Wife's piriformis release surgery was done today!

**MikeB** · 11-08-2011, 10:32 PM

Initial indications are good. Dr. Yue observed that the piriformis tendon was clearly at fault. She'll be coming home tomorrow, "with no restrictions".

**Kimberly** · 11-09-2011, 08:57 PM

Glad to hear surgery went well.

I hope your wife's recovery goes smoothly and she feels better and better each day.

Kimberly

**dentalrebel** · 11-09-2011, 10:51 PM

My wife is having injections next week. Did your wife have pain into her lower back from this also? My wife has lower back pain. has had disc treatment with little to no relief.

**simca09** · 11-17-2011, 07:30 PM

Mike-

Please keep me posted on your wife's progress. After finding this thread I contacted Dr. Yue. If my Kaiser Permanente doctors reconfirm the piriformis syndrome diagnosis, I'm going to push for surgery - since Kaiser Orthopedics doesn't do the piriformis release procedure, they will refer me to an outside provider, and I'm willing to travel anywhere for treatment. After 12 years of pain I'm at the end of my rope - currently on morphine and vicodin for pain.

To Any other Forum Users - If you know of providers who perform piriformis release surgery, please let me know.

thanks
Simca

**Santorini** · 11-18-2011, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by simca09

Mike-

Please keep me posted on your wife's progress. After finding this thread I contacted Dr. Yue. If my Kaiser Permanente doctors reconfirm the piriformis syndrome diagnosis, I'm going to push for surgery - since Kaiser Orthopedics doesn't do the piriformis release procedure, they will refer me to an outside provider, and I'm willing to travel anywhere for treatment. After 12 years of pain I'm at the end of my rope - currently on morphine and vicodin for pain.

To Any other Forum Users - If you know of providers who perform piriformis release surgery, please let me know.

thanks
Simca

Dr. William Weiss in Gainesville, GA does piriformis release. No, not a big name surgeon but he has probably done a hundred of these. Before considering a release, please research the this further and understand the long term consequences. In some, the release can destabilize the SI joint and in many the SI joint was the original problem and the piriformis pain was the result of SIJD.

**simca09** · 11-18-2011, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Santorini

Dr. William Weiss in Gainesville, GA does piriformis release. No, not a big name surgeon but he has probably done a hundred of these. Before considering a release, please research the this further and understand the long term consequences. In some, the release can destabilize the SI joint and in many the SI joint was the original problem and the piriformis pain was the result of SIJD.

Thanks for the info. It was indeed my unstable SI joint that started this roller coaster. Did you get surgery from Dr. Weiss?

**MikeB** · 12-03-2011, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by simca09

Mike-Please keep me posted on your wife's progress. After finding this thread I contacted Dr. Yue. If my Kaiser Permanente doctors reconfirm the piriformis syndrome diagnosis, I'm going to push for surgery - since Kaiser Orthopedics doesn't do the piriformis release procedure, they will refer me to an outside provider, and I'm willing to travel anywhere for treatment. After 12 years of pain I'm at the end of my rope - currently on morphine and vicodin for pain. To Any other Forum Users - If you know of providers who perform piriformis release surgery, please let me know.thanksSimca

Hi Simca -- As of almost a month after surgery, absolutely NO sciatica. Turned off like a light switch. First 10-12 days post op she had more incision pain than we expected, but well worth it. Because the sciatica was so bad for so long, the longer road now begins of getting her mobility and conditioning back. But the sense of relief is profound. NOTE: we were very sure of the pain source as piriformis before surgery, by two positive indications by lidocaine blocks, one 5 years ago, one a month before surgery. Dr. Yue required the current one. We are very happy.

**MikeB** · 12-03-2011, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by dentalrebel

My wife is having injections next week. Did your wife have pain into her lower back from this also? My wife has lower back pain. has had disc treatment with little to no relief.

It was shown clearly by diagnostic imaging before the piriformis release surgery, that my wife ALSO has two problem discs, L4-L5 and L5-S1. That pain is still there, but that is no surprise, as we knew going in the discs were the back pain source. What we weren't sure about, was whether the sciatica was all from the piriformis, or part that, and part discs. Very happy to see post-op, the sciatica was all piriformis-based, thus all gone.

**MikeB** · 12-03-2011, 10:55 AM

As a PS, not sure which injections you mean. My wife had three "series" over 5-7 years: series #1 was three prednisone injections, under fluoroscopy. First, big relief for months. 2nd and 3rd not much help. A year or two later, same but this time with BOTOX. Much relief for 2-4 months with first injection; and again diminishing returns with second and third. Last series was back to prednisone (all these we're fluoroscopy-guided, very important). This last series was only two injections, and was disappointing, which was the final step before surgery. All injections were done at Brigham & Women's Hospital's Pain Clinic, near Boston, which has been a great resource.

**MikeB** · 12-03-2011, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by MikeB

As a PS, not sure which injections you mean. My wife had three "series" over 5-7 years: series #1 was three prednisone injections, under fluoroscopy. First, big relief for months. 2nd and 3rd not much help. A year or two later, same but this time with BOTOX. Much relief for 2-4 months with first injection; and again diminishing returns with second and third. Last series was back to prednisone (all these we're fluoroscopy-guided, very important). This last series was only two injections, and was disappointing, which was the final step before surgery. All injections were done at Brigham & Women's Hospital's Pain Clinic, near Boston, which has been a great resource.

and I should have said, all these were injections to the piriformis - she has had epidurals for the separate disc issues. In those too, it seems the first injection of a series has clear benefit. Others the same year, not so much.