[Richard Tulip]

Hello all,

I am less than 2 weeks away from my second back operation (double fusion with extra supports) and have just found this site as i am having doubts that i am having the correct operation.

I am from the UK but am currently on holiday in the US (returning in a few days). I have been for some therapy to get me through the holiday and some people have suggested that a fusion would be a mistake and that i should consider disk replacement.

Could i please ask for some guidance / feedback on the options available to me together with the varying outcomes of the different types of surgery.

My history is as follows:

Ruptured disk at L4/L5 spring 2008 - severe right leg pain
L4/L5 discectomy August 2008 - pain free and active for 18 months then pain and numbness returned in both legs with quite a severe trunk shift to the left.

Since then i have managed the symptoms by therapy, losing weight and being active (swimming, mountain biking etc) however over the last 8 months things have gone down hill again.

Currently I have a trunk shift to the left with intermittent pain / numbness / pins and needles in both legs and pretty constant lower back pain / ache. I also have muscle spasms in my lower back which can sometimes leave me in a heap on the floor.

MRI and X Ray show a large central disc protrusion at L4/L5, bilateral pars defects (fracture) at L5/S1 with no slip and mild disc degeneration at L2/L3 and L3/L4

The operation i am about to have is a posterolateral fusion at L5/S1 (leaving the healthy disk in place), a posterior lumber inter body fusion at L4/L5 (taking the disk out and replacing with a cage etc) and as a preventative measure i am having interspinous spacers at L2/L3 and L3/L4 inserted due to the mild disk generation at these levels and the extra pressure that will be exerted on this area due to the double fusion below.

I have got my head around the need for an operation and am very happy with my choice of surgeon having spoken directly to many of his patients who have had similar surgery however he does not do disc replacement and i have never considered this as i have been guided away from that option by therapists and surgeons i have spoken to in the UK.

Please feel free to private message or email me as well as post, I am 37 years old and my wife and i want to start a family so i really want to get this right!

Many thanks

Richard