience. Its important for people going through it.

jdee99

your more then welcome mate - whilst i wouldn't wish a knackered back on my worst enemy what has been done during the last operation has helped greatly. If i can help at all please do get in touch

apache

i'll be in touch with you jdee when i deffo have to get it if the nerve root injections fail. i will be wrecking your head asking you loads thanks.

oh and i'm glad that it has been positive for you. i know its not ideal and theres plenty of things that you are limited with but i don't really want to hear stories of its the worst thing people ever did so thanks for that. i am aware its a big operation with lots of risks but to be honest i would gladly get it done because the way i am now i can't return to work. i just want to know once and for all if i can return to work. i got changed to neurontin and meptid and they are doing nothing for me. GP says to go back on df118 or morphine patch. i am reluctant to do so because me and drugs have a bad relationship....
but the pain is so bad i may have to.

jdee99

@apache - sent you a pm - When I was on df118 they were like taking smarties no effect at all.

RuggieMuffin

I had an ACDF done 5 weeks ago at C5-6 level. I had a herniated disc pressing on the spinal cord and pressing on nerves affecting both arms. It has been an issue since childhood but got worse in july 2012 after second batch of steroid and detox injections into the facet joints at the same level.

The scar is still healing about 2inches. I have much more power in both arms than before. I have greater movement than before. I'm still in a lot of pain post op but the recovery is 6 weeks so its expected I guess.

Post op pain wasn't nearly as bad as I had been expecting. Feel free to pm if you want more info.