Who knows anything about spinal column surgery?

AreaCode707

Lifer
Sep 21, 2001
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133
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? I'm specifically curious about spinal fusion and the after effects. Risks, pain, recovery time, how much better things got after surgery.
 

AreaCode707

Lifer
Sep 21, 2001
18,447
133
106
Originally posted by: dragonballgtz
If you need spinal cord surgery then it sucks to be you.

STFU asshole. :|

I'm specifically curious about spinal fusion and the after effects. Risks, pain, recovery time, how much better things got after surgery.
 

skyking

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
22,723
5,850
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the only person I know who had it done was my brother-in-law, who was completely paralyzed from an OTJ injury as a fireman.
He does not have any pain now above the spinal cord injury in the vacinity of the fused vertabrae.
 

olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
50,114
776
126
Originally posted by: Bigsm00th
some more details would be nice...

btw, does anyone know anything about dogs?

I ate one at a ball park once. They are good with mustard and onions.
 

CycloWizard

Lifer
Sep 10, 2001
12,348
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I know there are some up-and-coming alternatives to spinal fusion that (theoretically) give moment and behavior just like a normal spine. I'm not sure what point in the development (I believe I saw the results of at least one human test) - but the system looked very nice from an engineering perspective at least.

To answer your question, I believe the biggest drawback to the existing procedure is the decresed mobility and have heard that there is some pain involved, though the pain part is hearsay so take it with a grain of salt.
 

AreaCode707

Lifer
Sep 21, 2001
18,447
133
106
Thank you skyking and CycloWizard, for the serious responses.

I was so frustrated by the nefs who apparently feel that the other 300 nef threads on this forum aren't good enough for them and that they HAVE to nef in a thread where I'm asking a serious question that's important to me. I was about to make this my last post on AT, but I guess it's not all bad.
 

Aquaman

Lifer
Dec 17, 1999
25,054
13
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Originally posted by: HotChic
Thank you skyking and CycloWizard, for the serious responses.

I was so frustrated by the nefs who apparently feel that the other 300 nef threads on this forum aren't good enough for them and that they HAVE to nef in a thread where I'm asking a serious question that's important to me. I was about to make this my last post on AT, but I guess it's not all bad.

Don't worry about the dorks............ yah just can't get rid of them......... unless you get a mod job :evil: ;)

Cheers,
Aquaman
 

d3n

Golden Member
Mar 13, 2004
1,597
0
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Personally after looking into treatments for my daughter I would try to avoid it at all cost. I don't know anyone that is coming out ahead with any type of joint surgery that I have heard about, especially when dealing with the back. I would see it as a stop gap measure if all other types of thearapy have failed.

The treatment for scoliosis is downright barbaric. Sad things is most scoliosis specialist are so blinded by learning the latest and greatest hack em up procedures and getting to try them out they push parents into letting them cut up their kids. They are ignoring the treatment that corrected my infant daughter?s spinal curve from 54 degrees down to 4 degrees. which was serial casting. Simple, but effective.
 

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
50,879
4,268
126
Ho boy...

You can find more info here

The problem is you are asking a simple question with very complex variables. Age, health, reason for fusion etc. are factors that influence the surgery and recovery to the extreme.

BTW, if you google, it isnt spinal cord surgery. That is a completely different thing. You are talking bone, not nerve.
 

ScottMac

Moderator<br>Networking<br>Elite member
Mar 19, 2001
5,471
2
0
This is not "spinal cord" surgery: it's spinal column surgery (the vertebrea are altered and bonded such that they will grow together instead of spearated by disks).

It's *very* serious surgery. It's a difficult procedure, and recovery time is fairly long (many months). Some of it depends on "how many and where" the fusion is to occur.

For most fusions, a full-body brace / cast is likely for much of the time during recovery.

If, in the course of recovery, the fusion doesn't "take," then you're looking at a couple years of reconstructive surgery.

If you're looking for more information, a medical site (like WebMD) is probably a better source ...

Good Luck

Scott

 

todpod

Golden Member
Nov 10, 2001
1,275
0
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I had this down on my neck (twice):frown:. On of the fusions didn't take so they did it again.
The surgery for the neck I thought was a piece of cake, out of the hospital the next day;). I was general of the vicodin and taking care of myself in a week for both. Have a good wife to take care of me when I needed it. Pain didn't seem to bad to me, but thats a real subjective thing. I think back surgery would be worse. My last surgery was is 2001, There is occasionl pain, and it will never be quite right.

Depending what you do for a living, conside a change in careers if its real physical, this is were I screwed up he first time. Went from a construction worker to a social worker.

Just my 2 cents
 

TeeJay1952

Golden Member
May 28, 2004
1,532
191
106
I could not raise my arm to shake hands with people. I went to Doc and he sent me to "Specialist" Neurologist. He told me I would eventually have to wear Halo to hold my head up. I said no surgury or meds. 6 months later I said ok what about meds. He put me on Soma & painkillers. That period of time is known at my house as the "Lost Year" I remember very little of it. I wore a soft collar and went to work. I then asked for surgury and went to NeuroSurgeon. He took one look and said Fusion. My choice of metal or cadaver hunk. I went metal. Went to sleep and woke up feeling fine. 3 month (hard collar) recovery.
It has been 5 years and no follow up surgeries. (knock on wood)
Good Luck (and don't worry)
Tee Jay
 

Pliablemoose

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
25,195
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Don't have it done, people that have it done experience more pain 5 years after the surgery than those who do not have it done.

<---sat through a couple hundred consents by surgeons.
 

Ausm

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
25,213
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My Dad had to vertebrae fused in his neck that he broke in a car accident. The Doctor had to fuse the vertebrae to stabilize the area and prevent him from being/getting paralyzed. he had to wear a halo for 6 months. You can't tell any difference in the way he mov es his head the only thing that bothers him is extreme weather changes.

Ausm