Guest guest Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Hi Jane... Welcome! Just wanted to let you know that a laminectomy is a procedure to remove a smarll part of the back of the spine. It sounds like you had laminectomies and fusions. Best of luck with the new surgery. My recommendation would be to be sure you've got the right surgeon. It's always a good idea to get a second opinion, especially if you can't verify that the first surgeon has done a LOT of these procedures. Regards, > > Hi all, > > This is a first for me so bear with me if I'm not doing it right. > > > I've had two laminectomies in the last three years, the first one > fused L3 and 4, the second fused L2 and 3. Now, not even a year > since the second surgery, the flatback has set in big time. The > orthopedic surgeon says my lower back is 7 cm. out of alignment. > He proposes what sounds like a HUGE surgery - a fusion from S1 all > the way up the lumbar spine to the lower thorasic area, plus > a " wedge " - I think it's called an osteotomy - at L4. > > I'm inclined to go for it but am somewhat leary of orthopedic > surgeries at this point. Had a rotator cuff repair 15 years ago and > although I have no pain now have very limited motion. > > Woluld love to hear your thoughts on this. > > Jane > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 Jane, Hi and welcome to the group. Don't worry ....there are not " rights and wrongs " here....just a bunch of people same as you...working on the particulars of revision surgery and all its challenges. I am sorry I may have misunderstood, but can you tell us a little more about what was going on with you before you had the lamis? Have you got a Harrington Rod and, if so, for how long...and where were you fused originally? I wonder mainly because even though the " fix " is the same, If it turned out that you developed flatback just a few years after your original surgery I think I would be more emphatic about the need for seeking a new opinion for your surgery....of course that is said knowing nothing about your previous condiditon. If you go back through this board you will see there have been fairly robust discussions about whether it is worth having a laminectomy at all...or if you are just better off getting the fusion to sacrum done in the first place and moving on. But this is for those that were in flatback when they sought medical help....but you seem to be saying that the laminectomies put you in flatback... I know a member here reported that a top surgeon told her that having laminectomy instead of fusion to the sacrum was one of the worst things that could be done.......although it was what was usually recommended by those that didnt know really how to address those of us with old Harringtons in place. You are right, it is HUGE surgery. You don's say if you are in lots of pain, but if you feel you have the time, I would surely seek out a second opinion, no matter what, before I went ahead with another surgery with the same doctor. Again, welcome to our little corner of the world, Cam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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