New here... and researching...

[symara]

So I'm going to pick up my report on my MRI today. I'll post it here and hope someone here might be able to help me figure it out if possible. I e-mailed one of the contacts for the Freedom/Prodisc Clinical trial and they said I am not a candidate due on the fact of where I live of course, but they would let my interest be known. They will be opening other sites throughout the year for the clinical trial. They just have the two right now.

I hope they open up on withint 150-200 miles (their maximum radius), but I doubt it. That's just my luck. I just will have to fight the insurance for this, I'm sure. But I keep getting ahead of myself, I need to wait and see what the Dr says Monday. It's not that far away now.

[2cool4U]

When MRI is done in patients who have had prior surgery, the major reason is to distinguish between scar tissue and new disk abnormalities. Scar tissue is typically treated conservatively with physical therapy and meds, while new disk ruptures, spinal stenosis, or abnormalities at a different level can be treated in a number of different ways, including surgery.

Surgery generally isn't performed for scar tissue, since it is difficult to separate the involved nerve root from the scarring, and it is likely to recur.

I came across a few articles on microsurgical treatment of scar tissue with injection of compounds that dissolve the scar, and I believe that some surgeons are experimenting with laser treatment of scarring, but I didn't keep any of the references.

It would be worthwhile to ask your doctor about treatment of scar tissue involving any nerve roots, as it can certainly cause significant symptoms.

[symara]

Here it is:
POST SURGICAL MRI L-SPINE

5/4/2009
History: 30-year-old female with low back pain, previous back
surgeries, pain radiates in both legs.

Procedure: Multiplanar/multiecho sequences were obtained through the
lumbar spine with and without intravenous contrast.

Findings: Vertebral alignment is intact. No gross signal changes are
seen involving the vertebral bodies other than some end plate signal
changes seen at the L4-5 level that could be postoperative in nature.
At this particular level there appears to be a left paracentral disk
protrusion which appears to be more prominent compared to the prior
examination and appears to impinge upon the exiting nerve root. No
other focal protruding disks or significant stenosis is noted at the
remaining levels. No paravertebral soft tissue abnormalities are
noted. Postsurgical changes are seen involving the posterior
subcutaneous tissues posterior to the spinous processes.

IMPRESSION:
1. There appears to be a moderate sized protruding disk in the left
paracentral location at the L4-5 level which appears to be a more
prominent comparison to the prior examination.
2. Postsurgical change is otherwise seen at the L4-5 level,
particularly posterior to the spinous processes.
3. No other focal protruding disk or significant stenosis is noted at
any level.


Is this just a fancy way of saying it's herniated again?????

I would upload the pics, but apparently work won't let me upload my own pics cuz it recognizes them as data risks.

[symara]

BTW, as of yesterday my ankles and feet are now swelling huge, has anyone else had this happen???

[Harrison]

Unfortunately, there are many things that can cause swelling in the feet and ankles, but it should be checked by a doctor ASAP. What meds are you on?

[symara]

hydrocodone 10 phenegren 25 (break in half everytime I take with a hydrocodone) and topomax 50mg.

I researched the topomax and cannot find the swelling anywhere. I just talked to a nurse I work with and she said that she has seen the pain and swellin in the feet when discs are laying on the nerve root before.

[trkdoc714]

I had swelling in my feet after the initial injury both discectomies. After pregnancy was ruled out, I figured it was due to the disc(s).

[symara]

So I went to my appointment this morning and he said that he could do another discectemy??!!!

He had told me after my last surgery the next step would be fusion or ADR if it was possible at that point. But now he's saying he can do a third discectemy. I'm so confused. He did refer me to a local doctor that used to do ADR but he's not sure if he is still though. I have called and left a voicemail with this one, a Dr Majd, to set up an appointment to discuss the possiblilities. He was envolved in the FDA clinical trial for the Charite disc, and I would rather have the Prodisc though... not sure what he does now, won't know until I go though.

I think I knew more about the ADR procedure than my current surgeon though. He wasn't sure if they could clean out the herniated disc since it was a abdominal procedure????!!! huh? Isn't that what they do? Now I'm just waiting for a phone call from this other Dr's office.

I'm just afraid if I go with a third discectemy I won't be able to get the ADR in the future and then it's also just prolonging the inevitable of fusion or ADR. I seem to be getting a surgeyr every two years it seems.

[CharlesinCharge]

Symara,

Having another discectomy would not preclude you from having ADR in the future, buts lets be honest here---they are not really working. The disc continues to degenerate and protrude, and they can only remove so much (a discectomy is where they go in and remove the portion of the disc that is bulging). If your surgeon thinks they cannot remove the disc when they do ADR surgery, he is very very uninformed?! They have to remove the disc in order to put in the artificial disc, I know that without even going to med school!!

In my opinion (for what it is worth) you need to get another opinion, with a different doctor who knows more about ADR and fusion. Do you want to have discectomies over and over for the next several years, only getting temporary relief?? Go to at least 2 other spine doctors and get them to look at your MRI and your medical history, and get a more informed opinion. Your current doctor may be making money from performing discectomies on you, but from what I can tell it is not a long-term solution and is not working.

Good luck,

[symara]

Charles,

Yes, that is my thought too. i walked out of there and looked at my husband and said " I know more about ADR than he does". My husband replied that he probably had never researched it because he just sends people to the other surgeon that did the clinical trial.

I called the other surgeons office and was told they are understaffed today and put through to voicemail. Called back this afternoon and was told they would get back to me tomorrow since I was a new patient.

I have also sent an e-mail to Dr. Balderston to see if he can do a long-distance consultation if I send him my medical charts and tests.

I know this would be a temporary fix, I know I would not get my life back the way I would have at least the chance at getting it back with ADR. This is only making my bones get closer together. I'm scared if I did a third discectemy ADR down the road would be out. But then again maybe it isn't and down the road the insurance will be approving it. I'm also scared he's going to get in there to do the discectemy and find he can't do it and decide to do the fusion without my consent. He can't do that can he???

The good news is he doesn't want to do a fusion because of my age. He says I'm too young for a fusion, he doesn't think I'm to young for ADR, he just doesn't know anything about it. He's a fairly young Dr... I would say in his early 40s late 30s, you would think he would stay up on new technology.