Stenosis
 

Hi
I have mild central stenosis and need ADR at two or three lumbar levels.
Is this going to be a problem in the future if I have ADR?
Has anyone dealt with this situation
Thank You

Gil:)

Reply
 

Hi.
just need any reply.

Thank You
Gil:)

Good question, Gil. Someone will chime in soon. Hang in there. ;)

Cindylou

Stenosis
 

Actually the ADR is contraindicated for stenosis (leg pain). However, sometimes the ADR will take care of the stenosis and sometimes not. I had to have the ADR and then posterior decompression surgery to remove the stenosis. Stenosis can be located at the foramen that are very difficult to open from the front (stomach or anterior appraach that must be used for the ADR).

Gil,

My MRI says "Overall spinal canal diameter is somewhat small, suggesting an element of congenital stenosis."

I was told that the need for ADR (cervical) was disc impingement on spinal cord and the stenosis of the spinal canal was not causing problems.

But I was concerned about what could be done after ADR if the stenosis caused pinched nerves or spinal cord problems later on. That nice :mad: doctor from Cleveland just blew my question off.

So yes I've wondering the same thing. Maybe we shouldn't worry about something until it happens :D? What are our choices? Sandy

Gil,

I would think the ADR's efficacy would depend on what's causing the stenosis. This is an important question and I would definitely bring this up with the Dr..
Glomp on like a Pitt Bull if necessary, until he addresses it to your satisfaction.

Be sure to write down all your questions so you don't get sidetracked at your appointment. I find it's also good to bring another set of ears with you.

Good luck! Adrienne

Gil,

You received some good replies. I just wanted to point something out. If a patient has spinal stenosis this does not mean they inherently have problems (leg pain). Many patients present with spinal stenosis and do not have any symptoms. However, as degeneration of the spine is seen with increased age, patients can develop symptoms/problems (usually middle / older aged adults).

I gotta run...

For most of my bad lumbar time, I was 100% low back pain, 0% leg pain. By the time I had my surgery, I had spent many months 50/50. It was not that the back pain got better... I developed severe foot pain associated with the disc collapse at L5-S1 following my 2nd discectomy.

I went for my surgery hoping for relief from my LBP, expecting NO RELIEF for my leg pain. I was pleasantly suprised to get 95% relief of my leg pain with my ADR surgery, presumably from the increased disc height opening the foraminal space. I've never been able to stop the NSAIDS because of the remnant foot pain. That foot pain has gotten a little worse over the last year. I don't know if it's from my neck or lumbar spine. I know that neck problems can turn up the volume on lumbar issues.

Mark

Mark,

I was the same way. I had my surgery shortly after the clinical trials in the states. The inclusion criteria included predominately low back pain. In the exclusion criteria, it stated leg pain as an exclusion.

I went into surgery with 95% LEG pain. I was praying to God that the surgery would help this ----- and it did. I woke up from surgery without any leg pain. (My "new" leg pain in my signature is a different issue.)

Interesting, nonetheless.

Leg Pain
 

Hi Mark and Dr J
I have leg pain and numb heel, Some low back pain and some neck pain.
Do you think this is also neck related or just lumbar?
Tahnks
Gil:):confused:

Hi Gil I cant tell you the answer. I can only say that I had neck and shoulder pain vey badly for 2 years before being told I had cervical DDD, and foraminal stenosis. Then I developed heel and buttock pain, so they were , and are, all going on at the same time. My MRI shows very mild disc dehydration on the 2 lower lumbar discs, nothing significant, and facet degenerationon L5 S1 and a cyst there too. I am unsure whether the neck caused all of this and it was left too long.

In my opinion the most important thing is to have a great surgeon who you trust in and find out from him or her what is causing your problems. Then hopefully sort them. My friend had lumbar stenosis and she had a fusion which worked for her. God knows what is causing my heels and buttock pains lets hope its the cyst! Hope you can find the answers and confidence you need from your surgeon, and the questions to ask and advice from the forum, all the best Marion

Gil,
I have leg pain that was present before the ADR surgery and the same after surgery. I also had a decompression to help but it only relieved it a little. I do wonder is necks add more lumbar pain since I also have a problem there also. It is so hard to know if the ADR will help the stenosis by giving the foramina more room. Most doctors want to concentrate on one area at a time and having had surgery I can't imagine having two areas operated on at one?
Phylly

Gil,

I have a few levels of stenosis. Stenosis itself can come from a few different sources, bone growth inside the spinal canal, foraminal canal bone growth or a combination of either of these along with disc narrowing. You'll hear definites such as "if you get pain while leaning back, it's stenosis, leaning forward, it's a disc issue." This statement is only true in certain instances.

My spinal canal measurements are within "normal" range but in conjunction with the reduced disc height and foraminal narrowing, the dynamics make my cauda equina look more like a snake than a horses tail. This is why I have had so many diagnosis for fusion and laminectomies and I've passed on all of them. They only treat one or two parts of a three part problem.

I'm guessing that if disc height can be restored or at least improved, the twists and turns will straighten out sort of like stretching out a coiled up garden hose.

Good luck to you and keep researching,

Bob

reply
 

Hi Bob
Thanks for your post. Let me know the results on your meeting.

Thank you
Gil:)

Phylly,

I had decompression post ADR by Laser Spine Institute. The leg pain remained so I went to Bonati Institute and they resolved the pain with a redo decompression.