My 17 yr old daughter is looking at revision surgery due to severe and chronic pain in her legs. She had a thoracic and lumbar fusion in 2002 but they left the bottom 3 vertebrae unfused for mobility. The new surgeon says it should have been fused in the beginning and is likely the cause of the pain. However multiple diagnostic tests have shown only minor impingement of nerves from degenerating discs and continued curving of the remaining vertebrae. She's done epidural injections, PT and is working with pain mgmt, but has been living on pain killers since September '09.
My question is, has anyone experienced similar issues and had surgery for it? Do most people have fusions that include the entire lumbar area and what kind of mobility are you left with and what about residual pain? For anyone who had the corrective surgery can you give us the good news that it can be a full "fix"?
She's mentally done with the pain and I fear her depression is getting the best of her. At what point do you just go for the surgery in a desperate attempt to get out of pain as nothing else is working?
She's about to graduate high school and wants to go to university in August. She wants this behind her and to start her life already!!
Thanks for your feedback.
My question is, has anyone experienced similar issues and had surgery for it? Do most people have fusions that include the entire lumbar area and what kind of mobility are you left with and what about residual pain? For anyone who had the corrective surgery can you give us the good news that it can be a full "fix"?
She's mentally done with the pain and I fear her depression is getting the best of her. At what point do you just go for the surgery in a desperate attempt to get out of pain as nothing else is working?
She's about to graduate high school and wants to go to university in August. She wants this behind her and to start her life already!!
Thanks for your feedback.
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