Spinal Fusion | George and Scott's Story
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- Опубліковано 21 сер 2024
- On a gorgeous summer day, Scott Kendall went out surfing-just as he’d always done when the opportunity presented itself. While catching a wave, Scott was knocked down and immediately felt tremendous pain. He knew he needed to get to a hospital. On arrival, Scott was told he had broken his neck, and, while lying in wait for the doctor, he realized that he’d lost almost complete use of his right arm. The doctor told him that his injury was serious. Scott immediately feared that he’d never be able to surf again.
But Scott regained hope after being referred to Johns Hopkins orthopaedic spine surgeon Lee Riley. Scott’s friend and boss George Tunis had himself undergone spinal surgery at Johns Hopkins with Dr. Riley in 2001, following a similar injury, with a good outcome.
Scott shares his story about what it was like undergoing spinal fusion surgery with the Orthopaedic Spine Surgery team at Johns Hopkins Hospital and how he is now back enjoying his active lifestyle in Ocean City, Maryland-with the full use of his right arm and successful recovery.
For more information, please visit: www.hopkinsmedi...
Had lumber fusion L4-S1 2015 and still have pain in hips and numbness in legs with nerve damage still unsettled. Scared of the thought of removing hardware but hate the way I feel. Think twice about surgery and research as much as possible.
Blue Magic I fucked up, I regret it so much, got a spinal fusion 1 week ago.
Guys how are u now ? Is surgery that bad?
@@devindier it's not good ?
Back surgery is nothing but a scam I'm still in pain!
In answer to some of the comments below: Nobody wants to have a spinal fusion. None of us goes into it lightly. We all try conservative methods first. I have been in severe chronic pain for the last 15 months, from spinal stenosis, Spondylolisthesis, bilateral severe sciatica, loss of disk on L4 L5 with bone on bone grinding. I did Chiro., physical therapy, steroid injections, and nerve burning. I have been in a wheelchair for 9 months. I cannot do anything physical. I looked into ADR and was disqualified because of weak bones. In 2 days I am having a 2 level spinal fusion. I am doing it because soon I will be bedridden. It was hard enough accepting the wheel chair. But now I can barely sit up. Maybe if narcotics for pain was still available, I would have taken that route. They decided only addicts use pain meds, and therefore, I cannot have them. I am totally out of options, and I can see where death becomes a blessing for some people.
@B. L. It was a long recovery for me, a year and still going. I was able to walk right away, and I am grateful . I still have pain and numbness that comes and goes. I still use ice to manage the discomfort. I need to be in bed, at night around 6:30 laying on frozen ice pads. I went to physical therapy late in the game. I was given exercises that I do every day religiously. I also take 2 twenty minute walks every day no matter how much I don't feel like it. I may recover more as time goes by. I do not know if I will improve any more, but I am glad I had the surgery.
@@ladymarjorie3777 so glad to hear it worked out for you!!
I am in the same situation as you,have they done anything for you?
@ladymarjorie3777 I hope you have continued to improve since this post. I too have severe spinal issues and am facing fusion surgery. The body is very fragile once your past 35
@@imveryhungry112shutup troll
If you can live with the pain, do so. Surgery is a huge risk and you’ll probably be worse off than you started. I waited 7 years and decided to do it. Biggest mistake I ever made. I’m in 5 times more pain now and pretty much handicapped myself permanently. Everybody told me everything was going to fine. They lied and as soon as they figure out you’re worse off they kick you out of the office, basically abandonment. I’m so pissed at myself for going through with it. Avoid it at all costs...
Hi Michael hope u r doing well now... just wanna know have you got any improvements in your condition till now???
And do u have someone with u to help you out?
Hey man may I ask, what kind of surgery did you have?
@@imveryhungry112shutup troll
This is like rich people taking care of rich people
Lower lumber fusion at 20 fixed numbness in my leg and strength loss still have pain in the rest of my back 6 months out
The biggest regret of my life was getting spinal fusion.
Ask about ASD Adjacent Segment Degeneration as fusions are old school and are the real cause of ASD. If you are a good candidate for artificial discs, consider this more modern approach.
According to some independent studies they say that the difference with fusion and disc replacement surgery isn’t that much of a difference. I’ve talked to some hospitals in Europe that specialize in ADR and turns out they also do fusion when certain patients don’t qualify for ADR.
I understand you have had a couple done in Spain?!
