Have You Had Decompression Surgery?

[SteveE]

I would like to hear the experience of others who have had decompression surgery to reduce sciatic leg pain. Based on my myleogram which shows a lateral recess stenosis, a spine surgeon has recommended micro surgery to correct my sciatica pain. It is my understanding that this is one of the largest causes of failed back surgery so I'm trying to confirm that the L4 nerve root is causing my pain.

Before having this surgery, has anyone had a diagnostic injection (selective nerve root block or other) to confirm that the nerve root (suspected of causing the pain)was actually causing the pain? Has anyone had a transforaminal epidural injection for any reason, but in particular was this done instead of a selective nerve root block for some reason?

I would sure appreciate hearing your experience if you have had this surgery and /or diagnostic injections. Please tell me how successful it was in reducing the pain and would you repeat it? Steve

[rutman]

Steve--just had a decompression microdisectomy of the L4 and L5 and so far recuperating well right now. While it feels someone punched me in the back since surgery of 6 days ago I am gaining my stamina back after this 2 1/2 surgery. I not only had the ruptured disc, but when he was in there apparently a difficult surgery I had some bone spurs that had calcimized together also causing compression on the nerve root. He was able to cut that out and also repair the herniated disc. I had excruitiating pain shooting down the back of right leg going all the way down on top of foot and the foot was constantly numbe the last 2 weeks before surgery. Now--no shooting pain and just slight tingling numbness in right foot, but I have been told that's normal due to the nerve root has to heal--some of the largest nerves in the body right next to the sciatic nerve which is the largest. The tingling in the foot I have been told can last up to a year even after surgery due to getting the nerve to heal. I can tell I would do the surgery again with this Dr. Jeffrey Beane of Greensboro, NC (336-545-5000) of Greensboro Orthopedics. While he's an Orhtipedic and not a Neurosurgeon he is a Spine Specialist and doing Spine Surgery is his strong suit thank goodness and thank goodness my wife being a Case Mgr in the Nursing field knew about him as I live in Danville, VA and preferred going to him instead of others including a Neurosurgeon. He told me I also had a slightly bulging L5-S1 disc, but if it had only been that he would not have recommended surgery. Bottom line the disc between L4/L5 was ruptured severely and these bone spurs he also came across didn;t help matters at all--therefore the surgery. I would highly recommend this surgeon as I have to go back to remove stitches in 10-14 days and goal is to get back to work by Jan 23rd. Surgery was on 1-4-07--I think that pretty darn good considering what I've had. I have really no idea how I incurred the disc problems, but I'm sl;ightly overweight and will have to diet I realize, but I have been an avid golfer for 32 plus years and my question to others out there is really how much does the golf swing cause lower back problems and herniated discs? Can a wrong swing plane cause more pressure in the lower back versus a changed swing? I hope to get back playing in 6 mos or less, but realize the doctor will make that call for me in several weeks. Please make your comments on this Decompression Microsurgery and other people's successes, failures, recommendations as well as the golf swing questions at your earliest convenience. Lastly, here's a website that is a great demonstration of what I had done for lumbar disectomy--only my back slit was about 3-4 inches not 1-2 inches as the animation displays. Take care everyone! John aka rutman

http://www.spine-health.com/dir/lumbar.html