florihupf Prodisc L5/S1 January 2004

[iSpine-Admin]

Originally Posted by florihupf on March 30, 2004

SURGERY DATE: 20/Jan/4

AGE AT SURGERY DATE: 34

SURGEON: Dr. James Zucherman

SURGERY LOCATION/CLINIC: St. Mary's, San Francsico

DEVICE(s), LEVEL(s): Prodisc L5/S1

COST =
AMOUNT BILLED: $90000 + $85000 for ureter surgery
INSURANCE ALLOWED: $15000 + $12000
OUT OF POCKET: ~$2000
TRAVEL:
EXPLANATIONS?


ONSET OF LUMBAR PROBLEMS, DATE OF INJURY, CAUSE, ETC...: My problems started in June 1999. It was a spontaneous development of problems that became worse and worse over time. I think it has to do with my office job and very long hours over years.

PRIOR SPINE SURGERIES AND PROCEDURES (IDET, ESI, etc...): Lumbar Epidural Injections (4x), lots of physical therapy. Chiropractor.

PRE-OP MEDICATIONS: Ibuprofen, Codeine.

PRE-OP DIAGNOSTICS (discogram, nerve root blocks, etc...): A total of two discograms were made. The first one was inconclusive because I think I just was too much medicated or I was too careful with my answers. However, the second discogram was right on the spot reproducing my usual back pain exactly.

PRE-OP NEUROPATHIES: Both legs were painful and numb. Sometimes the muscles in the upper left leg would act on their own.

PRE-OP CONDITION (Please include %leg pain/% back pain, pain levels, type of pain, ability to work and function, disability status, etc.... be direct, but be as verbose as you need to): 50% leg pain, 50% back pain depending on the time of day, etc.

TIME POST-OP AT ORIGINAL POST HERE: ten weeks post op.

DESCRIBE YOUR SURGICAL EXPERIENCE: Surgery was ok, however, it had the complication of a ruptured left ureter due to pressure applied during surgery. This required a second surgery two month after the original surgery date to fix it. That surgery was more invasive then the original spine surgery including movement of the bladder and another big inceision. Also there was lots of diagnostic work done beforehand (CT scans and others).

Nevertheless the hospital stuff was always very caring. However, it was a stressful journey for me. Pain medication was not an issue and I was always being helped with pain whenever I asked for something. I got up the second day post op and almost fainted. However, four days after the spine surgery I was walking around in the hospital for half an hour a day.

RATE FUNCTIONALITY / SATISFACTION AT INTERVALS BELOW:

FUNCTIONALITY:
1. Very poor: much worse... disabled after surgery.
2. Poor: worse after surgery.
3. Neutral: No improvement, or improvements offset by new problems.
4. Fair, some improvement, limitations are still serious.
5. Good, substantial improvement, some limitations.
6. Excellent: no limitations.

SATISFACTION:
1. Very sorry I had the surgery.
2. Somewhat sorry I had the surgery.
3. Too soon to tell, or I'm ambivalent about the surgery.
4. I'm somewhat glad I did my surgery.
5. I'm very glad I did my surgery.

FUNCTIONALITY: 5__ SATISFACTION: 4__ [6 WEEKS POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: 6__ SATISFACTION: 5__ [3 MONTHS POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [6 MONTHS POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [1 YEAR POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [2 YEARS POST-OP]

6 WEEKS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ECT... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]): Still have to go easy and that is of course due to the second surgery fixing my left ureter. It is kind of hard to tell what pain comes from what surgery. Nevertheless, I can tell that my dominant back pain is gone. That is good.

3 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]): Slowly recovering from the ureter surgery. Also making big improvements on the back pain. Basically it is almost completely gone. That means, no pain in the back and almost no leg pain anymore. I think I have a little bit of post surgery distraction nerve pain in my upper left leg because it's a burning sensation that I never had pre-op. But it's only happening when I sit down. I still have discomfort from the ureter surgery. There is still a stent in my left ureter so that it can heal better. However that stent makes my belly very sensitve and I have > 8 pain after eating for about ten minutes. Removal of the stent is scheduled for in about three weeks.

6 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

1 YEAR POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

2 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

Waiting for an update from florihupf.