MsCankersore I had three artificial discs implanted by Dr. Pablo Clavel in Barcelona. I am very happy. Part of the problem with generic comparisons of fusion vs artificial discs and saying ASD is about the same is that there are different kinds of disc. I have ones with a cushion in the center that acts like a real disc. Many in the US are hard plastic or metal centers that transfer energy without mitigation causing greater frictional and compression stress on adjoining discs. This amplifies causing more wear. If however the statistics were brand specific, the results would be far better for the cushion model discs. Further data points like overall weight, fitness and even diet likely play comparative roles. I flew to Spain for one of the best surgeons and the best implant not available in the US (the FDA is retarded or more likely bought off by mega manufacturers). Why is the US 12 years behind?
Here in the US there are “some” trusting specialist that have over ten years in this game. And, the Spinal Kinetics M6 is available for one Level for the neck. But for me, I needed the M6 at L3/4 lumbar lower back. So, I went to da man so to speak who had performed 7700 of these. I got my life back and that is all anyone wants. I do keep up with a few simple muscle strengthening exercises a day, I am able to work longer hours.
The biggest mistake is not going to an artificial disc serious specialist to help get real truths. People should go to the big City or pop on a plane with your current MRI to obtain the proper medical assessment. I see too many people getting surgical opinions by surgeons who mainly offer fusions only to be told that artificial discs are not reliable and experimental. Ya, experimental to them! The surgical procedure is very different and there are botched surgeries because the surgeon cuts away too out too much bone. Artificial discs are precision surgeries. No so much with fusions as the bone grows back. Artificial disc surgery has nothing to do with bone growth like a fusion. It’s worlds apart. No Bone Growth like“BMP” is never used in artificial disc implants.
An artificial disc restores natural movement and a fusion locks in and limits movement. Wisdom is respecting your body’s natural movement in my eyes. I have an old fusion L4/5 and L5/S1 and it sucks! I hate it. Eventually it wore out S1 and S2 and it’s a cause of daily discomfort often requiring medication. That cuts back the total available hours for work a day. In my experienced and seasoned eyes, fusion should be only when a highly experienced surgeon in artificial discs does not recommend it.
Wow, thank you so much for the much needed info. Hard finding this out since most places wether it's a fusion doctor or ADR doctor are coming from both a business and bias view pint. . I actually got a call this morning from Dr Clavel's office but couldn't speak because I was at work. Hopefully I'll be able to talk to them in the coming days.
You mentioned there not being any bone growth with ADR but there is some growth so the implanted disc adheres to the contraption right?
Also, is there any real difference with this procedure being done in germany vs spain? I've just heard more folks having gone to germany for this type of surgery.
Thanks again for the insight and much appreciate the lengthy info!
MsCankersore You are correct, there is some bone growth into the ADR. I was sold on Dr Clavel for the following reasons. You get da-man! Not one in a team. He had performed 7700 and I trusted the experience, and he is a perfect age, not too old, not too inexperienced. He performs the operation in a real hospital, just in case anything went wrong, there is access to specialist in trauma. The hospital was the second largest of private pay hospitals in Spain. He is a neurosurgeon not an orthopedic doc. There are some very excellent orthopedic doctors, but some leave bad scars and I just prefer precision and not a rush job, You can’t see the neck scar - that’s how good. The fact he will do only two surgeries in a day and no more than four in a week. Barcelona is an outstanding walking City and a fun place. If I remember correctly I walked 15 miles over the remaining ten days we were there. Lumbar was a three night or perhaps four night stay in the hospital and cervical was two nights. Part of the deal is you go back every other day for physical therapy. You can accept and pay for door to door taxi service I did that the first time. The second time we new the public transportation system, a no brainer. I am extremely analytical so I do my homework deeply and decide on trust and the experience. The spine in my view is a one way street. I don’t want to have any rework of a failed job. I know people who picked the wrong surgeon and had to have their fusion totally redone. I was watching a video of botched ARD’s presented by one of the best. He was showing the other surgeons all the mistakes he had to correct from other moron surgeons that cut too much bone away or applied an ADR on a patient unfit for the procedure.
The goal is getting your life back with as near zero risk or future problems as possible.
@@jrchicago9216 Thats my fear and others I'm sure, having some surgeon botch up my back and then having to look for another surgeon. Not to mention the high cost of these surgeries. I've contacted several institutes in Europe and the one's in Germany are a bit more expensive? any reason for that?
Hey I had s/f 4,5,6 almost 3weeks ago and I'm doing very good I'm a bit worried about one thing. Toight had an interesting thing happen to one of my thumbs ...so it was bad before surgery but tonight it suddenly "felt " numb again not quite like before but similar. I'm wondering if its is the nerves starting to do the things they are meant to do- and hadnt done for many years before surgery ... and maybe I'm connecting this feeling with what I've experienced the most of (15years) and more recently as well eccept tonight. What do you think?