Janet G Prodisc L4/L5

[iSpine-Admin]

Originally Posted by Janet G on August 3, 2004

SURGERY DATE:

AGE AT SURGERY DATE:50

SURGEON:Bertagnoli

SURGERY LOCATION/CLINIC:Straubing

DEVICE(s),Prodisc LEVEL(s):L4/L5

COST =
AMOUNT BILLED:Approx $23,500US
INSURANCE ALLOWED:0
OUT OF POCKET 100%
TRAVEL:$6000
EXPLANATIONS?


ONSET OF LUMBAR PROBLEMS, DATE OF INJURY, CAUSE, ETC...: 3 years of deteriorating and debilitating low back pain plus many years of right leg sciatica

PRIOR SPINE SURGERIES AND PROCEDURES (IDET, ESI, etc...): multiple ESIs and a diagnostic facet injection that was negative for pain generation

PRE-OP MEDICATIONS: oxycontin, duragesic, neurontin, doxepin, anti-infamatorys, muscle relaxers, sleeping pills, etc

PRE-OP DIAGNOSTICS (discogram, nerve root blocks, etc...): MRI, CT scan, bone density test

PRE-OP NEUROPATHIES (what, where, & degree of pain, numbness, tingling, sexual/bladder/bowel symptoms, etc.):

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):90 % low back 10% right leg
essentially debilitated using a cane to walk
TIME POST-OP AT ORIGINAL POST HERE: 13 weeks

DESCRIBE YOUR SURGICAL EXPERIENCE: Excruciating. Torturous. 5 days in instensive care because of poor pain control. Post op bloating and a period where I became dehydrated and probably entered drug withdrawl (this was nightmarish). 17 day total stay in hospital

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: __2-3_ SATISFACTION: _2-3__ [6 WEEKS POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: __2-3_ SATISFACTION: _2-3__ [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... (First 6 weeks very painful with very little back pain improvement. Sciatica worse. Intense nerve distraction pain in my legs, first in my calves then moving upwards. Feet burn and hurt. Hands numb and tingling, sometimes swollen. I can sit much longer than before surgery. I can now sleep through the night and have moved back into the big bed with my husband. My pain meds are higher than pre-surgery.

3 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... From week 7-9 I had fair improvement with substantial back pain reduction. For one week I moved downward on my pain med dosage. From week 10 to present my back has returned to a pre-surgery condition with severe pain which restricts everything I do. My sitting time had been much improved post surgery but I am now restricted once again to sitting for only brief periods (10 minutes or less). I am back on the couch most of my waking time. Until recently I could sleep through the night, but am now constantly waking due to pain identical to pre-surgery. My back feels like some one or something is kicking it all night long. The spasms in the surrounding back tissues are returning. The right leg sciatica has magnified since my surgery. I have had intense nerve distraction pain in both of my legs first in my lower legs then migrating to my thighs, hips, and groin. In the past few days this condition has improved for the first time post op. My feet burn constantly and hot. Both of my hands have sensations that mimic my leg nerve distraction pain. Going backwards this severely is frustrating and depressing.

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 Janet G.