TLIF L5 S1, Now a shift and bulge in L3 l4.
 

I had a TLIF Fusion in Jan 2012 and was doing ok until about April 2012 and started have pain above my surgery site and severe pain with the slighest bend to the side. An MRI found that the L3 L4 disc was bulging slightly and the L3 had moved 4mm since my previous MRI. My doctor is going to try steriod injections but said there is an 80% chance I will need another fusion at L3L4 and I am NOT ready for another fusion. He said I was only the second patient he had that experienced a problem 2 levels above the fusion. Has anyone one else had this experience???

re fusion and bulging in L3/L4
 

Any possibility of maybe getting an artificial disc at this level instead if the ESIs and time don't help?

Hello,

how do you mean "L3 had moved 4mm". Did you mean L3 vertebral body is out of position? Or you are speaking about disc bulge of 4mm?

Beave, it's good that your surgery was from the back. The anterior approach is still 'virgin'. That gives you more options for things like ADR.

Was L3-4 substantially compromised before your January surgery? Do you know how you blew it out? I would assume that your activity level was still quite low following the fusion.

Mark

"My, what a nice dress you are wearing Mrs. Cleaver"

I was told the the L# vertebral body has shifted 4mm since surgery and ther is a slight bulge at L3/L4. I have had 2 epidural steroid shots in the last month with little if any improvement. I go back to the doctor next week and will see what my next step is.

L3/L4 looked normal before surgery, but the Doctor said if it looked like it does now back then he would have fused l3/L4 as well. I did not do anything that would have caused a shift. One day I could no longer bend to the right and began having testicular pain. I have noticed a lot more "popping" around the surgery area. My PT even commented on the popping while doing some soft tissue work on my back. The pain is getting worse despite 2 epidural shots in the past month. Back to the doctor next week to see what can be done.