Surgery # 3 ????

Surgery # 3 ????

Q:

Age: 50 Sex: M Concern: Spinal cord complications

Hello Dr. Tran,

I an a 50 year old diabetic with high blood pressure. I have also gone through 2 lower back surgeries in the past 3 years. #1 surgery was a fusion of l-4, l-5 & s-1. I received no relief after this surgery. Surgery #2 was a lamenectomy performed by a different doctor than doctor#1. Once again .......no relief. After a series of X-rays and MRI's, doctor # 2 found that I suffered a broken titanium pedicle screw from surgery # 1. His plan to fix this is to open me up from the front, move my internal organs and apply a cage over the bad part of my spine. Return my organs back and sew me up.

I am very disturbed at this plan and am wondering if there is a chance for long term side-effects like paralysis and so on.

I've been living on heavy duty pain killers for the past 3 years that are not working as well as they once did.

Doc, I am very nervous about whether or not to have this surgery. And if I do, do I risk permanent paralysis or some other undesirable results.

Some say "3 is a charm", I say "3 strikes and you're out"

-- scared

A:

I have yet to see anyone who has done well with three lumbar surgeries in two years. This is not to say that you won't benefit but the odds are heavily against you.

-- Sherman Nam Tran, M. D.

to ask Dr. Tran.