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Spinal Cord Implant Surgery

This is a discussion on Spinal Cord Implant Surgery within the Pain Management forums, part of the General Spine Discussion Forums category; Hi folks, After much research, thought, and prayer and finally approval from my healthcare provider, I am going to be ...

  1. #1
    Moderator Cindylou's Avatar
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    Default Spinal Cord Implant Surgery

    Hi folks,

    After much research, thought, and prayer and finally approval from my healthcare provider, I am going to be having the 1 week trial of the neurostimulator (spinal cord stimulator) started this Wednesday morning at 8 am. The long term goal is to be able to either reduce or eliminate my pain meds that I am on. Realistically, it would be wonderful to even reduce them, you know? If the trial surgery goes well (minimum 50% improvement) then we will consider moving forward with a more permanent spinal cord stimulator. So, Wednesday morning my husband will drive me there. The surgery itself takes about 90 minutes, then an hour in recovery. Cannot shower for 2 weeks, ugh. I guess a small price to pay if end result is good. I'll keep you all posted. Please pray for me that I find a measure of success with this procedure, even if it is in an adjunct therapy capacity. Thank-you very much, Cindylou
    • January 2000 MVA passenger, used jaws of life to retrieve me, neck injury and months of PT
    • June 2001 Bicycle accident, 2 compression fractures at T12/L1, Vertebroplasty Sept. 2001
    • April 2006 right hip, labral tear and repair
    • April 2007 3 level ProDisc @ L3/4, L4/5 & L5/6✷ ✷Lumbosacral transitional vertebra; Dr. Rudolph Bertagnoli
    • July 2, 2008 ALIF & Laminectomy @ L6/S1
    • July 30, 2008 re-opened 28 days later to remove bone cement that had leaked onto S1 nerve root
    • August 2008 Pulmonary embolism, double pneumonia, collapsed left lung, re-hospitalized 1 week
    • March 10, 2009 Right SI Joint Fusion
    • April 27, 2010 2nd right hip arthroscopy to remove adhesions and release psoas muscle
    • September 30, 2010 lumbar facet rhizotomy
    • December 9, 2010 12 bilateral lumbar trigger point and steroid injections
    • December 23, 2010 12 more bilateral trigger point injections w/o steroid
    • February 15, 2011 ESI bilaterally in lower lumbar...relief only for few days. Considering 1 more.
    Did Spinal Cord Stimulator trial from 5/11/11-5/17/11 with excellent results; Spinal Cord Stimulator surgery is Monday,
    July 18, 2011

  2. #2
    Senior Member ajj1001's Avatar
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    Default Re: Spinal Cord Implant Surgery

    you are so brave for giving it a go. I will pray that it is a success and you get a bug reduction in your pain. x

  3. #3
    Founder / Administrator Justin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Spinal Cord Implant Surgery

    Good luck, CL. I do hope the trial results in significant reduction of pain. Keep us posted.

    Justin Averna
    Founder & President, Spine Patient Society™
    www.SpinePatientSociety.org
    A 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Nonprofit & Charitable Organization


    • 1994: Football Injury, Severe Hyperextension
    • 1997: Snow Skiing Injury
    • 3/7/1997: Laminotomy L4/L5
    • 1999 & 2003: Motor Vehicle Accidents (not at fault both times) --> Grade V Annular Tears L4/L5 & L5/L6
    • 11/15/2003: 2-Level ProDiscฎ L4/L5 & L5/L6*, *lumbosacral transitional vertebra --> Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
    • 4/2008: 4.5 years pain-free before "new" leg pain
    • 5/14/2009: Dynamic Stabilization System L4/L5, Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
    I'm here to help.
    Questions? Suggestions? Need help with registering, creating a signature, etc.?
    justin (at) spinepatientsociety.org


    Disclosure: I have no financial relationships with any surgeons, spine clinics, device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, etc. -- the SPS Board of Directors serve without compensation.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Gilbert P's Avatar
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    May 2009
    Location
    Jackson Hole WY
    Posts
    876

    Default Re: Spinal Cord Implant Surgery

    Hi CL

    I will send prayers your way. Be strong we love you.

    God Bless.

    Gil
    L5-S1 lam 1994
    L2 to L5 DDD
    L3 -L4 hern Dec 2007.
    L4-L5 Annular fissure with mild central stenosis and moderate facet hypertrophy.
    L5-S1 bilaterial neural foraminal narrowing with inferior effacement.
    L2-L3 Right-sided neural foraminal narrowing
    L3-L4 related to posterolateral hypertrophic spurs and facet hypertrophy.
    C3-C4 limited DDD
    15 injections Depo. P.T. 18 months 9 dose packs,
    Nerve Block Injections.4 ESI S1
    L5-S1 Foraminotomy 09
    L4-L5 Microdiscectomy 09 ReHerniation 4-2010
    Surgery 6-29-11 L4-L5-S1 Decompression Fusion L5-S1 and Coflex F implants


  5. #5
    Super Moderator trkdoc714's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Douglasville, GA
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    552

    Default Re: Spinal Cord Implant Surgery

    Ciny Lou,

    Good luck tomorrow morning. I hope everything goes smoothly. We'll be praying for you.

    Bob
    04/06 L5/S1 Rupture
    05/06 MRI shows DDD @ L2-S1
    06/06 Diskectomy/ Laminotomy L5/S1
    04/07 Recurrent Disc L5/S1
    4 Ortho and 1 Neuro Surgeon, 5 MRIs, 1 EGM, 1 Myleogram & 11 EDIs later:
    03/27/09 L4/5 & L5/S1 Maverick discs at Stenum (www.dr-ritter-lang.com)
    11/9/11 C6/7 Herniation with Nerve Impingement. Another journey begins.

