Osteophyte comlex @ C5-6 with central canal stenosis

[TamiJ]

My MRI shows uncovertebral hypertorphy with a superimposed 5mm broad based disc osteophyte complex at C5-C6 wiht central canal stenosis.

Could this be causing my right thumb, palm and forearm to go numb and tingling?

Also, how likely is therapy to occur over decompression surgery?

Thanks for any advice

[Terry]

Dear Tami:

I'm not as knowledgeable as others on this site but wanted you to have an answer. If I'm wrong, someone correct me and give her better information.

Your symptoms can definitely be the cause of the bone spur. The size sounds quite large and I would, by all means, get a surgical consult to see what your options are. A surgeon may recommend therapy but may recommend you take care of the problem surgically to avoid some of the nerve damage from becoming permanent. Nerves have a memory that will sometimes experience pain even when the situation is resolved. That is what you want to avoid. Some of us are damaged to the point of no return and have to live with it. Don't put it off.

Welcome to the site.

Terry Newton

[Lisibug]

Hi Tami. I've been through 2 neck surgeries at 4 different levels total - a fusion and then a 3 level ADR. My body seems to like to develop these osteophyte complexes, too. Charming. Anyway, after both surgeries I had significant improvement in the tingling and pain that came from my neck into the arms/hands/fingers. Before the last surgery (ADR on 3/23/07) my neural foraminal stenosis was at the worst level severe, with gross cord compression, flattening of the thecal sac, etc. My arm and hand symptoms have been slowly improving - you probably know that nerves improve slowly and it can take up to 2 years for maximum improvement. I also have two other contributors to arm and hand pain which have nothing to do with my neck, neuropathy and bilateral cubital tunnel syndrome, but I think I have some idea which types of pain come from my neck and which come from the other contributors. Long story short - I'm pretty sure you will note significant improvement in your upper extremity symptoms after a decompressive surgery. If arthritis runs in your family and you have it at other levels in your spine, I would recommend strongly than you look into ADR over fusion. My fusion caused 3 other levels to 'blow' in my neck within 2 years, necessitating surgical repair - but I already had arthritis throughout my spine and it runs in both sides of my family. Most people don't deteriorate or get the adjacent level syndrome so fast - mine started I think about 6 to 9 months after the fusion and progressed very fast. Wouldn't want this to happen to you and it's pretty disappointing after a big surgery to find out you need another even bigger surgery - but if your spine is in good shape and arthritis is not a big factory in your genetic makeup, you could well be one of those people who has a fusion and is great, hauling logs and chopping trees down until you're 80! Sure hope you find relief, one way or the other.

[tmont]

Hi TamiJ,

For what it's worth, I agree with Terry. I had the same symptoms prior to (and post) nucleotomy and my NS said the trajectory indicated C5-C6 (confirmed osteophyte at that level with MRI).

I also had a hernia pushing on the spinal cord. I elected to have a percutaneous nucleotomy which removed the neck pain but my theory is that the removal of disc material caused the osteophyte to push on the nerve endings even more.

For six months I was miserable with the symptoms you describe; then strangely with PT they started to subside. Today I know I have a large osteophyte and practically no room for me ol' nerve endings and the MRI looks like a train wreck , yet I am currently asymptomatic and off all meds and active.

Don't know what to tell you, except that I will need surgery one day but for the moment I'm holding steady and as long as I am, I'm not in the mood for a third spine surgery. My advice would be to really give non-invasive methods a go and get as many opinions as possible before surgery, but when it's got to be done, best to do it before the nerve damage becomes lasting.

Good luck...

Trace

[TamiJ]

I don't know if I'm posting this correctly. As a follow-up to my earlier questions, I met with a neurosurgeon and he recommended having a partial corpectomy. It sounds very daunting the way he describes going in the front of the neck and moving the esophaugus. Also, fusing with a metal plate of some sort. He didn't say anything about taking bone out of the hip to replace.

I'm getting a 2nd opinion from his colleague, but what sort of questions should I ask? Supposedly this is an "in 1 day, out the next" operation. Will I be able to bend my neck after this, because I do play softball, so am wondering if I have to hang up my cleats. Has anyone had this kind of operation?
Thanks, Tami J So Calif.

[Lisibug]

With a fusion, the doc takes out the disc, saws off the osteophytes, puts in bone from either your hip or a cadaver, and places a plate and screws in your neck. I know your surgery is different, but if it includes plates and screws, you'll be 'out of commission' for awhile, but not necessarily permanently, at all. You may very well be able to return to playing softball - I'm guessing about a year after the surgery (probably not what you want to hear). You'd get more accurate information from your doc, but this is my best guess. My ADR surgery was much less invasive, and I'm at about 5-1/2 months, but I wouldn't be able to play softball yet because the running, jarring the spine would not be good for me (but I did have 3 levels done, not one). So... I wouldn't throw those cleats away - hang them up where you can see them every day to inspire you to get better and back to the sport you love!

[Terry]

I had a hemi-laminectomy in which they went through the back of the neck 10 years ago and removed part of the vertebrae to remove the osteophyte. This structurally weakened the column in the neck and still causes problems. I had ADR 2 level cervical in November last year where they went through the front for the operation. Other than some swelling causing difficulty in swallowing for about a month I have found the process much better than going through the back of the neck. The neck is easier to tolerate fusion as the head does not weigh as much as the weight that would support a lumbar fusion. You sound like you will play ball again. After my hemi-laminectomy I rode my bicycle a week later and never stopped. I found the healing easy. Go with God and hang in there.

Terry Newton

[kanutta]

I had a one level cervical fusion well over a year ago; not using bone graft, but a cage made of plastic, no screws or plates. I have no metal in me at all.
Back to playing ball...no I'm not so well that I can do that.
Healing properly took me 9-12 months.

[laura-w]

I'm in a similar situation to you TamiJ in that I have quite a bit of extra bone growth in my neck. I have very bad nerve pain in my arms some days. Other days just tingling or weakness. I am interested hearing that some people with osteophytes have had ADR. I thought that having a tendancy for extra bone growth was one of the things that excluded one from ADR? Sorry if I'm way off the track here.

This is my first time, I also am not sure weather to have surgery or not. my mri shows mult-level broad based disc disease of the c-spine, most notiable at c5-6 with left paracentral and foraminal disc osteophyte complex with focal disc protrusion resulting in sever left neural foraminal stenosis, moderate right neural foraminal stenosis, and moderate central canal stenosis.....tried the shots...had muscle spasms for 3 day...they said no more shots....tried physical therapy(heat,traction and easy exercise) was in the bed for 2 days sever pain, second therapy today...(heat,eletrodes stimulation, and message) hurting pretty bad right now....What should I do?