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Cervical degeneration after nearly 2 years getting worse

Spine Health | Last Active: Jul 12 7:51am | Replies (26)

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@ab6540183

Hi dlydailyhope,
how are you?

Thank you for your response.

I had those tumors before for a long time and have been told that they are benign and not putting pressure on my nerves.

In Australia I have consulted with 2 neurosurgeon and 1 orthopaedic surgeon.
They all told me that they never heard about cervical laser surgery in Australia and that I should not seek no more operations and ablations of the facet joint nerves which would only weaken my muscles. They all recomended pain managment.

Excerpt of neurosurgeon letter to me and my GP:
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I reviewed this 67-year-old man for a further opinion at my rooms on 3/19/2024.
Alfred's medical history is well known to you with motor vehicle accidents with TAC claims and chronic neck and lowback pain with multiple interventions including pain management under the Neuroxxxxx Team with Mr Nxxxxx,
Neurosurgeon and then Pxxxxxx Health with Professor Bxxxxxx.
Alfred then went to the United States and had laser cervical surgery in Florida which he reports made him worse in August 2023 and he said this was a "bad mistake". The laser surgery performed at SCV Surgery Center of Viera,
Melbourne, Florida was undertaken 8/29/2023 by Dr Ara Deukmedjian in the cervical, lumbar and sacroiliac joint regions.
Alfred's latest MRI cervical scan 11/2/2023 amended 11/14/2023 demonstrates paravertebral oedema in the cervical region. He has no cord compression nor intrinsic high cord signal.
Partial improvement with Tramadol, Endone and Endep.
Alfred had partial head drop following the laser surgery in Florida and hopefully this will improve. I did discuss the cervical and lumbar denervation procedures that he has had which inevitably do weaken the cervical and lumbar muscle.
Very appropriately Dr Axxxxxxx has discussed with Alfred his chronic multifactorial pain in the cervical and lumbar region and I concur with Dr Axxxxxxx that Alfred should not have any further surgical intervention.
I discussed with Alfred he should not have further ablation procedures which will not benefit his chronic pain and may worsen his muscle weakness.
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I have been trying to be active by doing a walk every second day, indoor bicycle and light workout at the gym using machines only. The weight is only 2.5kg.
Despite doing them slowly and taking breaks I still get pain. My physio recommended that I rather keep active than do nothing which would make things worse. I also do special neck isometric exercises and other cervical exercises.

Here is my latest MRI from September 2023:

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Procedure Date: 12 September 2023
Report Date: 13 September 2023

Examination: MRI - LUMBAR SPINE
Technique: Sagittal T1, T2, STIR and axial T2.
Clinical Data:? Radiculopathy

Findings:
There is scoliosis of lumbar spine convex to the left with the apex at L3.
Conus terminates at T12 and shows no focal lesion.
Vertebral bodies are normal in height.
There is lumbar spondylosis.

At L1-L2, there is disc desiccation and mild bulge. No canal stenosis.
There is moderate right foraminal stenosis.
At L2/L3, there is reduction in disc height with endplate Modic 1 signal change.
There is slight retrolisthesis of L2/L3. No canal stenosis.
There is mild right foraminal stenosis and right facet joint arthrosis.
At L3/L4, there is disc desiccation.
Disc bulge indents the anterior thecal sac.
No canal stenosis. No foraminal stenosis.
At L4/L5, there is disc bulge indenting the anterior thecal sac with mild canal stenosis.
There is mild bilateral foraminal stenosis. There is mild bilateral facet arthrosis.
At L5/S1, there is disc desiccation and mild bulge. No canal stenosis.
There is left foraminal stenosis. There is left facet joint arthrosis.
Facet joints and spinous processes are unremarkable.

Comment: Scoliosis of lumbar spine convex to the left.
Multilevel disc degeneration and bulge.
L5-S1 left foraminal stenosis. Mild bilateral L4-L5 and right L2-L3
foraminal stenosis. Right L1-L2 foraminal stenosis.
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I noticed that when my neck gets worse, IE compression of cervical nerves, I feel numbness and tighteness in the leg and foot. When the neck pain alleviates, the numbness and tightness decrease in the leg and foot. I have been told that I do not have cervical stenosis.

Another neurosurgeon here in Australia told me in November 2023 that I would require a cervical fusion from C3-C7. Dr Deukmedjian recommended a fusion from C3 to T2 in September 2023 after my failed laser surgery. I can't understand why he removed disc material after staing in my surgery video that my C5-C6 and C6-C7 discs were very thin. In my opinion this would cause more instability.

I am getting neck muscle spasms all the time. Not sure if it is also nerve compression. Lots of creaks and snapping sounds when I turn my head.
Thank you

Best regards

Alfred

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Replies to "Hi dlydailyhope, how are you? Thank you for your response. I had those tumors before for..."

@alfredb
I see in your MRIs of cervical and lumbar spine narrowing of spaces at various levels that may be compressing nerve roots/nerves exiting the spinal cord. I am not familiar with what the nerve ablations do to nerves and which nerves were actually ablated but you may have had some nerve regeneration and these nerves are being affected and irritated by disc bulges, etc. I noticed your lumbar spine has one level that has your vertebrae slipping slightly backwards (L2-L3 retrolisthesis). I also noted you have foraminal stenosis at several levels which is affecting exiting nerves/nerve roots (L2-L3, L4-L5 and L5-S1). Your spinal cord is dented/compressed by disc bulges at L3-L4 and L4-L5 anterior thecal sac which would cause neurological problems in legs/feet and back pain.
https://www.spineinfo.com/conditions/is-thecal-sac-indentation-serious-everything-you-need-to-know/
I agree that you would not want to get anymore ablations but if your spine at the cervical and lumbar levels is compressing nerves, nerve roots or putting pressure on your spinal cord/thecal sac, you need to get the discs/bone spurs off them.