  6. #6
    Moderator Cindylou's Avatar
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    Default Re: Spinal Cord Implant Surgery

    Thank-you all so much. It means more than you know. I'm glad there is a trial, too, before you jump into it. We'll see how the trial goes. It just started raining here, and now I am hearing the pelts of the hail, which were predicted. They are pinging rather loudly off the windows and the roof. Spring rain. Thanks again, CL
    • January 2000 MVA passenger, used jaws of life to retrieve me, neck injury and months of PT
    • June 2001 Bicycle accident, 2 compression fractures at T12/L1, Vertebroplasty Sept. 2001
    • April 2006 right hip, labral tear and repair
    • April 2007 3 level ProDisc @ L3/4, L4/5 & L5/6✷ ✷Lumbosacral transitional vertebra; Dr. Rudolph Bertagnoli
    • July 2, 2008 ALIF & Laminectomy @ L6/S1
    • July 30, 2008 re-opened 28 days later to remove bone cement that had leaked onto S1 nerve root
    • August 2008 Pulmonary embolism, double pneumonia, collapsed left lung, re-hospitalized 1 week
    • March 10, 2009 Right SI Joint Fusion
    • April 27, 2010 2nd right hip arthroscopy to remove adhesions and release psoas muscle
    • September 30, 2010 lumbar facet rhizotomy
    • December 9, 2010 12 bilateral lumbar trigger point and steroid injections
    • December 23, 2010 12 more bilateral trigger point injections w/o steroid
    • February 15, 2011 ESI bilaterally in lower lumbar...relief only for few days. Considering 1 more.
    Did Spinal Cord Stimulator trial from 5/11/11-5/17/11 with excellent results; Spinal Cord Stimulator surgery is Monday,
    July 18, 2011

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    351

    Default Re: Spinal Cord Implant Surgery

    Wishing you all the best with the trial. Hope it goes well. I sent you a PM but didn't realise you were having this done.

    Take care when you get home.


    1993 Back pain age 29.
    1998-2001 DDD at L1/2. 10 admissions for discography/epidurals/facet injections/disc injections/RFA's.
    2005 ALIF at L1/2 with BMP & good result: pain free
    2007 DDD at L4/5 unresponsive to epidural. Discography: early degeneration, anular tear & bulge. Limited response to core strengthening.
    2009 ADR (activ L) L4/5.
    2012 Myofascial Pain Syndrome T10-L2

  8. #8
    Moderator Cindylou's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Minneapolis, Minnesota
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    2,380

    Default Re: Spinal Cord Implant Surgery

    Thank-you too Ruth for the well wishes. I'm home resting now and adjusting to this temporary spinal cord stimulator I have on. I will keep everyone posted how this week of the trial goes. It's painful right where the doc went in to place the leads, but that is expected, and that pain will diminish fairly rapidly I think. Thank-you all again for the good thoughts and prayers. CL
    • January 2000 MVA passenger, used jaws of life to retrieve me, neck injury and months of PT
    • June 2001 Bicycle accident, 2 compression fractures at T12/L1, Vertebroplasty Sept. 2001
    • April 2006 right hip, labral tear and repair
    • April 2007 3 level ProDisc @ L3/4, L4/5 & L5/6✷ ✷Lumbosacral transitional vertebra; Dr. Rudolph Bertagnoli
    • July 2, 2008 ALIF & Laminectomy @ L6/S1
    • July 30, 2008 re-opened 28 days later to remove bone cement that had leaked onto S1 nerve root
    • August 2008 Pulmonary embolism, double pneumonia, collapsed left lung, re-hospitalized 1 week
    • March 10, 2009 Right SI Joint Fusion
    • April 27, 2010 2nd right hip arthroscopy to remove adhesions and release psoas muscle
    • September 30, 2010 lumbar facet rhizotomy
    • December 9, 2010 12 bilateral lumbar trigger point and steroid injections
    • December 23, 2010 12 more bilateral trigger point injections w/o steroid
    • February 15, 2011 ESI bilaterally in lower lumbar...relief only for few days. Considering 1 more.
    Did Spinal Cord Stimulator trial from 5/11/11-5/17/11 with excellent results; Spinal Cord Stimulator surgery is Monday,
    July 18, 2011

  9. #9
    Senior Member ajj1001's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Manchester, UK
    Posts
    1,312

    Default Re: Spinal Cord Implant Surgery

    glad you are doing ok, hope it settles down where the leads are.

  10. #10
    Founder / Administrator Justin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Philadelphia
    Posts
    4,504

    Default Re: Spinal Cord Implant Surgery

    Hi CL, I do hope the SCS gives you relief. I just met a great Spine Patient last night that is contemplating having a SCS placed. He's excited to read your experience documented here. I'll have get both of you in touch. Here's to reduced pain!

    Justin Averna
    Founder & President, Spine Patient Society™
    www.SpinePatientSociety.org
    A 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Nonprofit & Charitable Organization


    • 1994: Football Injury, Severe Hyperextension
    • 1997: Snow Skiing Injury
    • 3/7/1997: Laminotomy L4/L5
    • 1999 & 2003: Motor Vehicle Accidents (not at fault both times) --> Grade V Annular Tears L4/L5 & L5/L6
    • 11/15/2003: 2-Level ProDiscฎ L4/L5 & L5/L6*, *lumbosacral transitional vertebra --> Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
    • 4/2008: 4.5 years pain-free before "new" leg pain
    • 5/14/2009: Dynamic Stabilization System L4/L5, Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
    I'm here to help.
    Questions? Suggestions? Need help with registering, creating a signature, etc.?
    justin (at) spinepatientsociety.org


    Disclosure: I have no financial relationships with any surgeons, spine clinics, device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, etc. -- the SPS Board of Directors serve without compensation.

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